T.J. Kaikobad is the owner of the Dalton DepotDALTON, Ga. – Some Whitfield County residents told commissioners they did not want any property tax increases, while others lined up to plead for more funding for the library, tourism and development in the county.
County commissioners spent more than an hour listening to comments from residents during a public budget hearing Monday night. Several dozen people crowded into the commissioners’ meeting, which is usually sparsely attended.
The proposed 2012 budget has a general fund of $39.9 million in spending and $1.9 million in capital expenditures, about $1.2 million less than the 2011 budget.
Despite the cuts, commissioners still expect a shortfall of $6.3 million and have warned they will need to raise property taxes next year.
“Keep your hands out of my pocket and don’t spend any more money than you’ve got,” Harold Groover told commissioners.