The city of Augusta will begin the new year with a slightly leaner budget after approving a $3.4 million cut.
The 1% reduction, spread across the general, enterprise and special revenue funds, bring the 2024 budget to about $1.1 billion.
The cut, made after a commission vote last week, trims nothing from sales tax projects, unpaid debt, capital outlay, federal grants or franchise fees, Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse said in a presentation.
Funds saved will go into a reserve fund that after six months, the commission will determine whether they need to be restored, she said.
A handful of departments were exempted from the 1% cut after Douse said they’d already made reductions this year.
Those omitted included $41,010 from the Richmond County Tax Commissioner, $37,360 by the Augusta District Attorney and $17,050 from state court, according to a handout.
Douse said Richmond County State Court had already cut its budget by $108,000.
In the cuts approved Tuesday, the garbage collection fund was reduced by $121,430 cut, the handout said.
Commissioner Jordan Johnson, who opposed the cut last week, questioned its sincerity.
“This is just an exercise,” he said. “We are holding money to the side to spend it later.”
Johnson said contrary to popular wisdom, Augusta is not operating at a deficit. State law requires local governments maintain balanced budgets.
The city anticipates “a surplus next year and the year after that,” he said.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com.
