County Mayor Jim Coppinger on Monday presented to the County Commission a no-tax-increase budget that includes $833 million in spending - up $36.3 million.
It includes a four percent raise for county employees costing $4.9 million.
The county mayor is among those getting the four percent bump. That triggers similar raises for the County Commission, the Chattanooga mayor, the Chattanooga City Council and the School Board members.
Sheriff Jim Hammond said $621,000 that the county school system has been supplying for School Resource Officers will be used for School Safety Officers instead.
He said he was advised that could pay for nine new SSOs. There are already 10 SSOs paid for by the schools.
The sheriff said the SSOs (security guards) are less expensive than the SROs who work in mentoring students.
Sheriff Hammond said it has become increasingly difficult to hire and retain SROs. He said the SSOs provide a needed level of security.
County Mayor Coppinger said the budget includes five percent increases to the volunteer fire departments.
He said three who have the smallest budgets will be assured of getting at least $25,000 more. Those are Lone Oak, Mowbray Mountain and Sequoyah.
The budget of the county and the county schools does not include $71.4 million in federal COVID-19 funds to the county and $142 million to the county schools.
Local officials are still studying what that pile of money can be used for.
Officials said one of the brightest parts of the revenue is the 4.6 percent increase in sales tax collections. A significant portion is due to the new Internet sales tax.