Budget Finance Audit Committee 6-2009 3

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DEKALB COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MANUEL J. MALOOF CENTER H1300 COMMERCE DRIVE, 5 FLOOR ▪ DECATUR, GEORGIA 30030 CONNIE STOKES [phone] [phone] FAX DEKALB COMMISSIONER [e-mail] SUPER DISTRICT 7 NEWS RELEASE Contact: Tonza ClarkFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 404-371-3053June 2, 2009 [e-mail] BUDGET, FINANCE, & AUDIT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECTED REVENUES, TAX DIGEST, AND MID-YEAR CONSIDERATIONS DECATUR – In light of recent news concerning state sales tax collections and the County’s tax digest value, Super District 7 Commissioner and Chairwoman of the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee, Connie Stokes, has placed the review of the tax digest, budget projection, and mid-year adjustments on the agenda for the Budget, Finance, & Audit Committee on Tuesday, June 9, at 3 p.m. in the Multi-thPurpose Room on the 5 Floor of the Maloof Building. “We want to hear from the public, discuss, and deliberate with staff to seek options for a balanced budget as required by law,” says Stokes. “The County’s administration presented a recommendation for millage rates at the Board of Commissioner’s meeting in May. Although, the rates were proposed, the Board of Commissioners has not made any decisions on the advertised rates. We will examine all options and continue to work towards solutions to balance the budget.” Several recent occurrences will impact the County’s budget. The County estimates ...

Informations

• Publié par: Foed
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• Langue: English

Extrait

DEKALB

COUNTY

BOARD

OF

COMMISSIONERS

M

ANUEL

J. M

ALOOF

C

ENTER

1300 C

OMMERCE

D

RIVE

, 5

H

F

LOOR

▪

D

ECATUR

, G

EORGIA

30030

C

ONNIE

S

TOKES

D

E

K

ALB

C

OMMISSIONER

S

UPER

D

ISTRICT

7

[phone]

[phone] F

AX

CONNIESTOKES

@

CO

.

DEKALB

.

GA

.

US

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 2, 2009

Contact:

Tonza Clark

404-371-3053

[e-mail]

BUDGET, FINANCE, & AUDIT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECTED

REVENUES, TAX DIGEST, AND MID-YEAR CONSIDERATIONS

DECATUR –

In light of recent news concerning state sales tax collections and the County’s tax digest

value, Super District 7 Commissioner and Chairwoman of the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee,

Connie Stokes, has placed the review of the tax digest, budget projection, and mid-year adjustments on

the agenda for the Budget, Finance, & Audit Committee on Tuesday, June 9, at 3 p.m. in the Multi-

Purpose Room on the 5

th

Floor of the Maloof Building.

“We want to hear from the public, discuss, and deliberate with staff to seek options for a balanced budget

as required by law,” says Stokes. “The County’s administration presented a recommendation for millage

rates at the Board of Commissioner’s meeting in May. Although, the rates were proposed, the Board of

Commissioners has not made any decisions on the advertised rates. We will examine all options and

continue to work towards solutions to balance the budget.”

Several recent occurrences will impact the County’s budget. The County estimates Homestead Option

Sales and Use Tax (HOST) receipts for 2009 will be negatively impacted by HB 264 which changes the

way sales tax funding is distributed. In addition, the recently approved tax digest of the Board of

Assessors which was adjusted to include foreclosure sales as part of the assessment process came in at

$26.0 billion countywide for 2009; a 3.2% decrease from 2008. The County currently uses 90% of HOST

funding for property tax relief while the remaining 10% is used for capital improvement projects.

“While the newly approved tax digest takes into account new state law on foreclosures, it has raised

concern that adjustments will have to be made by June 23, 2009,” said Stokes. “Added to that concern, is

the reality that the County’s primary revenue sources are decreasing. We are trying to provide the same

-MORE-

level of services while sales tax collections within the County are steadily dropping, and now we must

take into consideration the impact of HB 264 that mandates we divide sales tax revenues among the

cities.”

Other factors that have had a direct impact on this year’s budget include a national economic recession,

the incorporation of the City of Dunwoody, property tax freeze, and the State of Georgia not providing the

2009 Homestead Tax Relief Credit (HTRC); all of which may have a direct financial impact on DeKalb’s

taxpayers.

Commissioner Stokes along with Budget, Finance and Audit Committee members, Commissioners Elaine

Boyer, District 1, and Sharon Barnes-Sutton, District 4, urges the public to attend the meeting to get an in-

depth understanding of the county’s budget. All residents are also invited to the public hearings to discuss

the tax digest and budget. The hearing will be held on the following dates, at the indicated times and

locations:

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

at

10:00 A.M.

at the Maloof Administration Building Auditorium, 1300

Commerce Drive, Decatur, Georgia; and

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

at

6:00 P.M.

at the Maloof Administration Building Auditorium, 1300

Commerce Drive, Decatur, Georgia; and

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

at

10:00 A.M.

at the Maloof Administration Building Auditorium, 1300

Commerce Drive, Decatur, Georgia.

As part of her commitment to making the budgetary process as transparent as possible, Commissioner

Stokes is increasing community outreach efforts to educate residents so that they can see and understand

how their tax dollars are being spent. As a former State Senator, she served on the Senate Appropriations

Committee appropriating billions of dollars for the State of Georgia. She brings to the Budget, Finance

and Audit Committee a wealth of knowledge of over 16 years of experience as a policy maker.

For more information on the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee meeting, the budgetary process, or to

share your opinion, call the office of Super District 7 Commissioner Connie Stokes at 404-371-3053, e-

mail

[e-mail]

, or visit

www.conniestokes.org

.

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