The Greeneville City Council Tuesday afternoon approved the town’s operating budget for the new fiscal year on first reading, a budget which as it currently stands would require a four cent property tax increase to fund. The vote which approved setting the tax rate at $1.7471 per $100 of
assessed value passed by a vote of 3-1 with Ginny Kidwell voting no.
ROLL CALL VOTE ON TAX RATE
GINNY KIDWELL ON NO VOTE
A public hearing and second and final vote is scheduled for the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 16th. Between now and then Finance Director Lora Young and Interim City Manager Cathy Osborne will continue attempts to crunch the numbers even more to reduce the need for new monies.
LORA YOUNG ON CONTINUING TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS
The state mandate that the governing body fund the school system $246,000 to balance the school budget was an unexpected major hit to the overall budget document.
TIM WARD ON THE BUDGET
Others options tossed around during the hour and a half long meeting, much of it dealing with the budget, included City Council member Tim Teague questioning such things as a fee for trash pick up which at current in a city service, or even implementation of a city wheel tax.
Council member Matt Hensley suggested looking into a possible consolidation of the marketing efforts of the town and the partnership to help eliminate what he referred to as administrative bloat.
AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS
As the City budget currently stands, the next step salary increase for town employees would be funded but there would be no cost of living increase. There will be no new positions and two positions, the GIS Planner position and the Assistant Public Works Director, will be unfunded. There will be no funding for non-profit agencies and no major technology upgrades or equipment under the proposed budget.
