On June 2, 1774, Britain’s Parliament passed the Quartering Act, the last of the Coercive Acts, meant to punish the American colonies and reassert British control. Eventually, the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution would prohibit the forcible quartering of soldiers in private homes.
Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commanding forces west of the Mississippi, surrendered on June 2, 1865, and this date is generally considered the end of the Civil War.
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953.
On June 2, 1962, Georgia-born Ray Charles hit #1 on the charts with “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”
On June 2, 1989, Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams, was released in theaters.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Voters will be able to vote early in the Primary Runoff Election beginning next Monday, June 8, 2026, according to the Statesboro Herald.
Early voting just Monday–Friday next week, June 8–12, in primary runoff
GOP ballot carries Senate and Gov. runoffs, Conner-Redman race in [Bulloch] county District 2; Dems to choose Lt. Gov. and Congress nominees
Governor Brian Kemp mentioned the gas tax suspension while campaigning with Derek Dooley, according to WRDW.
Kemp said the suspension of Georgia’s gas tax expires on Tuesday at midnight.
“We wanted to push the gas tax out past Memorial Day because a lot of people were traveling, but we can’t continue to do that forever,” Kemp said. “We got a special session in June, so we will continue to talk to the legislator about that.”
Georgia’s suspension of its gas tax will end at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said.
“After renewing the suspension of the state gas tax to help hardworking Georgians get through the Memorial Day weekend with further relief, and with oil prices now holding relatively steady, the gas tax suspension will expire at 11:59 pm tomorrow while the state also keeps a financial eye toward any unexpected needs in the future,“ a spokesperson for Kemp’s office said.
The suspension was giving motorists a a 33 cent a gallon tax break on gasoline and a 37.3 cent a gallon tax break on diesel. Drivers will start to notice the increase in the coming days.
Kemp’s initial suspension took effect in March and was set to last 60 days, but the outgoing governor extended it last month.
The initial suspension marked the fourth time Kemp suspended the gas tax. He previously suspended it in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine, in 2023 due to high inflation and in 2024 due to Hurricane Helene.
Georgia was the first state to suspend its gas tax, which also includes a 37-cents-per gallon levy on diesel. Last month, Kemp extended that suspension for another two weeks to get drivers through the busy Memorial Day weekend.
But on Monday, a spokesperson for Kemp said he would let the gas tax suspension expire at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The spokesperson said the governor made the decision “with oil prices now holding relatively steady,” noting the state must keep “a financial eye toward any unexpected needs in the future.”
Georgia’s gas tax pays for road maintenance and construction. Motorists collectively saved about $200 million a month while it was suspended.
The United States Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s decision in a lawsuit over Georgia Public Service Commission districts, according to Atlanta News First via WALB.
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case brought by Black voters in Georgia over how the state elects its Public Service commissioners.
The case in question is Richard Rose v Brad Raffensperger, in which the outgoing secretary of state is a defendant. Rose and other Black voters filed a lawsuit in 2022, arguing Georgia’s statewide, at-large elections for the hugely influential Public Service Commission (PSC) dilute Black voting power in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Rose and the plaintiffs were arguing a single-member district system would let Black voters elect a preferred candidate in at least one district.
On Nov. 23, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit reversed a district court decision that had blocked PSC elections. The appeals court said the plaintiffs’ proposed fix — switching from statewide elections to district elections — was not a legally “viable remedy” because it would fundamentally change Georgia’s chosen structure for a statewide commission.
Rose and the plaintiffs then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which the court had declined to consider.
The decision not to hear the case comes after the nation’s high court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, a decision that has thrown several 2026 and 2028 elections – and beyond – into a realm of political chaos.
The Supreme Court case centered on a Louisiana congressional district and addressed how race can be considered when drawing voting maps and how challenges under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act are evaluated. The court’s decision essentially removes race as a consideration when drawing state and legislative boundaries.
Voting rights advocates are warning the decision will make it harder to challenge maps that weaken minority voting power, while supporters said it limits race-based line drawing and reduces judicial involvement.
Outgoing Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is calling lawmakers back to Atlanta on June 17, 2026, to redraw the state’s electoral maps that will take effect in time for the 2028 elections.
The Supreme Court of Georgia reversed a lower court decision and cleared the way for the state to execute nine death row prisoners, according to the AJC.
