County commission asks for 2 percent cut in department budgets

Franklin County Commissioners are starting their annual budget process.

The board last week approved a resolution asking all of its departments heads to cut their budgets by 2 percent this year.

The motion was made by Commissioner Pinki Jackel who pointed out that the county has raised its millage every year for quite a few years.

This year it appears that property values are stopping their steep decline which should allow the county to give taxpayers a little break.

Commissioner Jackel said she would like to at least keep next year’s millage rate the same as this year’s, and that should start by asking that all county departments cut 2 percent from their budgets.

The 2 percent cut also applies to non-governmental groups that the county helps fund.

That will help compensate for increases the county can’t control like insurance rates and unfunded mandates from the legislature.

Commission chairman Cheryl Sanders agreed that she would also like to see the budget stay close to the rollback rate next year.

State rules require that county departments have their budgets submitted by the beginning of June.

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