(a) A commission shall keep books of account which shall be independently audited at least once in each full calendar year during which a commission functions. The auditor's report shall be presented to the governing body of each political subdivision within the area and to the General Assembly.

(b) Each year a commission shall make a separate estimate of the number of people who on the first day of April of such year resided within each county within the area and within the most populous municipality lying wholly or partially within the area specified on a county basis if the municipality lies in more than one county. Based on such population estimates, the governing body of each county in the area and of the said most populous municipality lying wholly or partially within the area shall, during the calendar year next following the year in which the population estimates were made, provide the commission with operating funds in the amount of $5,000.00 or in the amount provided for each such political subdivision in the following schedule, whichever amount is greater:

(1) Every county within the area and the most populous municipality within the area shall each provide the commission with operating expenses of $2,000.00; and

(2) In addition to the amount required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, every county within the area and the most populous municipality within the area shall each provide the commission with an amount based upon the number of residents of that county or municipality, respectively, and determined as follows:

(A) Each county which has no portion of the most populous municipality within its boundary shall provide an amount determined by multiplying the number of persons residing in that county by the following per resident amounts based upon the appropriate calendar year specified:

2001...................................................... 80¢

2002...................................................... 90¢

2003......................................................$ 1.00

Calendar years subsequent to 2003 in accord with subparagraph (D) of this paragraph.

(B) Each county which has some portion of the most populous municipality within its boundary shall provide an amount determined by multiplying the number of persons residing in the county but outside that most populous municipality by the per resident amount specified for the applicable calendar year under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and shall also provide an amount determined by multiplying the number of persons residing in the county inside that most populous municipality by the following per resident amounts based upon the appropriate calendar year specified: 2001........................................................ 32¢

2002........................................................ 36¢

2003........................................................ 40¢

Calendar years subsequent to 2003 in accord with subparagraph (D) of this paragraph.

(C) The most populous municipality shall provide an amount determined by multiplying the number of persons residing in the municipality by the following per resident amounts based upon the appropriate calendar year specified:

2001........................................................ 48¢

2002........................................................ 54¢

2003........................................................ 60¢

Calendar years subsequent to 2003 in accord with subparagraph (D) of this paragraph.

(D) For calendar years subsequent to 2003, increases in the amounts specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of this paragraph shall be based upon increases in the Average Annual Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area, hereafter referred to as CPI-U. Upon approval by the commission, the amount specified for calendar year 2003 in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall increase by 10¢ when the latest available CPI-U exceeds 110 percent of the CPI-U for the base year 2001. The commission may also approve additional 10¢ increases in the amount specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph whenever the latest available CPI-U exceeds 110 percent of the CPI-U that was the basis for the most recent increase in that amount. Each time the amount in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph increases by 10¢, then the amount in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph shall increase by 04¢ and the amount in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph shall increase by 06¢.

(c) After the first day of April but before the first day of September of each year, a commission shall make the necessary population estimates and compute the amount due from the governing body of each political subdivision in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection (b) of this Code section and certify such population estimates and other data to each such governing body.

(d) Before the fifteenth day of December of each year, a commission shall, at a meeting called for the purpose, adopt a program and budget for the next calendar year. A copy of this program and budget shall be forwarded to each political subdivision and each agency which is expected to contribute to the support of the commission during the next calendar year. If the aggregate amount to be provided by the participating political subdivisions in accordance with the formula set out in subsection (b) of this Code section is greater than is necessary for such budget, the amount to be provided by each political subdivision shall be reduced pro rata and each such political subdivision shall be notified accordingly. (e) Each political subdivision required to contribute to the support of a commission by subsection (b) of this Code section shall, on or before the first day of each quarter of a calendar year, furnish 25 percent of the total amount to be provided by it during such year unless such political subdivision shall not have adopted its own operating budget by January 1 of such year, in which event it shall immediately after the adopting of its budget furnish the amounts then due to the commission under this Code section.

(f) The governing body of any political subdivision shall have authority during any year to provide funds to a commission in excess of the amount computed in accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section.