In June 2010, the Revenue Enhancement Commission (REC) was launched by CEO Burrell Ellis, Commissioner Kathie Gannon and the Board of Commissioners as a joint initiative in response to the global economic downturn which severely impacted all local governments and left DeKalb County with a projected $23 million budget shortfall for 2011.

The mission of the REC was to identify and explore new external and internal revenue systems; and develop recommendations for the DeKalb County Governing Authority to enhance revenue and decrease the property tax burden for general government operations in order to maintain and improve quality of life for DeKalb Citizens.

Local governments generally have three revenue generating options: increase efficiencies, reduce services and increase existing revenues, or identify new revenue sources. While the REC solely focused on revenue generating opportunities that could mitigate the impact of budget shortfalls, its members recognized that finding efficiencies and reducing expenditures would also be necessary to address the county's fiscal challenges.