From DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis:
Dear Neighbor:
We have been making difficult decisions: a faltering economy and plummeting revenues profoundly impact your DeKalb County government. Hard choices will continue in 2011. I want you to know what we are doing.
From 2008 to 2010, county revenue declined by $78 million, forcing severe spending cuts virtually across the board. To continue our delivery of basic services, we have reprioritized, downsized and eliminated non-essential services. We have restructured and streamlined our operations with significant input from our stakeholders. We will also implement a number of new non-tax revenue sources recommended by our Revenue Enhancement Commission. But more challenges lie ahead.
In 2011, we face a $17 million increased pension contribution mandated by state law, a $5 million increase in insurance costs, and an estimated further $13 million decline in our property and sales tax revenue due to the recession. The Board of Commissioners hopes to restore funding so our employees can again enjoy standard paid holidays, which I support. That costs another $12 million.
The federal government in Washington offers less support than ever. The stimulus package is coming to an end, and the sea change 2010 midterm election will mean curtailed federal spending on state and local government. Deep cuts in programs we have traditionally relied on are on the way: funding for public safety, community and economic development, workforce development, airports, highways, rail and transit, bridge and water infrastructure, broadband deployment, health safety-net responsibilities, and social welfare programs, among others. For DeKalb County, these cutbacks mean that resources that had been paid for with our federal tax dollars will disappear unless we directly pick up the tab ourselves.
