by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

County officials are hoping to adopt a 2019 budget of just under $100 million without any increase in the county tax rate. The budget proposes to spend $99,048,426 to fund county government operations, up about $2.8 million from this year’s budget.

Anticipated revenue increases from property taxes on new construction and added County Option Income Tax (COIT) collections should nearly cover the increase without having to dip into the county’s reserve funds.

Probably the largest single increase in the budget will be salaries and benefits for 16 new employees at the county jail. The need for new employees comes about due to the expansion on the facility now underway.

Nine other new employee positions are being proposed in various departments of county government, but some of these may not survive a county council review of the budget scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13. Current county employees are expected to get raises next year ranging from 1 to 3 percent under terms of the county salary matrix. Elected officials will likely receive up to 3 percent increases.

New building projects now on the drawing boards for expansion of the Judicial Center, a new White River bridge at Pleasant Street and county obligations toward the reconstruction of Ind. 37 are not included in the budget. They are all to be funded with already accumulated cash or partially with a bond issue.

County Auditor Robin Mills said Monday that the county remains in a strong financial position and next year’s needs should not jeopardize that. She said the county council will hold a public hearing on the budget on Oct. 2, and vote on final adoption Oct. 15.