The Noblesville City Council will consider a $69.4 million operating budget for 2019 during its Oct. 23 meeting. The budget is slightly larger than the current year, but the property tax rate will be a few cents lower, according to best estimates available to city officials.
The city will have more revenue next year due to Local Income Tax collections and an expanding tax base. That will enable the hiring of 17 new employees, 10 of whom will be school resource officers with police powers. Noblesville Schools will pay half the salaries of the new hires.
All current city employees are scheduled for a 3 percent pay raise with a handful of exceptions who will get slightly more. But, city council members will get only a 1 ½ percent increase, according to Councilman Brian Ayer.
Included in the budget are some public improvement projects money for the Midland Trail, Seminary Park upgrading, the so-called Levee Trail and some renovation of some city facilities. But, major projects such as the local share of the reconstruction of State Road 37 are not included.
Among the largest expenditures after employee compensation will go to street maintenance and improvements. Projections indicate nearly $11 million will be available for streets. This is not property tax money, but rather comes from gasoline taxes and Local Income Tax revenue.
The budget adoption session of the council will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23 in the council meeting room at City Hall, 16 S. 10th St. The meeting is open, although the hearing on the budget was held on Oct. 9.