While other governments may be slashing their budgets, Braselton is proposing a larger general fund budget — including pay raises for its employees next fiscal year.
The Braselton Town Council, Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority and the Braselton Downtown Development Authority have set public hearings on their proposed 2013 fiscal year budgets, which will take effect on July 1.
For the town council, it will hold a public hearing on the proposed general fund, and water and sewer fund budgets during its work session on Thursday, June 7, at 4 p.m.
Next fiscal year, Braselton proposes that its general fund budget rise 10 percent from $2.9 million to $3.2 million.
Braselton — which spans Jackson, Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties — doesn’t have a property tax, and the proposed 2013 fiscal year budget doesn’t call for one, either.
The town also isn’t proposing any furlough days for employees or trimming the number of staff in its departments, according to town manager Jennifer Dees.
But, its proposed budgets include a three percent cost-of-living increase for all town employees, she said. Those employees who hit a three-year mark in their current positions will also receive a three-percent “step” pay increase.
The police department will increase its staff during the 2013 fiscal year. In January, Braselton plans to hire its 15th officer. Another officer was added to the payroll in January 2012 — after the town council said during its 2011 retreat that it wanted to hire two more officers.
The police department is expected to bring in more revenue to Braselton in court fines — from $350,000 this fiscal year to an estimated $425,000 next fiscal year.
That’s because police want to buy another automatic license plate reader — a device on a patrol vehicle that can quickly photograph hundreds of license plates and determine if that vehicle is tied to any violation, such as expired tags, unregistered vehicles or major offenses. Braselton police already have one such device.
The town further expects another key revenue source — sales tax — to grow over the next fiscal year. Braselton gets sales tax money for its general fund budget from Jackson, Barrow and Hall counties. It will also receive $70,000 from Gwinnett County as part of a legal agreement between the county and its cities over services.
Braselton’s share of Jackson County sales tax revenue is slated to rise from $145,000 to $200,000 next fiscal year, according to the proposed budget. Its Barrow County sales tax money is expected to increase from $35,000 to $80,000 and its Hall County share will jump from $2,500 to $125,000.
Dees said she proposed those sharply rising estimates because the counties and their cities will soon negotiate the formulas used to determine how much money each county and city receives. The new formulas will use population data from the 2010 Census.
Considering that Braselton’s population grew from 1,200 residents in 2000 to more than 7,500 people in 2010, Dees said her estimates of the town’s share of the re-negotiated sales tax revenue are conservative.
Braselton foresees income from business licenses dropping from $150,000 during the 2012 fiscal year to $90,000 next fiscal year. With the closure of Mitsubishi in town and the plan for Home Depot to shut its Braselton distribution center, Dees said the town won’t receive as much in business license fees.
Overall, Braselton’s general fund budget shows an estimated $3.2 million in revenue and $2.6 million in expenses. Unlike a couple of years ago, the town isn’t slated to dip into its reserve account to balance the budget.
For the first time, Braselton will have a capital fund budget — namely to earmark costs and expenses for its downtown projects, such as the renovation of the town-owned Braselton Brothers Store and the construction of the town green. That budget is proposed at $2.5 million.
Water and Sewer Fund
For its water and sewer budget, Braselton plans a seven percent increase — from $5.8 million during the 2012 fiscal year to $6.2 million during the 2013 fiscal year.
Like the current fiscal year, Braselton is slated to raise water and sewer rates five percent next fiscal year to pay for infrastructure improvements. The town will continue to increase water and sewer rates at five percent each year for the next four fiscal years.
Braselton anticipates generating an estimated $3 million in water charges during the 2013 fiscal year and $1.4 million in sewer charges.
Sewer charges are expected to drop because more people are tapping into the town’s reuse water system for irrigation, according to Dees. They are also conserving more water.
Dees said her proposed revenue figures for water and sewer charges are conservative, as the town has been collecting more revenue than initially budgeted for the 2012 fiscal year.
For this fiscal year, Braselton proposed to get $3 million in water charges, but had already collected $2.6 million through the end of April. The fiscal year ends on June 30.
The town’s tap fees are expected to rise from $750,000 to $1.5 million — which takes into account the likelihood that Northeast Georgia Health System will pay for its tap fee for sewer service to its new hospital, according to Dees.
Meanwhile, fees for customers who pay their water and sewer bills late will drop from $120,000 to $85,000.
“Ever since we started offering the credit card option (to pay bills online), they’ve gone down,” Dees said.
Downtown Development Authority
The budget for the Braselton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) includes funds for a downtown director — a move that will cost the authority $30,000.
The authority plans to hire its part-time downtown director in October. The DDA recently approved an extensive job description for the new position and a wide-ranging salary for the job.
Braselton wants to become either a Better Hometown or join the Main Street program — both offered through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The programs focus on revitalization in a commercial district, including building improvements, economic development and promotion.
The Better Hometown designation requires that downtown managers work a minimum of 20 hours a week. The Main Street program requires that downtowns have a full-time employee working at least 32 hours a week.
Braselton’s downtown director will work 22 hours a week. The town council will transfer $30,000 from its general fund budget to the DDA’s budget to hire the downtown director. That person will then be technically hired as a town employee, but considered a contract employee of the DDA.
Overall, the DDA’s budget will jump from $16,030 for the 2012 fiscal year to $65,012 next fiscal year.
The DDA will hold a public hearing on its proposed 2013 fiscal year budget on Thursday, June 14, at 4 p.m.
Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority
An anticipated drop in hotel/motel tax revenue is a major factor in a decrease in the Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority’s budget for the 2013 fiscal year.
Braselton collects a total of five percent in hotel/motel taxes. Three percent of that revenue goes to the town’s general fund and two percent funds the visitors bureau authority’s budget.
For its share of the hotel/motel tax, the authority expects to get $260,000 next fiscal year — compared to $290,000 this fiscal year. It also won’t receive a $30,000 state grant that it got in 2012.
The visitors bureau authority plans to mainly spend its money on public relations, special events and marketing aimed to bring more guests to Braselton.
The Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority held a public hearing on its proposed budget on Wednesday, June 6.
