SNELLVILLE — The city unveiled its Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, one that reflects the economic hardships predicted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first reading of the balanced $13,058,103 budget shows it is actually higher than last year's due to additional revenue streams and offsetting, mandated expenditures. FY 2021 net spending is up by 3.2 percent or $414,431.
While there is a salary freeze for city employees, a "once-in-a-decade" 27th bi-weekly paycheck will result in a $221,392 budget increase. Two other revenue increases are due to 385,000 in Community Development Block Grant revenue for the city's proposed Greenway and a projected $300,000 from School Zone Traffic Cameras. Without these expenditures, FY21 would actually be down by $491,961 or 4 percent.
Capital Needs are being met with $721,000 for street resurfacing and $800,000 in stormwater projects.
Negative pandemic impacts can be seen across all revenue items including a projected decrease of 40 percent in hotel/motel room tax, a drop of almost 20 percent in the Title Ad Valorem Tax and a 25 percent reduction in intangible taxes. and the sanitation subsidy has increased to $773,192.
The next reading and adoption vote is set for June 8.
A copy of the proposed budget is available on the city's website - https://www.snellville.org/Data/Sites/1/media/administration/budget/proposed-fy-2021-budget.pdf