GDP article by Camie Young: 09 budget calls for tax increase Base rates for water and sewer also raised

AJC article by Patrick Fox: Gwinnett passes budget; expect to pay more taxes Beaudreau says deferments in his district might be political payback

I would like to suggest you go out to the county website and watch the meeting from yesterday that was taped. The budget was not passed with ease and the 4-1 vote was very interesting.  We have been critical of Commissioner Beaudreau but yesterday he at least tried to stand up and say the budget wasn’t right.

“It would have kept us solvent, and we would have had a balanced budget,” Beaudreau said. “It’s regrettable that politics got in the way.”

We just wish he had been able to come up with alternatives before the meeting so that MAYBE some of the other members the BOC would have listened. However that did not happen and Chairman Bannister distanced himself from Commissioner Beaudreau on the budget just like he had done already with the Trash Committee.

Commissioners did approve a call by Bannister to move capital projects, including the opening of a Grayson police precinct, into future years. Beaudreau said the moves seemed politically motivated since three of the five projects were in his southern Gwinnett district.

March Meetings: BOCbusiness030309