The Hamilton County Council is set for two days of budget hearings, starting Tuesday, August 6th.  According to my new-gathering partners at the Hamilton County Reporter, councilors will be working on a 2020 spending plan just under $100 million.

Beaver

“It’s a big budget. It’s a big operation,” Council President Brad Beaver said. “Our biggest expenses are salaries and benefits for the 800-plus county employees as well as highway improvement projects.”

The proposed budget will include 3 percent pay raises for county employees. The council will also be presented with budget requests from every department in the county.

“Our expenditures will meet our revenues in the coming year,” Beaver says. “The council hasn’t raised property taxes in 20 years and we don’t intend to do so this year. We try to do the best job we can for the taxes we already take in.”

Once approved, the budget will be sent to the State of Indiana for approval before going into effect Jan. 1, 2020.