Jefferson County Budget Committee To Recommend Property Tax Increase

The Jefferson County Budget Committee will forward a recommendation for a six penny property tax increase to the full body for consideration and approval. A motion from Commission Chair/budget committee member Carmichael and 2nd from Budget Committee Vice Chair Huffaker to answer a deficit still just shy of $1.5 million dollars following the recent approval of the wheel tax with a 6 penny property tax increase was approved by the committee in a 5-2 vote. Commissioners Brooks and R. Coleman voted no, expressing a desire to continue to look for budget cuts. Absent from the meeting were committee members Blevins, Byrd and J. Coleman.

Carmichael stated his concern that the 26-27 budget cycle cannot handle “kicking the can down the road” to possibly trim a penny off of the 6 cents needed to balance the 25-26 fiscal year budget.  The estimated value of a penny on property tax is $242,250 (95%) and the committee had already cut one penny by cutting charitable contributions requested from Jefferson County Fair ($10,000), SCHAS ($5,000) and Boys & Girls Club ($154,947). None of  these organizations were part of the previous 2 budget cycles and were considered new requests. Additionally, with a motion from Commissioner Brooks and 2nd from Coleman, the committee approved 4-3 to remove $100,000 from the Sheriff’s Department overtime line. Voting No were Budget Committee Chair Seals, Commissioner Bales and Carmichael. Commission Chair Carmichael stated that he had concerns regarding taking funds from a particular department line item and would prefer to take from the total department request.

Included in the recommendation to the full body is a 2.5% cost of !iving increase for employees, a raise to bring Sheriff’s Department employees closer to surrounding areas and local cities salaries, funding of fire departments, rescue squad, Safe Space, CARE, Radio Auxiliary Emergency Support, and Safe Harbor at requested amounts.