Following public reaction to $11.5 million in proposed service cuts in the
original 2012 general fund budget, the county commission requested that a new budget be prepared to reflect the possible impact of a tax increase.
The old plan proposed closing 16 of 24 county parks and cutting 32 positions. The new proposed budget calls for closing only the Murrayville, Platt, Lula and Tadmore parks "due to low usage," and cutting seven positions.
The initial spending proposal reflected 17 first-responder layoffs, cutting the Emergency Management Agency staff and taking two ambulances off the streets. The new budget plan keeps all ambulances in place with no EMS layoffs but the county's Emergency Management Agency staff would still be cut.
The new proposal also leaves intact plans by the Hall County Library System Board of Directors to close the Clermont and East Hall libraries while cutting hours at the remaining branches.
Read more about the new budget, the tax increase proposal and the revised plan for cutting services and laying off county workings by clicking on the link below.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/6/239685