Fulton 2015 budget faces uncertainty | www.myajc.com

Buoyed by revenue from a recent tax increase, Fulton County officials hope to expand library hours and boost spending on other programs when they unveil their 2015 budget this month.

But questions about the legality of the tax increase and Fulton’s changing political dynamics could make that difficult.

Two pending lawsuits seek to declare the 17 percent tax increase illegal. If successful, they could force dramatic spending cuts.

Complicating matters even more is turnover on the county Board of Commissioners. The board that approves the budget in January may have different priorities than the one that has governed Fulton for the last four years. Some new members are already looking for ways to cut spending.

County Commission Chairman John Eaves and the county staff will kick off the debate when they unveil their proposed budget as soon as this week. Documents reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and interviews with Fulton officials offer clues as to what that budget will contain:

In a move that would cost about $3 million, the proposed budget may restore library hours to 2013 levels. Commissioners cut total library hours from 1,562 a week in 2013 to 996 this year to help balance the budget.

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