Reporter Publisher
Hamilton County Councilors wrapped up two days of budget hearings Wednesday afternoon. The hearings finalized a budget of just under $100 million for county general operations for the 2021 fiscal year.
McKinney
County Councilor Rick McKinney told the Reporter revenues will meet expenditures and residents will see a 1.27 percent projected decrease in county taxes.
The proposed budget addressed some major projects, including the State Road 37 improvement project, construction of a county-owned parking garage to be located at 8th and Clinton streets in Noblesville, and increased security measures at the historic courthouse, which includes in part the hiring of three additional security personnel.
Additionally, the proposed budget includes the hiring a full-time deputy prosecutor to handle increased domestic violence cases, a part-time staff attorney for county judges will move to full-time, and a parks department position will change from part-time to full-time.
McKinney said the proposed budget halts the county’s matching contribution for its employees’ deferred compensation program.
Elected officials, other than council members and commissioners, will receive a 1 percent increase in salary. Commissioners and council members will not receive a salary increase. Other county employees will continue to receive salary increases based on the county’s salary matrix.
Again this year, the county will financially assist several local non-profits.
“It is always a struggle funding non-profits; however, the council did agree to provide funding to organizations that received funding in 2020,” said McKinney.
A total of nine non-profits will share $580,000. The council did add Westfield-based Heart and Soul Clinic to the list of organizations.
Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger praised the council for proposing a conservative budget.
Dillinger
“These are financially uncertain times,” Dillinger said. “We need to be prudent and conservative right now.”
According to Dillinger, a possible reduction in LIT tax received by the county – due to unemployment related to COVID-19 – could impact county revenue.
“Because of the way LIT tax is distributed, we will not fully know the financial impact until 2022,” Dillinger said.
A public hearing on the budget will be conducted at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center. A final council vote to approve the budget will take place at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 19. After council approval, the budget will be sent to the State of Indiana for review before going into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.