Tax rates to stay the same in Auburn

The Auburn City Council held its first hearing on the proposed 2009 budget last week. The council is expected to take final action on the budget Sept. 4.

The tax rates are proposed to be 4.989 mills for the Barrow County part and 4.796 mills for the Gwinnett County area of Auburn. Both rates are the same as last year.

Under the proposal, Auburn would reduce its general fund spending from $3.8 million to $3.6 million in 2009.

Although the town’s general fund is slated to drop, its capital outlay fund would increase from $395,000 to $1.9 million. This would be for installing sewer in the downtown area and the purchase of property to connect a water line.

The town’s water fund is also slated to drop in 2009 from $2 million in revenues and expenses to $1.4 million in revenues and $1.2 million in expenses.

Overall, the city is expecting to see its total budget grow from $5.8 million in 2008 to $6.9 million in 2009, mostly due to the capital outlay expenditures.

INCOME AND EXPENSES
Auburn’s largest sources of revenue are local option sales taxes projected at $1.4 million for 2009, water sales at $1.44 million, property taxes at $730,000, court fines at $385,000 and insurance premium taxes at $400,000.

The town’s largest expenses for 2009 are capital outlay at $1.9 million, the police department at $1.5 million, financial administration at $414,300, public works at $330,000 and the water department at $1.2 million.

FOOD, TRAVEL FUNDED
Included in the Auburn budget for 2009 are funds to pay for food in various departments totaling $14,200. The mayor’s budget has the largest food funds at $5,450 followed by financial administration with $3,500 allocated for food.

The budget also includes $19,100 in travel expenses with planning and zoning allocated $3,500, financial administration $3,000, the council $2,500, the mayor $2,500 and the water department $2,500.

Education and training is also being funded in 2009 at $26,900 in the city budget and cell phones for various departments total $14,100.

Professional fees being paid by all the city departments total $447,000 in the budget, including $50,000 in professional fees in planning and zoning, $50,000 in the municipal court, $15,000 in the stormwater department, $15,000 in the parks department and $40,000 in legal fees.

Auburn 2009 Budget
Income and Expenses

Revenues

General Fund-$3.6 million
Confiscation Fund-$5,000
Capital Outlay Fund-$1.94 million
Water Fund-$1.44 million
Solid Waste Fund-$158,500
Police Revenue-$4,600
Public Works Revenue-$750
Special Events Revenue-$7,850
Parks Revenue-$7,500
Library Revenue-$1,500
Total Revenues-$7.19 million

Expenses

Council-$75,500
Mayor-$58,700
Elections-$4,900
Financial Admin.-$414,300
Legal-$40,000
IT-$137,500
Govt. Bldg.-$77,000
City Court-$157,300
Police-$1.5 million
Public Works-$330,000
Roads-$123,700
Street lights-$75,000
Stormwater-$88,200
Special Events-$43,500
Parks-$137,800
Library-$115,500
Plan & Zone-$196,200
Code Enforc.-$80,900
Investigations-$2,000
Capital Outlay-$1.94 million
Water Fund Expenses-$1.2 million
Solid Waste Expenses-$141,000
Total Expenses-$6.94 million