Floyd's Budget and the Potential Impact on Tax Rates. What We Know

Floyd County commissioners continued to discuss the state of the county’s finances Tuesday morning as it faces a budget shortfall of $3.6 million and is considering increasing the millage rate to make up the difference.

County Manager Jamie McCord reviewed the current budget situation and presented several scenarios for commissioners to consider how to make up the shortfall.

“The biggest growth in the budget is salaries,” McCord said. “And most of our salaries need to be increased if we’re to fill empty positions.”

Floyd County and Rome have had problems over the past several years in retaining staffers, attributed to low unemployment in Georgia and private sector jobs that pay better salaries.

Having 100 open positions every year has given the county financial leeway when setting the annual budget, McCord said. That leeway has been reduced since the county began to raise some salaries.

“The cost of living raises don’t go away,” McCord said. “So we’re paying better salaries and, consequently, filled a lot of important positions.”

Public safety employees — police, fire department and 911 — are still paid lower than in neighboring counties, making it hard to retain workers, he said.

The City of Rome has recently finished an employee salary study. McCord said if Rome implements the recommended salary changes, it will be even harder to retain police officers.

“Floyd County loses officers to Bartow County,” McCord said. “But Bartow County loses them to Cobb County, so everyone poaches from each other.”

Commission Chair Allison Watters asked McCord to provide charts comparing Floyd County spending to some neighboring counties.

“Our spending is in line with neighboring counties,” Watters said. “And actually lower than many.”

McCord also discussed the potential impact of Georgia House Bill 581, which was championed by State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, and — if passed — is expected to lower the impact of property taxes. The bill, which will go before voters in November, also allows municipalities to choose to enact a one-cent sales tax to offset property taxes.