Vehicles for county employees, the Colonnade event venue and funds for the Northwest Georgia Joint Economic Development Authority were a few of the expenditures Catoosa County residents suggested for cuts to avoid a property tax increase proposed by the Catoosa County Board of Commissioners.
The comments came Thursday morning at the first of three public meetings about the county's fiscal year 2023 budget. The meeting was held at the Catoosa County Administration Building, 800 Lafayette Street in Ringgold, with a second hearing scheduled for Thursday night. The final meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 19.
The commission will vote to adopt the budget after the final meeting, according to Catoosa County spokesman John Pless. Fiscal year 2023 begins Oct. 1.
County officials blamed "significant" inflationary increases in the county's "materials, services and labor" for the need to increase property taxes. Larry Black, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, pointed specifically to public safety and county services.
"Currently, this June, our inflation rate was 9.1(%)," said Rachel Clark, chief financial officer for Catoosa County. "We have not had that kind of increase in 40 years."
Many of the Catoosa County residents who testified Thursday said times were hard for them, too, and urged commissioners to find cost savings to make do with the budget they have right now. Several residents who spoke didn't think county employees should get a raise in such a difficult economy.
(READ MORE: Property tax increases planned for Catoosa County's new budget)
At the meeting Debbie Stringer, of Ringgold, said she wanted to share how a tax increase impacted her. She said her taxes and home insurance have increased all four years she's owned her home and she's had to decrease coverage as a result.
"We are all having a hard time in this economy, and I hope that you will do what is necessary to make it easier on everyone and make more cuts in the areas that are not basic needs, like the Colonnade," Stringer said.
Chris Arnt, district attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, said he needs to hire three new attorneys to have sufficient staff to prosecute crime. He said a proposed pay raise for his staff is needed so they aren't "stolen" by nearby judicial circuits that pay more.
Catoosa County's proposed $36.5 million budget is a 10.99%, or $3.6 million, increase over last year's budget. Clark said they've already brought the budget down about $2 million from what was first proposed.
The millage rate in the current proposed budget is 7.348, down from 7.568 mills in the original proposed budget. On a $175,000 house with a homestead exemption, Clark said the homeowner would pay $499.66 annually, a 25.93% increase, or $102.88.
Catoosa County has the second-lowest millage rate in Northwest Georgia, Clark said. This year, Walker County is proposing a 7.2 millage rate, while Dade County's proposal is 8.0 and Whitfield County - including its special tax district - is 10.75.
James Coles said he was a department head at Erlanger Health System for "many years," managing a $10 million budget. The Catoosa County resident said to the commission members in his testimony that these are "extraordinary" times for people."
"There's always something you can trim, or at least look at, so I ask that you do that," Coles said.
He said he'll "survive" a property tax increase, but he believes many won't - and they're the ones who don't vote and are "silent folks" who don't participate in the public process.
Mario Fernandes, who said he is a 12-year resident of Catoosa County, told the commission that county officials are "abusing" their benefits by using county cars for personal use. The property tax increase should be voted on by Catoosa County residents, he said, and he would like to see an independent audit of county finances.
"After all, it's our money, and you work for us," Fernandes said.
Public safety accounts for 36% of the county's budget ($13.1 million); general government is 20% ($7.3 million); judicial is 13% ($4.8 million), and public works 9% ($3.4 million). Culture and recreation is 8% of the budget ($2.85 million); other transfers is 7% ($2.6 million); housing and development is 4% ($1.4 million); and health and welfare is 3% ($1 million).
Reading from a pie chart, Clark detailed proposed fiscal year 2023 general fund revenues. Property taxes accounted for 52% of general fund revenues, 26% is projected to come from the local options sales tax, 8% from charges for services, 5% from fines and forfeitures, 3% from other taxes, 3% from intergovernmental revenue, 2% from licenses and permits, and 1% from miscellaneous revenue.
Catoosa County resident Greg Gordy said he oversaw budgets when he worked for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Department of Defense. The county pays an annual fee to the Northwest Georgia Joint Economic Development Authority.
"I still don't understand what we get back from it," he said in his testimony.
Joanna Hildreth said the county pays over $200,000 annually to maintain the Hutcheson Hospital and over $300,000 for the Colonnade in her testimony to the commission. The District 4 resident thanked the commission members for their work.
"I would love for you to look at these big money losers in the county," she said.
(READ MORE: Catoosa County, Georgia, residents look to future of existing hospital campus)
The commissioners addressed some of the suggestions during their comment portion of the meeting.
Charlie Stephens, District 4 commissioner, said budgeting is a difficult process, and he said he thinks there may still be places in the budgets where cuts can be found. He said people need the services the county provides, especially when it comes to public safety.
"We're short-staffed, and a lot of these people are having to work overtime to protect our county," Stephens said.
Vanita Hullander, District 3 commissioner, said county employees who are on call 24/7 need county vehicles to respond immediately if a call is received. She also said that the joint development authority partnership keeps the county from having to staff its own economic development department.
"They (the development authority) have brought multimillions into this area," Hullander said.
As chairman of the Public Facility Authority, District 2 Commissioner Chuck Harris said the county began the process to sell the Hutcheson Hospital building on Wednesday. The new owner would honor the contract with CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia, he said, a current tenant in Hutcheson.
Black said they have a lot of work to do on the budget and thanked all the testifiers for their "professionalism" and "decorum."
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.