KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' first proposed budget -- an $853 million document -- includes no tax increase, raises for county employees and sheriff's personnel and incorporates the school system's general funding request.
Jacobs presented the budget Wednesday morning at Central High School in North Knoxville.
Specifics in his plan include about 6 percent increases for Knox County Sheriff's Office deputies and a $2.1 million boost in the county's closed pension to account for market conditions and performance. Generally speaking, county employees also are in line to get raises of roughly 3 percent.
In a show of support for building plans for the inner-city Lonsdale Elementary School, Jacobs is pledging $800,000 toward debt service this month. The aging Lonsdale, which the mayor visited in recent months, is slated to be replaced with a new school in the next couple years as part of the Knox County Schools' capital plan.
Jacobs' budget represents a $34 million increase over the current Knox County plan. Last year, term-limited Tim Burchett presented a proposed $819 million budget as his last spending plan in office.
The 11-member Knox County Commission must approve it.
Jacobs' $853 million budget includes Knox County Schools' request for $506 million in general fund spending. Besides Lonsdale, KCS also wants to build two new schools in the coming years -- a new Adrian Burnett elementary school and to build a new elementary school in Northwest Knox County.
The expected order of construction would be Lonsdale first, with an expected opening in August 2021, followed by Adrian Burnett and the northwest county school, likely in August 2022.
Knox County Schools typically makes up about two thirds of the overall county budget. Last year, KCS sought about $485 million.
Knox County relies on property and sale taxes for revenue along with a small bit of state support.
The county has seen a $5.7 million boost in property tax revenues as well as a nearly $11 million increase in sales tax collections, a sign of the region's commercial health.
Revenues have steadily risen since 2014, documents show.
The 2019-20 county budget envisions paying $44.2 million in bond payments to cover borrowing for capital projects. The net result would be a nearly $7 million cut in bonded indebtedness.
As part of Jacobs' overall budget, the school system would get $4.4 million to support the Great Schools Partnership as well as Kindergarten Intervention and a new literacy program, according to the county.
Teachers and classified school employees would get a 3.5 percent raise under the proposed spending plan already approved by the school board.
Sheriff Tom Spangler had sought an 8 percent increase for deputies. Uniformed personnel have seen an 11 percent rise in pay over the past two years, according to county finance chief Chris Caldwell.
The mayor's general fund budget covers money for parks, public works and public safety among other operations.
While running for office, Jacobs repeatedly stressed support for tight budgets, no tax increases and support for education and public safety -- all consistently strong priorities among Knox County voters.
Jacobs, known internationally in the professional wrestling world as Kane, was narrowly elected in August to a four-year term.
Last week, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero presented her own proposed spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Knoxville City Council must approve the $336 million plan.