Franklin Co. Gets Look At Proposed FY 17 Budget

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

The Franklin County Fiscal Year 2017 budget is one step closer to being final.

Franklin County’s new fiscal year begins July 1 and the budget, by law, must be passed by June 30th.

At its regular meeting Monday night, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners got its first look at the preliminary budget.

Franklin County Manager Beth Thomas said the General Fund budget for FY17 is $12,372,870, which is down from the Fiscal Year 2016 budget which was $13,280,960. That is a difference of just over $900,000.

Thomas said the difference has to do with a drop in overall revenue.

“We have a decrease in revenue due to a decrease in LOST revenue, non-recurring grant money and a decrease in court fines. You can see the entire list in your packet. It decreases revenue by $900,000,” Thomas told the board at its work session last month.

Thomas went on to say that because revenues are down, that required a cut in expenditures for Fiscal Year 2017.

“Expenditures had to be reduced by that current amount,” Thomas said.

A public hearing on the Franklin County budget will be held Thursday, June 16th at 6 p.m.

Next year’s budget is also available for viewing by the public at the Franklin County Board of Commission office in Carnesville on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Franklin County Commission is expected to vote to pass the Fiscal Year 2017 budget at its regular work session on June 28th at 6 p.m.