Millions taken out of reserves for proposed 2020-21 budget to weather pandemic revenue loss

ALBANY, Ga. – Like many cities and counties around the country, Dougherty County is facing some challenges with the next fiscal budget.

For the 20-21 year, Dougherty County leaders are presenting a proposed budget that would increase spending by little less than 1% totaling $70,206,731 in spending, while using nearly six million dollars in reserve funds.

Last year, Dougherty County used around one million dollars from the reserve fund, but officials say they’ve had to take out millions more in the proposed budget to help cover the revenue lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We depend on economic activity to generate revenue,” explains County Administrator Michael McCoy.

Money needs to be spent in order for it to be collected. But COVID-19 and shelter-in-place orders brought most revenue sources to a complete stop, complicating the county budget process. 

“So in a normal year you can base [the budget] off of past years experience but we’ve never been in this place before. It’s hard to predict what your revenue stream is going to be for the next 12 months.”

McCoy says there’s a good chance that the six million isn’t used in its entirety.

“Now we don’t expect to expend six million dollars but in order to have a balanced budget we have to show six million dollars in order for our revenue to equal our expenditures.”

McCoy says he’s optimistic about about Dougherty County’s economic position.

“I would say that Dougherty County is in a relatively healthy economic or financial position to weather this financial turbulence that is a result of the COVID-19 induced recession that we’re experiencing.”

The proposed budget will be brought before commissioners June 29. To see the budget in its entirety click here.