Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp on Monday asked county commissioners to adopt a nearly $1.1 billion budget with a 1% raise for most county staff, more than $59 million in debt service expenses and a focus on first responders.
“Each year presents a new set of challenges and opportunities as we work to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Wamp said in a letter to commissioners and the public introducing the budget proposal. “In preparing the fiscal year 2026 budget, we faced a reality shaped by inflationary pressures, slower revenue growth and our ongoing investments in public education — all of which limited our ability to take on new priorities.”
The $1.09 billion proposal represents an increase of about $44 million over the current year’s budget of $1.05 billion. Insurance costs and raises are among the drivers of that growth, according to Wamp and his staff.
Hamilton County unveils proposal for next budget with 1% raises, no tax increase
The proposed budget does not include a tax increase.
Wamp’s proposal includes using $3 million of the county’s $143.3 million fund balance — its net assets and liabilities — which Wamp has said is higher than best practices for governments would indicate.
“I don’t want to conflate the tightness of budgets with the overall welfare of the county,” he said in a budget presentation to commissioners on Monday. “The county’s in a very strong position — arguably in its strongest position it’s ever been.”
A commission vote on the budget has not yet been scheduled, but should take place mid-June, Wamp spokesperson Paris Vinnett said over text. Counties in Tennessee are required to adopt budgets by Aug. 31, unless their leaders secure extensions.
(READ MORE: Hamilton County commissioners question creative budgeting)
PRIORITIES
About two-thirds of the county budget goes to schools, Wamp said.
“You’ll notice that the school system’s budget overall is up 65.7% over the last decade. Local funding in the public school system — that’s just sales tax and property tax,” Wamp said of the schools’ budgeted operations during the presentation.
The county provides 46.1% of the school district’s budget with property and sales tax revenue. That local funding is up $100 million over the past decade, he said.
The schools’ proposed budgeted operating costs are up 4.4% — over $29 million — over the current year, he said, while the county’s general budget proposal represents less than a 1% increase over the current year.
Wamp’s budget proposal centers the county Sheriff’s Office, volunteer fire departments, emergency medical services and animal control, Wamp said.
The budget calls for the Sheriff’s Office to receive 4.1% more — or $2.79 million — next year. The budget would raise the funding of the public safety division — which includes EMS and animal control — by $3.3 million, a 10% increase over the current year.
If adopted by the commission, the proposed budget would also provide $86,000 in funding for CARTA, which the county cut to nothing last year.
And following a 2024 breach that left some county residents’ personal data exposed, the government is also investing $241,000 in technology services. The bulk of that investment will go toward network security, the county’s chief operating officer, David Roddy, said Monday.
(READ MORE: Hamilton County acknowledges data breach, will notify those affected)
RAISES
The raises proposed for county’s general employees — not including police and firefighters — are set at 1%. The raise comes with a proposal — which excludes the mayor’s office and elected officials — to include a $750 bonus payment per employee. Last year, the county adopted 2% across-the-board raises for its employees.
Wamp, quoting the county’s finance director, Lee Brouner, said the proposed raises are “measly.”
The county budget is, for the most part, absorbing the cost of employees’ health insurance, which restricts the amount of raises, he said. The proposed budget includes a 10.7% increase in employees’ health insurance premiums to departments.
DEBT SERVICE
At the end of the fiscal year — June 30 — the county’s outstanding debt will be $475.5 million. Most of that debt stems from school-related projects, Brouner said Monday.
The interest payments on that debt amount to $59.08 million in the new fiscal year. More than $22 million of those payments will be interest on the debt, Brouner said in response to a question from Commissioner David Sharpe, D-Red Bank.
“We historically pay our debt off quickly. It’s a big number,” Brouner said.
The principal repayment will be $36.45 million, he said.
Contact Mariah Franklin at mfranklin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.