Today Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs presented his FY2024 budget, this is the first budget to shatter the $1 billion dollar ceiling. If Knox County Commission approves the Mayor’s budget as presented.
Knox Schools received their request, a 4% raise for teachers and classified personnel. The School Board has approved a 12% raise for cafeteria, custodial, teaching assistants, school clerical, and security.
Knox County General Government employees will receive a 3% raise.
Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler was not as happy, he and Assistant Chief Bernie Lyon had requested a 30% raise.
Mayor Jacobs said that there have been 200 positions that have been vacant within KCSO and if the Sheriff will eliminate 58 positions (as the Sheriff has offered to do in the past) then there is money for a 8% raise for Corrections and Patrol (captains and below)
The Sheriff had also requested a 10% raise for Chiefs and 5% for civilian employees. There was no mention of those raises, one can assume it is included in the 3% raise with General Government.
Mayor Jacobs went on to explain, during his first term as Mayor, General Government grew by 20.7% while Knox Sheriffs Office grew by 27.5%. Salaries for Sheriff employees have increased 24% in addition to $6k in bonuses paid to Sheriffs employees.
The Knox County debt is 11.6% lower, while the cost of living in Knox County is 10% less during Mayor Jacobs service as Mayor.
The Mayor also announced that Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs and he will ask the Knox County Commission to increase the income limit for Senior Citizen property owners on the Tax Freeze program from $42,000 to $60,000
The Knox County Commission will have a Budget Hearing on Monday May 15 at 2 pm in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building.
Rumor circulating is that Sheriff Spangler, Assistant Chief Bernie Lyons will sue the Knox County Mayor and Commission for the 30% in increased salaries. more on that IF it happens.
