MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. – The Mobile County Commission approved its Fiscal Year 2025 General Fund budget of $221,260,967 at its regular meeting on Sept. 23, 2024.

The 2025 Mobile County Commission Budget increased 9% from the previous year because of increased property and sales tax revenue, a one-time American Rescue Plan Act reimbursement, and increased revenue from the City of Mobile for its share of Metro Jail operating expenses.

As is typical, Mobile County Commission’s single largest category of expenditure in its FY 2025 Budget is the functional area of Public Safety at 47% ($104.3 million), which includes funding for 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 functional area is General Government at 38% ($84.4 million), which includes funding for the offices of the License Commissioner, Revenue Commissioner, Probate Court, facilities, county services, and related administrative expenses.

Retaining and recruiting employees remains a priority for the Mobile County Commission and Commissioners Merceria Ludgood, Connie Hudson, and Randall Dueitt once again chose to invest in Mobile County employees through a 5% cost of living (COLA) increase and the absorption of a 5% increase in health insurance. This is the fourth year the Mobile County Commission has provided a COLA and has not increased employees’ insurance premiums.

Public Safety, Parks & Recreation, and General Government received increases in personnel and operating expenses. The Commission is taking steps to staff and maintain its parks to accommodate expected increases in programs and services because 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, such as at Escatawpa Hollow Park & Campground and Chickasabogue Park, and the creation of new parks, like Riviére du Chien Park and its Cypress Creek Golf Course, as well as additional water access points.

For the fifth year, the Mobile County Commission’s budget addresses the need to replace aging equipment with $3.7 million budgeted for capital assets.  The 2025 budget also includes an 8% increase in appropriations to external agencies like museums, libraries, arts, etc.

The Mobile County Commission’s budgets are posted at
https://link.edgepilot.com/s/8b2f5dc6/vkWCJwhlm0SSfJmY_8UJNg?u=https://www.mobilecountyal.gov/government/departments/budget-and-finance/