Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson presented her proposed budget for 2022. | Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson presented her proposed budget for 2022. | Gwinnett County
The proposed 2022 fiscal year budget that Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson put forward on Nov. 16 is 7.8% more than the 2021 adopted budget.
“Building on the county’s historically fiscally conservative approach, we have a budget that is balanced, fiscally sound and makes intentional investments in our community to address core services, health and human service needs and ongoing recovery efforts of this pandemic,” Hendrickson said on the county website.
The proposed budget for 2022 totals $2.06 billion, the website said. It consists of a $1.6 billion operating budget and a $454 million capital improvements budget.
Nicole Hendrickson
| www.gwinnettcounty.com
Approximately two-thirds of the budget has been allocated to public safety and public works and basically deals with funds for everyday expenses like employee benefits, salaries, repairs and equipment, the website said.
New initiatives in the budget include the establishment of mental health response teams in the Gwinnett Police Department. This will be done in partnership with View Point Health, and there will be some extra training in the Sheriff’s Office, the website said.
The budget includes $454 million in capital improvements for new libraries, roads and parks, the website said. For this portion, 49% would be spent on public utilities and 18% on community services, parks and recreation.
“This budget really takes steps to address a lot of the community needs, such as the expansion of human services, such as addressing our issues around poverty, addressing language equity in our elections process, Hendrickson said, according to Gwinnett Daily Post. "And, in spirit of reprioritizing our efforts to focus on some of those issues, we’re still able to propose a fiscally sound and balanced budget without having to raise taxes. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of our staff and I’m proud of our citizens who gave input in that process.”
Commissioners will accept public comments during a public hearing on Dec. 6 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center.
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