News 12 at 6 o'clock, October 20, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga.---While temperatures are cooling down, things are about to heat up on the Augusta commission. Budget talks begin Tuesday. Will you have to fork over more money?

City administrator Fred Russell is expected to recommend a "slight" increase in property taxes. But not only that. An Augusta staple may be on the chopping black again.

The Augusta Botanical Gardens is one of more than 60 parks in Richmond County where funding is drying up.

Ricky Paige works at the gardens. He counts his blessings each day he comes to work.

"I think it's a beautiful place to work," said Ricky. "It's just like the Garden of Eden to me."

A sour economy threatens Ricky's little piece of heaven. The city is looking to trim expenses.

"You look at what are niceties and what are necessities," said Augusta mayor Deke Copenhaver.

It's a pretty place that costs a pretty penny to keep open...about $120,000 a year. Can the city keep it up?

"I don't know that we can," said Mayor Copenhaver. He says it's a matter of priority.

"You want a safe clean environment to live in," said Mayor Copenhaver. "That means you have to fund law enforcement."

Funding law enforcement this year will likely mean a slight increase in taxes and/or cutting quote niceties like the gardens.

"I don't like it. I think it's a public benefit," said Mayor Copenhaver. "But it's a property that the city does not own."

The mayor has made his pitch to the state properties commission for a baseball stadium, but with no home-run in sight workers like Ricky are left to draw only one conclusion.

"Things are getting bad," said Ricky.

The state properties commission is expected to meet next month. Meanwhile, commissioners suggest parks and recreation accounts for about $8 million of the city's budget. Everything's on the table from closing some locations to scaling back park hours.