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STATESBORO, Ga. () — Employees with the City of Statesboro could see a little extra money in their checks later this year if the City’s 2024 budget gets approved.
The proposed budget was about $2 million more than last year’s budget, a 10% increase accounting for more people moving to the area and work. More people create the need for more city employees to provide services like police, firefighters and solid waste employees.
“If we don’t pay our employees then we can’t provide the level of service that our citizens expect,” said Statesboro City Manager Charles Penny.
During a June council meeting, Penny presented the $105 million proposed budget and suggested a 2-point millage rate increase.
31% of people living in Statesboro own their property. I spoke to several off camera who were not happy with the proposed increases saying it’s too much. Penny said it’s the price of progress in this growing community.
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“The same inflation pressures that they’re seeing, so is the city,” said Penny. “Just the cost of doing business, the same way they have those pressures, we have those pressures.”
For people working for the City of Statesboro, they could see a bump in their salary by 5% if the current budget gets approved. The hope is that the increase will not only help to retain experienced workers for the City, but it will attract workers as well.
“We’ve got to be able to pay them, and with all of the growth that’s coming in the next few years,” said Penny. “If we don’t pay our employees competitively, someone else will.”
So far neither the 2024 budget nor the tax increase has been approved. A public hearing for the budget will be held later this month.
