The County Commission on Wednesday approved a $881.2 million budget with no property tax increase.
The tax rate remains at $2.2373 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The spending includes $523 million for education, which is a $31 million increase.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger said, “This fiscally conservative budget allows us to do several things that need to be addressed while maintaining the fiscal policies that have allowed us to maintain our Triple A bond rating from each of the three major rating agencies.”
He said some of his key initiatives in this budget were to continue to support public health with $5.4 million dedicated to fighting the still-present COVID virus.
Also, to increase funding for corrections officers within the sheriff’s department, 15 percent of the entire budget is dedicated to public safety.
The mayor also said that additional funding in the budget will go toward retaining and hiring vital positions such as EMS workers and highway department workers, as well as corrections officers. He said it has become increasingly difficult to retain workers at pre-existing wages.
Government workers will also see a three percent pay raise or $2,500 in salary increases in a continuing effort to retain and hire qualified workers.
He said $6.2 million will be used for critical capital needs of the highway department, emergency medical services, law enforcement and the parks and recreation department.
County Mayor Coppinger expressed his appreciation to the finance team headed by Lee Brouner and Vonda Patrick and their predecessors for not only this budget, but each budget since taking office in 2011.
He said he will be presenting separately to the commission budget requests that will come from American Rescue Plan monies. Those presentations are expected to include additional money for the Urban League, local volunteer fire departments, an EMS training center and renovations to the downtown health department.
The county fund balance (rainy day fund) is at $130 million. That is after a $16 million payment for McDonald Farm in Sale Creek.
To get to the balanced budget, County Mayor Coppinger said $31 million had to be cut from $42 million in higher spending requests from the various departments and agencies.
Major increases were listed as capital outlay $15 million, debt service $2.85 million, volunteer services (fire departments) $2.25 million and the county attorney's office $497,000 (to deal with additional lawsuits, including many dealing with the jail).
Salaries and employee benefits are 54 percent of general fund budget requests.
There will be no increase in health insurance costs.