Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield proposed an alternate budget today that would increase property taxes by 39 cents per $100 of assessed property value, instead of the proposed 64-cent increase.
The decreased tax increase comes from a series of cuts to employee benefits, personnel and some recreation centers.
Mr. Littlefield proposed ending lifetime health benefits for city workers over the age of 65, adding no new fire personnel and possibly closing the Eastdale Firehall, Francis Wyatt Recreation Center and the Carver Recreation Center Pool.
Other cuts would come to the Public Works Department, Education, Arts & Culture Department and the Department of Neighborhood Services, records show. Most of those cuts would come through reduction in personnel.
The alternate budget also only provides money for one police academy, not two, records show.
The council will be discussing the budget throughout the day.
For complete details, read tomorrow’s Times Free Press.