Henry County staff shared a mid-year budget update at the February 6, 2025 meeting. The county spent 48% of the budget through the first six months.
Henry County Mid-Year Budget Update 2024-2025
Henry County’s 2024-2025 budget has projected expenses of $259.7 million. This includes the general fund and special service districts, such as public safety. Through the first six months of the year, the county spent $125.5 million, or 48.3% of the budget.
Mid-Year Expenses 2025
Expenses to date have been the following:
- General Government – $19.5 million, 46.5% of budget.
- Judicial Systems – $13.6 million, 48%.
- Public Safety – $68.0 million, 50.3%.
- Public Works1 – $6.3 million, 43.1%.
- Health & Welfare2 – $4.7 million, 42.9%.
- Culture & Recreation3 – $7.1 million, 52%.
- Housing & Development4 – $2.4 million, 38.5%.
- Other Financing Uses – $3.8 million, 46.1%,
- Total: $125.5 million, 48.3%.
Public safety and judicial systems comprise 63% of the county’s budget. All other departments ie parks, DOT, senior citizens, admin, etc. fall in the remaining 37%.
1. Public works: HCDOT, stormwater, SPLOST and fleet. 2. Health & warfare: senior services, transit and wellness center. 3. Culture & recreation: parks & recreation, libraries and extension office. 4. Housing & development: planning & zoning, building & plan review and community development (CDBG).
Mid-Year Revenues 2025
The county collected 80.3% of its annual revenues by December 31, 2024. This is because property taxes, the primary source of revenue, are paid in November. The county collected $149.7 million5 in property taxes, about $10 million above its original estimate.
The second funding source, sales tax, is trending down. Henry County received $22.1 million6 during July-Dec. 2024. By comparison, they received $25.6 million during this time period in 2023. The difference is $3.5 million or 14%.
5. This amount reflects property taxes paid to Henry County Government only. It does not reflect property taxes paid to Henry County Schools, Henry County Water Authority or the cities. 6. Henry County receives a portion of Local Option Sales Tax — a 1% sales tax in the county. This amount does not include funds paid through SPLOST, a separate local sales tax.
Mid-Year Summary 2025
Henry County typically considers adopting a mid-year budget adjustment at the second board meeting in February. This year, that meeting is on Tuesday, February 25. at 6:30 pm.
The mid-year budget adjustment, if the board approves it, has a $11.2 million budget increase for public safety. This will include new personnel, overtime expenses, and other operating costs, according to the county. More details are not yet available.
The Henry Reporter will share another update on the county’s budget following the Feb. 25 meeting. More details about the county budget are available on Henry County’s ClearGov website.
Impact Fees
Impact fees are paid by developers for new construction. The fees can be spent only on capital purchases within their respective categories. The county had about $11.9 million on hand in impact fees as of December 2024. The board spent $1.16 million in January to buy park property in Ola. That amount was from district 3 parks and green space impact fees. This leaves about $10.7 million. The majority, $7.3 million, is for road improvements.
Henry County charges a developer $7,085.90 in impact fees for a new home. They approved an increase in August 2024. This is believed to be the second-highest county-imposed impact fee in Georgia, behind Forsyth County. It is important to note, however, the county’s impact fee is paid in unincorporated Henry County only. Each city has a separate impact fee ordinance. The cities range between $1,500-$2,400.
Commercial and industrial development also pay impact fees. Their fees are determined by the type of business and square footage.
All presentation slides credit to Henry County. Featured image shows the Henry County mid-year budget update summary presented in February 2025.
