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Blackwell asks for clean budget with no non-governmental agencies funded due to revenue cuts web posted March 4, 2009 EDGEFIELD – It is time to begin the budget process for the Edgefield County Council and the outlook is not that optimistic with County Administrator John Pettigrew informing the county council Tuesday night that the proposed cut of the Local Government Funds (otherwise known as Aid to Subdivisions) the State could reduce revenues by $621,000 and the cut would be “very crippling to some services we provide in Edgefield County.” Merriwether Councilwoman Genia Blackwell spoke up and stated she would like to see an alternate budget presented to council that excluded all “non governmental agencies”. Councilwoman Blackwell said she wanted Administrator Pettigrew to go forward with his recommended budget, but wanted him to prepare a budget that provided solely for the necessary operations of the county for comparison. Mr. Pettigrew stated that he had spoken to Chairman Monroe Kneece on perhaps offering multiple budgets for the county council to examine and that her request could certainly be one of those proposed. “So you want one with cutting them (non-government agencies that received funding) all out?” Pettigrew asked. “Yes,” Blackwell responded and added that if the proposed reduction from state funding passes, “this is a significant cut and this is something we defiantly need to look at.” Mr. Pettigrew said he would have one prepared by the March 17 work session that begins the budget process for the next fiscal year. After the meeting Mr. Pettigrew was asked if recreation would be included in funding cuts even though it is currently tied to a millage rate on the tax bill. “At this point - everything is on the table,” he said and said recreation is subject to cuts. Among those receiving funding that would be set for cuts would be the Edgefield County Civic League ($17,500) and other non-government operations that account for over $32,000 in county discretionary funding according to the present year budget. The requested budget would also delete over $85,000 granted to Piedmont Tech, a for-profit organization located in Edgefield. Mrs. Blackwell made fiscal responsibility a key part of her campaign stating the county needed to place actual county government needs above "give-aways" to non-essential entities receiving funding from the county long before the current economic crisis manifested itself late last year. As Administrator John Pettigrew previously announced the possible cuts as a setback, Mrs. Blackwell stated she saw the cuts as a good thing and a "positive opportunity" to rid the county of frivolous spending that would bring the county into a mindset of sticking to county operations and needs over funding pet projects. © Copyright 2009
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