GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County commissioners approved a $2.58 billion budget Tuesday that cuts spending by $84.6 million as officials search for efficiencies in a growing county.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson learned the 2026 budget includes $2.19 billion for daily operations and $409 million for capital projects like roads and buildings, according to county documents.
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Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said the cuts came from a zero-based budgeting approach, where departments had to justify every dollar rather than automatically getting the same funding as last year.
“We heard from the public, and we hear the rhetoric,” Hendrickson said. “They want their government to show that they’re being good stewards of the dollars.”
Spending less typically allows counties to build up their financial reserves for emergencies or future needs.
The budget funds several new initiatives, including a community resource center on Grayson Highway that will serve as a central hub for human services. The facility will include the county’s first crisis stabilization unit.
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Commissioners also invested in next-generation 911 technology.
“Next gen 911 absolutely means faster connection, being able to use technology to text to the police department and get a response,” Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson said finding efficiencies while maintaining service levels was challenging for her staff but she’s proud of their efforts.
“It is not common, and you won’t see that in a lot of other jurisdictions,” she said after Tuesday’s vote.
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