An agreement halting the executions of nine Georgia inmates on death row during the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t protect them anymore, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
In a unanimous opinion written by Justice Carla Wong McMillian, the court reversed a Fulton County judge’s ruling from last year that held the 2021 agreement continued to prevent the executions.
The agreement prevented the attorney general from pursuing execution warrants for the nine inmates until the COVID-19 vaccine was readily available to all people. Last year, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram agreed with a group of Georgia capital defense attorneys that the condition had not been met because the vaccine had not been approved for infants under the age of 6 months.
In overturning that decision, the state Supreme Court reiterated that “the supply of COVID-19 vaccines now exceeds the public’s demand.” It said most vaccines are not generally recommended for children under 6 months.
“Given that the State produced undisputed evidence that the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine is adequate for all members of the public to obtain the vaccine and that no legal impediment exists for all members of the public to be vaccinated, if deemed medically appropriate, the trial court erred in concluding that the COVID-19 vaccine was not ‘readily available’ to all members of the public,” McMillian wrote.
Justice Benjamin Land wrote separately to point out that the agreement also doesn’t stop a district attorney from seeking an execution warrant. He said that’s an important finding as the state and defense attorneys continue to argue about inmate executions.
“While the agreement unquestionably ties the attorney general’s hands when it comes to his office’s pursuit of execution orders, it does not tie the district attorney’s hands at all,” Land said.
Georgia Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Brian M. Rickman announced he will leave the bench, according to AccessWDUN.
Presiding Judge Brian M. Rickman announced Monday that he will step down from the Court of Appeals of Georgia in July 2026 to return to private legal practice.
Rickman, who has served on the state’s second-highest court since 2016, will join Cathey & Strain, LLC as a partner in Cornelia.
Appointed to the Court of Appeals in November 2015 by Gov. Nathan Deal, Rickman took office on Jan. 1, 2016. He was then elected statewide in 2018 and re-elected in 2024. During his tenure, he served as chief judge from 2021 to 2023.
Before joining the appellate bench, Rickman served seven years as district attorney for the Mountain Judicial Circuit after being appointed by former Gov. Sonny Perdue in 2008. Before his public service, he practiced law privately, focusing on civil litigation, trial work, and pro bono representation.
In a statement, Chief Judge Trenton Brown praised Rickman’s contributions to the court.
“The Court of Appeals has been truly fortunate to have had Presiding Judge Rickman,” Brown said. “I am proud to have worked alongside him, and I am deeply honored to call him my friend. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, then-Chief Judge Rickman’s steady leadership of the Court and its dedicated staff was pivotal to maintaining our continued operations. We wish him every success and fulfillment on his new journey ahead.”
Other members of the court also commended Rickman’s service, including Presiding Judge Stephen Louis A. Dillard, who said, “I am truly thankful for Presiding Judge Rickman’s many years of distinguished service to the Court of Appeals. He is a cherished friend and colleague, and our Court has greatly benefitted from his keen intellect, unwavering dedication, and exceptional leadership.”
Judge Amanda Mercier reflected on serving alongside Rickman for more than a decade.
Mercier said, “It has been such an incredible honor to serve with Judge Rickman. We began serving on the Court of Appeals on the same day, a little over a decade ago. And without fail, he has approached the work we do with professionalism, humility, integrity, wisdom, and kindness. Judge Rickman has been an exemplary leader and role model for so many, and I am truly grateful for his friendship. We will miss him.”
His resignation will create a vacancy on the Court of Appeals, with details regarding a successor expected to be announced at a later date.
Rickman said the timing is right for him to leave public service, in part because he’s now vested in a retirement plan. He said the fact he can earn significantly more in private practice was also a factor in his decision.
“Once I vested and you start thinking about whether you’re going to make the jump, if you do make the decision to go, sooner is better rather than later, because it is a big life adjustment to go from the court back into the private sector,” he said.
He was the chief judge of the Court of Appeals from 2021 to 2023.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-SSI) spoke about his loss in the U.S. Senate Primary, according to WSAV.
“We were certainly anticipating the primary, and we felt really good. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for us,” Carter said.
Carter currently serves in the House for Georgia’s 1st Congressional District.
He gave up his seat to run for a U.S. Senate seat. He ended up gaining 25.1% of the votes, which left him off the runoff ballot for the race.
“We left everything on the field, and we feel really good about that. But it was extremely disappointing,” he said. “The voters have spoken, and we need to move on.”
