The Hall County Commission met on Thursday to discuss the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget.
The overall budget could see a 0.61% decrease for a total of $403.2 million for the next year.
The general fund has a proposed decrease by 0.35% for a $132.2 million figure.
The reasoning for the decrease according to Interim Financial Services Director Taylor Sample was due to the “timing of cash flow” for capital projects, with some wrapping up before the next fiscal year.
The millage rate may also decrease, with the proposal setting the county rate at 3.234 mills, down from the 3.440 figure last year.
“There’s been consistency in rolling back the millage rate in the general fund over the last several years,” Sample said.
Some of those mentioned capital projects ending made way for new capital projects for Hall County to spend on. $110.2 million for capital expenditures is the projected cost for fiscal year 2025.
Some of those projects include road resurfacing and improvements, including at Highway 365’s intersection at White Sulphur and Cagle Roads and 30 miles of road resurfacing.
There is also ongoing health department renovations and construction that contributes $6.4 million to the capital expenditures and ambulance and vehicle replacement totalling $4.85 million.
Most of the capital expenditures are funded by Hall’s Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), making up roughly 60% of the fund, or $61.4 million.
Another item of note is the parks and leisure service fund having a proposed increase of 25.33%, going from $5.1 million to $6.3 million this year.
There is also still $11.4 million left in the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding for the fiscal year 2025 budget from the federal government that helped reduce the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hall County Commission will look to finalize the budget at their June 27 meeting and the budget will go into effect on July 1 of this year.
