BRUNSWICK - Glynn County property owners could see a 35 percent property tax  increase to make up for a shortfall in revenue needed to fund the County  Commission's pared-down budget.

Last month, the commission instructed County Administrator Alan Ours to find  more ways to cut what was then a proposed $51.3 million budget for fiscal year  2012.

Even after $600,000 was whittled away, the resulting $50.7 million general  fund budget is $4.8 million more than the county expects to collect in property  taxes, fees and other revenue, Ours told the commissioners during a Tuesday work  session.

The fire protection and solid waste funds are coming up short, and the county  needs another $2 million to replace vehicles that would have been bought with  sales taxes had voters not rejected continuation of a 1-cent sales tax. All  told, county residents could be looking at a tax increase of up to two  mills.

"A two-mill increase would bring everything back into balance and give us  some money for a capital improvements plan," commission Chairman Richard  Strickland said.