The two candidates that did make it to the runoff for the Republican side are Mike Collins and Derek Dooley.
For the Democrats, incumbent Jon Ossoff ran unopposed and won outright and is advancing to the November elections.
At the moment, Rep. Carter said he will not endorse either Republican candidate.
“I congratulate both of them, and I wish both of them well in the runoff and in whoever comes out ahead in the general election,” he said.
Rep. Carter still has until January 2027 to serve out his term in the House of Representatives. After that, he said his journey in politics is far from over.
“I still have a lot of gas left in my tank, and I want to make it clear that I have no intention of retiring,” he said. “I still want to be relevant, and I’m not ruling out anything, even the possibility of running again in two years.”
Early voting runs from June 8 through June 12 in Georgia. Major races, including governor and U.S. Senate, are on the ballot.
State Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Forsyth County) spoke to Martha Zoller about his Runoff election for Lieutenant Governor, according to AccessWDUN.
On Monday’s edition of WDUN’s “The Martha Zoller Show,” State Senator for District 27 Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) joined Martha Zoller and William Daughtry to talk about the GOP runoff for lieutenant governor.
In a seven person race, Dolezal and State Senator for District 18 John F. Kennedy (R-Macon) were the top two vote-getters.
Kennedy finished with 27.3% of the vote to Dolezal’s 23.1% on May 19.
“As I’ve been traveling around the state, the most troubling thing to me has been the way that the middle class families in Georgia … are feeling squeezed by the price of gas, groceries, and property taxes,” Dolezal said.
Dolezal also spoke about data centers, which is one of the biggest issues he has heard voters concerned about.
“People want answers, the they do not feel like their local governments are hearing them, they do not understand how seemingly overnight there’s a data center on every corner,” Dolezal said. “The reason that happened is because we have this massive data center tax abatement that was put in place in Georgia back in 2018 before these things really became a thing, and right now that tax abatement has really turned on an electromagnet to attract data centers to Georgia.”
Dolezal added that there needs to be a “balance” to ensure America remains “at the technological forefront of the world” but would want to repeal the tax credit and lower the income tax of all Georgians.
Zoller questioned Dolezal about education, specifically on low reported literacy rates.
“The solution was relatively simple, and that is to get literacy coaches into these schools to work with teachers to help them improve their skill and their craft on teaching students to read,” Dolezal said.
Daughtry followed up, asking about public school infrastructure in regards to the Promise Scholarship private school vouchers.
“We passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, which went part of the way of where I think we need to go which is ultimately to universal school choice,” Dolezal said. “We are going to invest in the education of a child, and we’re going to allow the state tax dollars to follow that child.”
Dolezal’s final message was that he is a fighter, and will make tough decisions.
“I’m a fighter, I’m a movement conservative. I’ve been a person that when, when the, when the tough decisions have had to be made, whether it’s fighting for school choice, whether it’s standing up and fighting against Fani Willis … I think that what conservative Republican primary voters are looking for is a junkyard dogfighter who’s not afraid to go toe to toe with the left,” Dolezal said.
The primary runoff is June 16, and early voting starts next week.
Republican and Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor debated their respective runoff opponents, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Moultrie Observer.
Most of Georgia’s statewide primary races have been settled on either the Democratic or Republican ticket, but the race for leadership of the state Senate remains up for grabs on both sides of the aisle.
While not a senator, the lieutenant governor presides over the chamber and can control committee assignments and the flow of legislation. The lieutenant governor also fills in for the governor when necessary.
The partisans who survived last month’s primary election for the job will face each other in a June 16 runoff. On Sunday, they squared off in person in a studio at Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta, for what will likely be their final debate.
It can be difficult to find daylight between candidates from the same party, so in the first debate the remaining two Republicans attacked each other’s leadership skills, pitching themselves as best able to execute on policy.
The Democrats followed a similar script in their subsequent debate.
Both Republicans, Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming and former Sen. John F. Kennedy of Macon, said they want to cut taxes further than the GOP-controlled Legislature did this year.
Dolezal said that could be done without reducing services.
“For far too long, the Republican Party has been the party of crony capitalism,” said Dolezal, blaming his own partisans for approving budget-eating tax giveaways. “And if we get rid of these crony capitalist tax cuts, we can reduce and ultimately eliminate the state income tax here in Georgia.”
