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The Mobile County Commission approved its Fiscal Year 2024 budget of $203,350,036 at its regular meeting on Sept. 25, 2023.
The 2024 Budget is a 6% decrease from the previous year because several one-time capital expenses included for FY 2023 are not present in FY 2024.
As is typical, the Mobile County Commission’s single largest expenditure category in the FY 2024 Budget is Public Safety at 47% ($95.7 million), which includes the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Metro Jail, Strickland Youth Center, Court Police, and subsidies to the courts and District Attorney’s offices. Its second largest funding area is General Government at 36% ($74.6 million), which includes the offices of the License and Revenue Commissioners, Probate Court, County facilities, County services, and related administrative expenses.
Retaining and recruiting employees is a priority for Mobile County Commission and Commissioners Merceria Ludgood, Connie Hudson and Randall Dueitt chose to invest in Mobile County employees and increase salaries across the board through a 5% cost of living (COLA) increase. This is the third year in a row that Mobile County Commission has provided a COLA. Mobile County will also absorb the costs of a 3.5% health insurance increase. Several staffing additions are also planned, for example a director and other positions in Parks & Recreation to accommodate expected increases in programs and services as a result of Mobile County’s Parks Initiative. Fueled with funding from GOMESA, Deepwater Horizon-related resources and other sources, Mobile County Commission’s multi-year Parks Initiative will increase public access to water and public outdoor recreational facilities through existing parks’ enhancements and expansions as well as the development of new parks and boat launches.
For the fourth year in a row, Mobile County Commission’s budget addresses the need to replace aging equipment and $4.2 million is budgeted for capital assets.
Mobile County Commission’s budgets are posted at mobilecountyal.gov.
Commissioner comments:
District 1 - Commissioner Merceria Ludgood said:
“Retaining current employees and attracting new employees to fill vacancies is a priority for Mobile County Commission, as is effectively delivering County services, both are reflected in the FY 2024 budget.”
District 2 - Commissioner Connie Hudson said:
“We’re experiencing highly competitive market conditions, both with County projects and with staffing. Projecting trends and addressing salaries and benefits should help recruit and retain employees, deliver services and also expand services in growing areas like Parks.”
District 3 – Commission President Randall Dueitt said:
“Our most valuable asset is our people; they’re the ones who do the work of Mobile County. In this budgeting process, it was very important to take care of Mobile County’s employees. We want our salaries and benefits to be competitive.”