While many governments are facing considerable debts, Madison County’s government finished 2009 with a small surplus, despite significant cuts in the budget.
Commission chairman Anthony Dove announced Feb. 22 that the county government finished 2009 at approximately $230,000 in the black.
“I think it looks good on our people that we started cutting back early and came in under budget in a lot of departments, way under budget in some of them,” said Dove.
Departments that were most under budget for 2009 were the road department, EMS and the recreation department.
Dove, who spent three days in Atlanta over the past two weeks, said the state government is in bad financial shape. He said that makes good financial stewardship even more imperative for local governments.
“The state of Georgia is in pretty rough shape financially from what I understand from the representatives,” said Dove, noting that the state deficit is estimated at $1.3-to-$2 billion. “So, we’re in good shape when we’re in the black.”
Oh, but what does the writer of the lead paragraph of the news story mean, "... Madison County’s government finished 2009 with a small surplus, despite significant cuts in the budget." Does the writer believe that "significant cuts in the budget" did not contribute to the unique fiscal solvency of Madison County?
All the more impressive, then, is the leadership of Madison County for persevering and doing the right thing in the face of such loud and public opposition as that writer!