COVID funding boosts county’s budget by 22%

The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s 2021-22 budget after a sparsely attended public budget hearing Monday morning.
With the approval of the budget was a subsequent approval of a 22 percent overall increase in the operating budget (thanks to almost $2 million in COVID funds). There was also a 6 percent increase in the property tax request (tax asking) and a 5 percent increase in the tax levy. 
“The levy this year is proposed at 0.195626, compared to last year’s (levy) which was 0.186602,” County Treasurer Jody Griffith reported. 
She then explained further the reasoning behind some of the changes seen across the budget. 
“So, we have had the general (fund) go up a little just from two major changes in a couple offices,” she said. “But everyone else you know was around the 2-3 percent or under 3 percent increase.” 
Budgeted for the 2021-22 fiscal year, according to provided documents, Hamilton County’s proposed budget of disbursements for the general fund sits at $8,190,310.55.

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