With a vote expected on June 26, government officials, business leaders + local residents are discussing the 2020 Hamilton County budget.

Here are the basics you need to know.

💰 The county’s budget includes requests for the following funds:

A general fund
The sheriff special revenue fund (narcotics, sexual offenders fund)
The school system’s budget, which board of education officials approved in May.
A hotel/motel tax fund

💰 By the numbers

Total budget: $819 million
Total budget increase over 2019: $65 million — an 8.7% increase
Proposed amount to boost education: $34 million
Proposed amount to help sheriff’s office: About $3.6 million
Cuts made to prioritize public education and public safety: $13.5 million

💰 The tax increase

The budget proposal includes a 34-cent property tax increase specifically to benefit only the school system. It’s a 13 percent increase.

Mention of a tax increase can often prompt pushback, but last week many business and community leaders said they support the increase because all the money will go to help Hamilton County Schools.

The current property tax rate is $2.76 per $100 of assessed property value.

Here’s what the increase would look like for some local property owners, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

If your property value is $100,000, you’d owe an additional $85 a year.
If your property value is $200,000, you’d owe an additional $170 a year.
If your property value is $300,000, you’d owe an additional $255 a year.

💰 The increase would fund…

350 new positions, including social workers, counselors + special education teachers
Teacher raises
Improved classroom technology
An increase in early post-secondary opportunities, such as dual enrollment + AP classes

💰 More resources

County budget request outline

Hamilton County Schools budget breakdown

In 2018, nine Hamilton County schools ranked worst in the state (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

What’s getting cut? (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

How will the increase help schools? (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

How will teacher pay be affected? (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

💰Poll

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