Former Powder Springs Councilman Explains Budget Process
With the importance of this topic, why is it that only a handful of citizens show up for the budget hearings or bother to pick up a free copy of the budget for their own review?
By Tom Bevirt
This column continues its discussion of Powder Springs government. Last time, I touched on the budget; this week I need to expand on this boring but vital topic.
All units of government, if they don't do much of anything else, are required to have a yearly budget, made available to the public. There must be public hearings for the citizens to view, ask questions about, and comment on the budget.
Here is how this works: Each year, the department heads—Public Works, police, finance and Community Development—must submit what they will need and what income, if any, they expect to receive. They send this in to the Finance Department, usually by May.
The Finance Department then goes through it and submits a review to the city manager. The manager is supposed to review it, discuss any items with the department heads, and then present the final budget to the mayor and City Council.
They then suggest changes and send it back to the manager for a final mark-up so that the council can then have two public hearings, usually in June. The budget must be voted on and approved before July 1.
The budget determines what the mileage rate will be—in other words, if taxes remain the same, are increased or are decreased.
Now you know the importance of the budget. So why is it that only a handful of citizens show up for the hearings or bother to pick up a free copy of the budget for their own review?
How should I know? You tell me.
Within the next week, I'll have another column discussing outsourcing the city's sanitation services.
In This article
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Powder Springs Public Works Department
3006 Spring Industrial Dr, Powder Springs, GA -
Powder Springs Police Department
1114 Richard D Sailors Pkwy, Powder Springs, GA -
Powder Springs Community Development Department
4488 Pineview Dr, Powder Springs, GA
Michael Mayo
4:07 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I believe that people in Powder Springs feel that they have little input in what goes on politically in the city even though they may go out and vote in local elections. Most people in the city do not vote in local elections even though they can actually make more of an impact locally than they do voting for national candidates. As for decisions on budget the citizens that attend council meeting to express their opininon get to express their support or disdain, but then the council goes into a closed session and does whatever they want or what will get them votes in the next election. Non participation is a mistake even in a representative government.
Tea Man
2:34 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012
RE: "Now you know the importance of the budget. So why is it that only a handful of citizens show up for the hearings or bother to pick up a free copy of the budget for their own review?"
Where are most people in June and July? On vacation! Maybe the timing for these crucial revelations should be during the school year when most folks are in town. Maybe the budget calendar year should be moved to make it easier for the cItizens to attend. In these tough economic times people are very busy trying to make a living and pay the bills but will take their personal time if the issues are made public and meeting are posted - at City Hall, on-line, on the city website and the newspapers well in advance, I recommend two weeks advance notice in all venues.
Why are not the work sessions audio/video taped and available for citizen review prior to the public hearings, the city paid thousands of dollars for this equipment to be installed in the work session room, all they need to do is turn it on! Why won't the Mayor turn on the work session taping equipment after overseeing its installation? You tell me Tom! What is she hiding? Notices of the agenda issues are posted at City Hall at 5pm the day before the meeting, is this more Mayoral malfeasance?