Hamilton County’s nearly $1 billion proposed budget

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Wednesday, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp unveiled his first proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

According to Chattanooga Times Free Press, the nearly $1 billion budget proposal does not call for a property tax increase. It also includes new funding for county parks, which include improvements to Chest Frost Park and investments at McDonald Farm in Sale Creek.

The budget includes a 4 percent pay raise for county workers. It also increases pay for emergency medical services staff.

The budget proposal will fund a new prosecutor position that would exclusively focus on drug dealers handling opioids.

The budget also reserved money to turn the old Harrison Elementary School into a senior center.

It includes nearly $100 milllion more added for county schools. The school system already accounts for most of the budget.

County leaders will have to vote on the new budget on June 21. The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.