Supports with UnifiEd, an education advocacy nonprofit, leave the County Commission assembly room after the Commission voted on the budget for the 2018 fiscal year at the Hamilton County Courthouse on Wednesday, June 21, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The budget was passed without a tax increase for public schools. UnifiEd supported the tax increase.More than 150 people packed the Hamilton County Commission meeting Wednesday morning in a last-ditch effort to increase funding for the county’s public schools.
Despite the showing, the commission quickly voted 8-1 to approve Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger’s $691.5 million budget, which does not include a tax increase to fund $24 million in additional needs identified by the Hamilton County Board of Education.
Commissioner Tim Boyd cast the dissenting vote, requesting the commission wait 30 days before approving the budget for this upcoming fiscal year. His motion failed for lack of a second.
The budget the commission approved allocates $425.7 million to the district’s budget, an increase of about $8 million from last year thanks to dedicated growth money from increased tax revenues and state funding. Local revenues account for $5.7 million of the total.
The general fund budget – $222.7 million – is a $4 million increase over last year. It provides a 1.5 percent salary bump for county employees and funds 16 more jailers and six student resource officers for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.