Oconee County Council Enacts Controversial Budget Limitation Ordinance

A contentious ordinance limiting the growth of the county budget has been enacted by the Oconee County Council. The ordinance caps any increase to the general fund based on population growth and inflation. It also includes a clause that allows the limitation to be suspended upon a two-thirds vote from the council.

Jim Mann, the Chairman of the Oconee County Republican Party, presented documentation during the public hearing, illustrating a graph showing the 10-year history of the county’s growth percentage plus inflation. He argued against accounting games that shift money out of the general fund and into other spending funds to give the appearance of a budget decrease.

Councilman John Elliott labeled the ordinance as “merely political” and Councilman Julian Davis expressed concern with budgets centered around population data. Chairman Matthew Durham acknowledged the overall FY24 budget did increase by $10 million, including $4.5 million in grant funding. He stated that moving the money to other designated funds works as a “planning mechanism.”

The ordinance passed third reading on a 3-2 vote, with Davis and Elliott dissenting.