Warner Robins unveils $82 million proposed budget

The City Council is considering a proposed $82.4 million budget for the coming fiscal year that includes no increases in fees or the millage rate.

Mayor Randy Toms presented the budget to council members at Monday’s pre-council meeting. A public hearing will be scheduled, and the council will give final approval before July 1, the start of the fiscal year.

The budget calls for a 2-percent raise for city employees, which is the same amount in the current year’s budget. It also does not include any new positions.

Although the proposed budget does not include millage rate or fee increases, City Clerk Bill Harte said that could be a topic of discussion as the council considers the budget. He said garbage pickup, in particular, could use a fee increase.

The budget calls for $39.8 million on general fund spending, which is $1.7 million more than in the current budget. The general fund includes police and fire protection, housing and development, recreation, public works, the city courts and general government functions.

The remaining part of the budget is made up of enterprise funds at $31.5 million, special purpose local option sales tax funds at $6.3 million and special revenue funds at $4.8 million.

Enterprise funds are self-sustaining operations supported by user fees. Those are garbage, water and sewer, natural gas and stormwater drainage.

Special revenue funds cover a variety of operations including the Warner Robins Redevelopment Agency, the hotel-motel tax, Bureau of Civic Affairs, community development, police condemned funds and others.

Harte said the largest increase in the budget is in the city’s health care fund. The city is self-insured and this year had higher claims than anticipated, especially in prescription drugs. Last year’s budget put $8 million into the fund, and this year’s budget adds about $900,000 more than that.

A copy of the budget can be viewed on the city’s website at www.wrga.gov.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 7:13 PM with the headline "Warner Robins unveils $82 million proposed budget."