WTXL reporter Malia Thomas told me Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes had said that LAKE’s concerns were valid.

Well, LAKE’s main concern with the Lowndes County budget is the same as with most things the Lowndes County Commission does: lack of transparency.

The county can easily do something about that if it wants to.

Lowndes County budget and transparency and LAKE, 2026-07-13 –WTXL TV, Malia Thomas

Malia Thomas, WTXL, July 13, 2026, Lowndes County’s fiscal budget approved — here’s what it means for your tax dollars:
Lowndes County approved a $193 million FY2027 budget — up 16.5% over last year — while holding its general operating budget flat since 2018.

Malia Thomas interviewing Paige Dukes, 2026-07-14 –Malia Thomas, WTXL

LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — The Lowndes County Commission has approved a $193 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget — a roughly 16.5% increase over last year — but county leaders say the growth does not mean government is getting bigger.

Much of the added spending comes from voter-approved SPLOST projects. The county’s general operating budget remains just over $27 million, essentially unchanged since 2018 despite years of inflation, rapid population growth, and rising costs.

Nearly 42% of county spending will continue going toward public safety, while just over 85% of county revenue comes from taxes.

County Manager Paige Dukes said keeping the operating budget flat has required years of finding efficiencies across every department.

“In 2018, Lowndes County was spending just over $27 million to provide services to the entire county. Our operating budget for 2026-2027 is also still just over $27 million. Whenever you look at inflation, unfunded mandates, and local growth, it is extremely challenging to maintain, but the commission understands our citizens are struggling too.”

Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes, 2026-07-13 –Malia Thomas, WTXL

Neighbors have praised the lean operations budget but also wish for additional transparency.

John Quarterman of the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange said he appreciates the county’s efforts to keep spending in check, but believes residents should have easier access to budget documents before commissioners cast their votes, such as having the board packets uploaded to the county website before any public meetings.

“How can they expect to have intelligent comments from citizens who don’t know what they’re talking about? They don’t know what they’re talking about because the county didn’t show them what the county’s talking about.”

John S. Quarterman and Malia Thomas of WTXL, 2026-07-13 –jsq for LAKE at Langdale Park, wearing the wrong hat.

County leaders said they welcome public feedback and encourage residents to stay engaged as the county continues balancing growth, taxpayer relief, and the cost of providing essential services.

With the budget now approved, county leaders said their focus shifts to delivering another year of services while moving forward with major capital improvement projects.

You can find the full report by clicking here.

https://www.lowndescounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/4606/FY-2027-Budget-Public-Hearing-Presentation

Well, that’s not the full report. That’s just the presentation slides, which the county put on its own website after LAKE got the through an open records request.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25830

The rest of the budget documents that the Lowndes County Commission approved on June 30, 2026, LAKE also got through an open records request and posted.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25899

So far as I can tell, those documents are still not on the county’s website.

Why they are not there is mysterious. And not transparent.

-jsq

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

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