Board of Commissioners Approves Budget

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has passed the 2011 budget, but must still deal with an $18 million deficit.

During discussions at Tuesday's commission meeting, acting chairperson Shirley Lasseter asked that officials continue to examine ways to reduce the deficit without tapping into the county's reserve fund.

The , which included $5.7 million in voluntary department reductions and $2.3 million in service reductions, passed by a 3-1 margin. District 4 commissioner John Heard cast the lone opposing vote.

Though subsidies to outside agencies were slashed by 50 percent in the original budget, at least one agency - the Gwinnett County Coalition for Health and Human Services - will have its funding restored. Instead of $27,537, the coalition will now receive $55,074.