Kennedy resigned in early December because Georgia bars lawmakers from raising campaign funds during the legislative session. So he did not have to shoulder responsibility for the Senate’s failure to abolish income taxes as planned or the House’s similar failure to eliminate property taxes.
Kennedy said he could reduce taxes further if he were lieutenant governor.
“The Legislature was not able to get relief to hard-working Georgians,” he said. “I come in with a good reputation of working with all people, working with folks across the aisle, excellent relationships with those in the House and the governor’s office. And that’s what it takes.”
Kennedy noted that he was elected Senate president pro tempore, the highest leadership office for a senator.
Dolezal never made it into one of the top six Senate leadership spots for Republicans after serving a similar amount of time.
Dolezal described himself as a loyalist to President Donald Trump, noting that he was among a handful of senators who called for a special legislative session to investigate Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.
“If a close friend came to you and said, ‘I’m looking for a conservative fighter,’” Dolezal said. “Who would you recommend? The one who goes along to get along or the one who has a record of standing and fighting?”
He echoed fears voiced in Texas where some Republicans contend that parts of the state are at risk of falling under Islamic legal influence.
“I’m fighting to ban Sharia law,” Dolezal said.
The Democratic debate featured bitter exchanges between Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs and Nabilah Parkes, a former state senator from Gwinnett County.
Parkes had initially planned to run for insurance commissioner, but she abruptly changed course in March to join the contest for lieutenant governor.
Like Kennedy, she resigned her seat in the Senate so she could raise money for her campaign.
Unlike Kennedy, she waited until the legislative session had already started, leaving her seat vacant from mid-March into the busiest period of lawmaking.
Kennedy was succeeded by a Republican in February after a special election. A special election to fill the remainder of Parkes’ term is set for June 16, the same day as the primary runoff in the race to succeed her next year.
McLaurin called Parkes a quitter, and she called him a feeble campaigner, an insult he returned. Parkes, who is Muslim, has pointed to Dolezal’s campaign ads about Islam as her reason for breaking ranks with Democratic leaders to run for lieutenant governor.
Parkes described herself as a fighter from a working-class family who attended public schools and qualified for the free and reduced-price meals there before she attended Georgia State University.
McLaurin attended a private K-12 school in Buckhead, then the University of Georgia and Yale Law School, though he said his parents came from hardscrabble backgrounds.
McLaurin described himself as a “skillful” operator, able to ridicule Republican lawmakers for supporting Trump while earning enough of their respect and trust to pass legislation. He cited a bill to regulate car booting and one another for therapies for veterans.
Parkes attacked McLaurin as a Democrat who “coddles” Republicans.
“We don’t need a candidate that goes along to get along, like my opponent,” she said.
McLaurin said the Senate would likely remain under GOP control after the November general election and that Republicans would almost certainly strip the lieutenant governor of power if a Democrat were to win the office.
He characterized Parkes as ineffective, noting that scores of Democratic lawmakers have endorsed him, as has Stacey Abrams, who twice won Georgia’s Democratic gubernatorial nomination. On Monday, Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock added his endorsement.
“I imagine that my bipartisan work probably does look like coddling Republicans to somebody who hasn’t done any of it,” McLaurin said. “So, the bottom line is this: I am a fierce fighter. I have stood up to MAGA Republicans. I’ve called them narcissist coddlers to their face, but I get stuff done, and that’s why I can win in November.”
Watch the debates online at https://www.gpb.org/election/press-club-debates.
In Troup County, two candidates vie for County Commission Chair in the Runoff Election, according to WTVM.
Two candidates are headed to a runoff election for chairman of the Troup County Board of Commissioners.
Lewis Davis, one of the candidates, said his previous experience as a commissioner means he can step in without training. Davis said he plans to focus on lowering property taxes and increasing law enforcement funding to reduce crime.
“I want to be able to make sure the citizens of Troup County are apart of this growth, I want them to feel it in their pocketbooks,” Davis said.
Davis served eight years as a district three county commissioner before losing his seat in a previous election. He said the experience he gained during that time prepared him for the chairman role.
“The eight years I’ve served previously I think it’ll be a big advantage because I have the contacts, I know when a situation comes up I can call the state representatives and get action done in Troup County,” Davis said. “I don’t have a learning curve, I’ll be able to go in day one and get things done.”
