County Budget Committee discusses 2018-2019 budget

JACKSON, Tenn. — The final votes were taken on the 2018-2019 fiscal year’s budget before it heads to the county commission. The main topics include debt, schools, and the jail.

County budget chairman Doug Stephenson says they’re trying to handle each situation as conservatively as possible.

“We’re being very conservative. We’re not trying to over-borrow to take care of things,” Stephenson said.

He says taxes will not be going up to pay for this year’s projects.

“We’re going to get all that paid off in the next ten years without a tax increase,” he said.

The county budget for this year is $200 million. But with the $30 million loan that’s being taken out for the expansion of the new jail, it goes up to $230 million.

“It’s not that we want a jail. We’re being required because of overcrowding and those kinds of things that we’re having to do this,” Stephenson said.

Along with the jail, Stephenson says we’re behind on buying the school buses because of technology expenditures several years ago.

“Since Eric Jones became superintendent, they kind of dismantled that, which would be the best way to describe it. So we’re getting back on board with the buses,” Stephenson said.

The new fiscal year starts on July 1.