![budget](https://www.johnscreekpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/budget-500x558.jpg)
2016 Budget Proposal. The Johns Creek Mayor has issued his proposed budget for 2016, and the City Council and Mayor are interested in learning your views on the budget prior to granting formal approval on September 28th.
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The city has made considerable improvements to its budgeting process, including setting money aside for future maintenance needs and developing a 10-year fiscal forecast to understand the long term financial implications of its actions.
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The city anticipates collecting roughly $57 million in revenues across all of its funds and obtaining an additional $32 million in federal and state matching grants. $57 million is:
- $685 per person,
- $2,170 per household,
- 2.12% of Johns Creek median household income,
- 2.88% of Johns Creek median household spending.
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Approximately 70% of city revenues will be collected through businesses, and 30% will be collected directly from homeowners in their tax bills.
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The proposed use of money between competing priorities is rough as follows. Development and transportation are closely integrated because zoning decisions and more development lead to more traffic and the need to spend more money to address congestion.
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47% Public safety (fire, police, 911, municipal court)
27% Development/Transportation (public works, roads, zoning, community development)
19% Overhead (City Council, city administration, computers, communications, legal counsel, finance department, City Clerk, insurance)
6% Recreation (parks, sports, arts, senior services)
1% Reserve/Contingency
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The city would benefit from your input on:
1) whether you believe you are overtaxed or undertaxed,
2) whether the tax burden is shared fairly between businesses and homeowners,
3) whether the allocation of money between competing priorities is what you would like,
4) which of a list of 37 projects/enhancements you support or object to spending money on, and
5) any other item in the budget.
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Now is the time to contact the council members by phone, email, or in person.
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Quite a few candidates have just signed up to fill three council positions. They also should hear from you. Please learn their thoughts on these budget policy and spending questions before voting this November.
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Sincerely,
Nancy Reinecke
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"Approximately 70% of city revenues will be collected through businesses, and 30% will be collected directly from homeowners in their tax bills."
Yet we are told that the primary burden of taxation is upon the residents of Johns Creek, and that we must act to redevelop an area into the CBD to save us from fiscal uncertainties.
Of course all of those taxes at some point paid by businesses ultimately are born by residential taxpayers, here or elsewhere.
We need the City Council to end all the spending on the Central Business plans as soon as possible. They are wasting our dollars and it makes no sense. What about focusing on doing what you are charged to do in our City Charter?
We also need to curtail the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars on endless and redundant studies.
We need to elect three new voices on the city council who will ask the right questions, demand the right analysis, and spend money on studies as if it was coming out of their own pockets.
If you are for the CBD, you are against fiscal responsibility.
Johns Creek does not need a mini Buckhead to be successful. Drive down Peachtree Rd or Piedmont Road at 6:00 p.m. and ask yourself "Is this what I want for 141?"
What will pay dividends for Johns Creek? Truly addressing the mismanaged intelligent traffic system we have today. Not adding thousands of high density units.
Thank you Nancy for your analysis.