Davis received 36 percent of the votes during the primary. He is encouraging Troup County residents to vote for him in the runoff.
“I think they should vote for me because I hope they feel that I’m dedicated to this, I want to do this, I don’t have to do it,” Davis said. “I do it because I want to add value to Troup County.”
April Loftin is the other candidate in the runoff race.
Danny McClellan will be sworn in to the Habersham County Commission District 3 seat he won in a Special Election, according to AccessWDUN.
McClellan won a special election to fill the seat on May 19, taking 56% of the vote over Jason Mark Smith. He also, simultaneously, won the Republican primary election for the seat over Smith, also taking 56% of the vote in that race.
McClellan will hold the office for the remainder of the year as a result of winning the special election, but stands to hold the seat for a full term starting in 2027, as no Democrat has qualified for the seat, meaning he will run unopposed in the November general election.
The swearing-in ceremony will be Wednesday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m. at the Habersham County Courthouse Probate Judge’s Office on Llewellyn Street in Clarkesville. McClellan will be sworn in by Probate Judge Pam Wooley.
Springfield Mayor “Diamond Joe” Quimby Ricky Eilerman wants the city to issue $47 million dollars in bonds to upgrade the water and sewer system, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The city’s water and sewer upgrade will cost $47 million. The expansion will allow for 1.5 million gallons by 2028. Additional expansion will take place at a later date that will increase capacity to 3.2 million gallons over the next 20 to 30 years.Springfield Mayor Ricky Eilerman and city staff have opted to pay for the new improvements with bonds. Eilerman said the plan is to have developers pay impact fees, which could then be used to pay back the bonds.
“We sell bonds and then investment companies come in and buy those bonds, and then we get a lump sum payment from that party,” said City Manager Lauren Eargle.
Eilerman said the move will also position them to be ahead of future waves of growth.
“We believe infrastructure has to come before growth,” said Eilerman. “The city has to borrow money and allocate funds to do that and we don’t want to charge the taxpayers that are already paying for their water.”
Springfield has been under an outside city limits sewer moratorium since 2024, and the city anticipates the measure will be lifted this year, although a specific date has not been provided.
“We do not want big production tract housing,” said Eilerman. “The onus is on city council to bring forth a plan that works for everyone. The things that we’ve been proposing with the city council is that you got to come in with a really good plan. It’s got to be good for families, kids, singles, elderly and we have to keep the price point down.”
Pooler Mayor Karen Williams announced that public comment will no longer be taken in-person at council meetings, according to WSAV.
Pooler Mayor Karen Williams announced on social media that city council will no longer offer an in-person public comment period. The public comment period was where residents had time to address their concerns and opinions on matters that were not on the meeting agenda.
“Their first amendment right are not being violated,” Williams said. “That’s fearmongering and frankly, the city has no place for that. We have made steps to be transparent, and we will continue to do that.”
The comment has now moved to an online submission forum. This change is aimed at making it easier for more people to participate in local government, Williams said.
“I was getting emails, phone calls, people coming to my office that said, you know, mainly phone calls,” Williams said. “I’m not comfortable coming in front of all these elected officials I’m not comfortable doing that. So, they’re timid or they have a busy life. They said, ‘how can I be a part of it.’”
This announcement sparked debate online and residents said they felt like their voices were being taken away.
“The fact that she’s squashing the ability for people to make public comment during a public meeting is the one thing that’s of concern,” Resident of Pooler Debbie Power said.
One person told WSAV that they were looking to speak out about something not on the agenda but was upset they no longer had the chance.
“This is a real loss for the residents of Pooler not being able to address their council on general matters that are on the agenda,” Jeffery Beauvais, North Coast Advocate for 100 Miles. “I was here today. I wanted to continue to push the city to adopt date center moratoriums and, you know, a strong ordinance and, you know, I and other residents here no longer have the forum to do that.”
Williams stressed that this is a way to offer those who can’t make it to city council and option to still speak out. From now on, you can submit your comment through the City of Poolers website, from there it will go to staff.
“You get a response back that it was received,” Williams said. “Then every Monday the council members and I and staff will get those comments and that has their name, their address or email. So, for council member wants to reach out to somebody they can.”
According to Georgia’s Open Meetings Law, local governments are not required to provide a general public comment period. The agenda setting authority is up to the mayor.
