Cobb County Commissioners Approve 2018 Budget

Like us on Facebook

County officials recently approved a $25 million park bond and then decided not to raise the millage rate. Hence, the commissioners faced a revenue shortfall coming into the new fiscal year.

The new budget does not include a planned 1 percent cost of living increase for county workers. And Cobb’s nonprofit organizations lost all county funding for the coming year.

“It’s a lose-lose situation, so I made the hard call,” Cobb Chairman Mike Boyce said. He had predicted for months people wouldn’t like the budget cuts but they’d be necessary.

The new budget passed 3 to 2 last week, with Commissioners Bob Ott and Lisa Cupid in opposition.

“If there’s any positive thing I see coming out of this is that I think sometimes things have to get bad before they get good,” said Cupid, who wanted more time to discuss budget cuts after hearing dozens speak out against cutting grant money for nonprofits.

Boyce did say the organizations could come back to the commission next month and make new funding requests.