This morning, at their last General Session meeting of the year, the Franklin County Commissioners approved the county’s more-than $2 billion annual budget for 2024. As the administrative arm of county government, the commissioners oversee 15 county agencies directly and set the budget for all of the county’s elected officials, offices, and agencies. County Administrator Kenneth N. Wilson presented his proposed budget for 2024 at the first of a series of
budget hearings on November 16
th, and then the commissioners and their staff made slight adjustments before voting to approve the final budget this morning.
“Any organization’s budget is a reflection of its priorities, and each year, our team at the commissioners’ office structures the county’s budget around our six core principles of good governance,” said Board of Commissioners President, John O’Grady. “Those human-centered principles direct everything we do and tell you exactly what our values are. From public safety to economic development, and from health and human services to environmental stewardship, we’re proud to present the 2024 budget which will continue to help make Franklin County into a great place to raise a family or grow a business.”
This year’s budget incudes funding for all of the county’s 35 agencies and 6,731 employees, and additional dollars for new or growing initiatives. An additional $1 million is included to strengthen Franklin County Public Health, $3 million is designated for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, $1 million has been earmarked for the CHOICES domestic violence shelter, and $7 million has been set aside for stormwater infrastructure and to connect Franklin County homes to the county water and sewer system.
“As we saw during the pandemic, nothing is certain, even in government, and with the county budget, it is imperative that we not only fund the services that our residents rely on but also that we plan ahead for the future,” said Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce. “Our county administration and budget team work hard each year to ensure that we have the funds needed not only to operate county government, but also to make investments in new initiatives and to ensure that we’re able to weather any possible downturn in the economy or increasing need for services.”
The county’s annual budget is divided among the General Fund, which is made up of local tax revenue, and the All Funds Budget, which includes the General Fund as well as federal funding and dollars from other sources. Fifty-six percent of the General Fund goes to support justice and public safety initiatives this year, and 40% of the $2.18 billion All Funds Budget is allocated to social and human services such as those provided through the county’s Job and Family Services agency, Office on Aging, and department of Justice Policy and Programs.
Commissioner Erica C. Crawley expressed her commitment to prioritizing residents and families in Franklin County, saying “The county is working towards economic growth, building affordable housing, providing workforce resources, and improving public infrastructure, while also shoring up the public health department. The goal is to create a safe and successful community where residents can not only survive but thrive. The county budget reflects this focus on the well-being of the community and our neighbors.”
The 2024 county budget also includes an $85 million “Rainy Day Fund” and expected cash reserves of about 40% of yearly General Fund expenses, which helps Franklin County continue to be one only about 2% of local governments nationwide with a double Triple-A bond rating. Click
here to learn more about the 2024 county budget.