The Knox City Council members discussed the 2015 budget during their meeting Tuesday night.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the budget reflects a 2.44 percent increase in appropriations. He said he hopes that it comes within the maximum levy which is the maximum amount that can be raised through property taxes.
Houston said the council members will need to make cuts to the budget in 2015.
“We will have to make cuts later on because of the circuit breaker credits,” stated Houston. “This year out of the $220,000 that we had to cut because of circuit breaker credits, $150,000 of that was out of the General Fund as well as other things like MVH (Motor Vehicle Highway) and the park. We’ll have to make adjustments later. We went back to the supervisors or department heads and told them how much they need to cut and left it up to them. That’s what I propose to do again.”
The budget order could also mean further cuts in appropriations on top of the circuit breaker cuts that will be forthcoming in 2015.
Circuit breaker credits mean less money coming in from the distribution from the county. That order will explain what areas need to be cut. The biggest majority will come out of the General Fund while other departments will be cut. In 2014, the street department was cut over $40,000 and police department funds were also hit hard.
The budget resolution was unanimously approved and the budget will be sent to the state for official approval.
