Board of Commissioners Will Not Raise Taxes

Finally some good economic news.

A month ago, Forsyth County was trying to plug a $3.1 million gap in the 2012 budget. A week ago, Finance Director David Gruen presented a $91.8 million preliminary budget that was balanced and Tuesday, commissioners unanimously approved a millage rate that does not raise taxes.

The overall rate for the coming year will be 7.656 mils, including 4.812 for maintenance and operations, 1.975 for fire services and .869 for bonds.

Chairman Brian Tam praised Gruen, County Manager Doug Derrer and Assistant County Manager Tim Merritt for making the budgeting process run efficiently.

"We get more accurate information from you and that's what makes the process go so smoothly," he said. "That's a credit to all of you. We appreciate everything you and your staff does."

Gruen said to achieve a balanced spending plan, expenditures had to be cut by $1.5 million and revenue had to increase by about $1.6 million in the last four weeks.

County Manager Doug Derrer said that took a team effort and required the cooperation of elected officials, court appointed officers, department heads and staff.

"They worked very hard to bring us their requests and were very willing to cooperate with us to bring us this balanced budget," he said. "It's a credit to all of our staff. It took a concerted effort."

Now the school system must set its millage rate. Despite the passage of the special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) earlier this year, the school system has advertised for a tax increase.

The school board is scheduled to meet on July 21 to set the rate and approve its spending plan. Once that is done, the budget will go to the Board of Commissioners who will hold a public hearing Oct. 6 and adopt the final budget on Oct. 20