Warner Robins City Council is considering a $185 million dollar budget, according to 13WMAZ.
Warner Robins leaders are reviewing a nearly $185 million fiscal year 2027 budget that outlines how the city plans to fund infrastructure, public safety, employee compensation, and city services while considering changes to the city’s property tax rate.
Mayor LaRhonda Patrick said the city is still in the early stages of the budget process as officials work to manage continued growth.
“We’re on to greater things. We are a larger city now,” Patrick said.
According to budget documents, the proposal includes a 4.85-mill increase in the city’s property tax rate, bringing the total to 13.8 mills and generating about $44.8 million in property tax revenue.
Patrick said for an average home valued at about $250,000, the change would result in roughly $130 more per year in property taxes.
“If you have a house that’s valued at $250,000, you’re looking at paying about $130 extra a year in your property taxes than you did last year,” Patrick said. “If you have a house that’s a little bit more expensive, about $500,000 a year, then you’re looking at paying $260 extra this year than you did last year,” Patrick said.
Officials said homesteaded property owners in parts of Houston and Peach counties will see a reduced effective rate due to the Floating Homestead Option Sales Tax, or FLOST, which provides a credit that lowers the amount owed for eligible homeowners depending on location.
Patrick said the budget is designed to maintain services while responding to rising costs for fuel, materials, infrastructure maintenance, and overall operations.
“Inflation’s not getting better, but, now we feel more comfortable bringing it forward as citizens are not suffering as much as they were back during COVID and coming back from COVID,” Patrick said.
The budget is balanced across all funds and includes general operations, capital projects, and enterprise funds such as water, sewer, sanitation, natural gas, and stormwater services.
The budget also includes about $6.6 million would go toward infrastructure projects, including water and sewer system upgrades, replacement of aging meters, and system expansion tied to continued growth.
Another $1.5 million would go toward public safety, including police and fire services, training, equipment, vehicles, and emergency response technology.
The budget also includes a 2.5% cost-of-living increase for city employees, along with rising costs for pensions and health insurance. Officials said the city is recommending 636 full-time positions.
Officials also said the budget includes funding to support reserve rebuilding efforts over the next several years as part of a long-term financial planning strategy.
City leaders said the proposal includes investments in technology, equipment, and facility improvements aimed at modernizing operations and improving efficiency across departments.
Colquitt County Commissioners are considering their FY 2027 budget, according to the Moultrie Observer.
The Colquitt County Commission has been working on the FYI 2026-27 budget over the past few weeks. The budget will be adopted by the commissioners on June 16.
During the first budget meeting, County Administrator Chas Cannon told the commissioners, “I think y’all will see that this is a very, very straightforward budget. Not a whole lot of gimmicks, not a whole lot of stuff to talk about, unless you want to.”
He told them that the projected revenue was $27.9 million and the recommended budget was $27.4 million.
“Which means, we don’t require any reserves to balance the budget. As a matter-of-fact, we’ll be to the good,” Cannon said. “I expect that number to be higher to the good because, typically, when we budget, we are very conservative in our revenues and a little bit more liberal in our expenses. So, I would expect us to be to the good more than $495,000. We should be higher than that. We just kind of keep that as a goal.”
Several departments and organizations have asked for an increase in funds for their budgets. This year, the commissioners also agreed to a raise of $1 per hour, across the board, for each county employee.
Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority Executive Director Maggie Davidson asked Commissioners to raise the property tax millage rate, according to the Moultrie Observer.
At the County Commission’s budget meeting May 21, Maggie Davidson, executive director of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority, requested a millage increase for her budget. She said the only [annual] funding source for the authority was the millage that they could request.
“We’re at 1.484, right now, and that’s about $2.1 million,” she said.
She told the commissioners that the authority had been around for nine years and one of the things that she had heard over the years was that they had not done a good job in getting data to the commissioners. She added, fixing that had been a huge focus of theirs over the last few years.
Davidson said they had invested in different things to track the recreation authority’s data including having an economic contribution analysis prepared for the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority through Valdosta State University.
“So, what we have, now, is actual numbers and what we’re producing for the community….and really a better idea of where we need to go,” she said.
Davidson asked the county to increase the authority’s property tax levy to the maximum, 2 mills, which would allow the authority to decrease its debt service and build reserves.
Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport will receive $10 million dollars in federal funding for renovating the terminal, according to WSAV.
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