Comptroller Gives Warning At White County Budget Meeting
State Comptroller Jason Mumpower warned the White County Commissioners Monday night prior to the Budget Committee’s deliberations, come to an agreement on a budget. Mumpower spoke to the Committee via Zoom. Mumpower said the County Commission’s primary function is to produce a budget every year. Mumpower said if the Commissioners could not do it, he […]
New Budget Means New Funding Mechanism For Schools
The Putnam County Commission’s decision to use a percentage of sales tax revenue to fund schools a welcome revenue boost, according to School Board Member Kerry Ledbetter. The new county budget passed last week includes the change to a formula of 50 percent of sales tax revenue. Ledbetter said the change back will not only […]
Hutchings: White County Budget Close, Compromise Needed
White County Commission Chair Derrick Hutchings calling for compromise and more input to finalize the county budget for next fiscal year. Hutchings said the Commissioners had the votes to amend the budget by dropping the property tax rate to $1.42, but the full court ultimately rejected the budget a second time. Hutchings said the vote […]
Putnam Commission Passes Budget, $2.66 Property Tax
The Putnam County Commissioners officially passed the budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at Monday’s meeting with no changes. The budget approved as recommended from the Budget Committee. The property tax rate will remain at $2.66, which as the same as last year. Commissioner Sam Sandlin said a lot of discussion went into crafting this year’s […]
Committee Finalizes White County Budget, Vote Monday
White County Commissioners given the chance to review and ask questions about a final budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year at a Monday night meeting. The budget contains a $1.45 property tax rate, an estimated $20.6 million in revenue, and $20.9 million in projected expenditures. The gap of some $286,000 will be covered by […]
Jackson Budget Committee Hears First Department Proposals
The Jackson County Budget Committee heard the first of several rounds of department head requests for the new budget cycle Tuesday night. EMS Director Keith Bean said he wanted to add a floater position for the department, adding some $54,000 in expense. Bean said the floater would be trained to fill in any open position […]
Budget Committee Finds Consensus On Tax Rate, Salaries
The White County Budget Committee agreed on a $1.45 property tax rate and a flat-rate salary increase for county employees Monday night. The committee was presented the details for each position’s salary with both an eight percent raise and a $4,000 flat salary increase. Committee members wrestled with creating a different raise for emergency personnel, […]
White County Employees, Residents Call For EMS Support
With the backdrop of a White County fire that stretched resources this week, several White County residents and employees asked the Budget Committee to consider prioritizing pay raises and resources for first responders. A Monday Sparta structure fire left three children and their father with burn injuries. Every Sparta and White County ambulance was on […]
Raise Amount Biggest Question On White County Budget
Using feedback from White County Commissioners, the Budget Committee spent most of Wednesday’s session considering a budget with a $1.44 property tax rate. The Committee will resume work Monday on employee raises. One proposal includes an eight percent pay raise for all county employees, with some departments getting more. Commissioner Derrick Hutchings said eight percent […]
Barlow: Salary Increases Important To Retain First Responders
A three percent employee pay raise highlights Overton County’s new budget, a key to retaining employees in the Sheriff’s and Fire Departments and EMS. That’s according to County Executive Steven Barlow. Barlow said employees were not paid enough in years past, causing some to leave for better paying jobs elsewhere. Barlow said this was especially […]
