Daviess County Fiscal Court’s next proposed budget has no plans for borrowing money or tax increases. The $74.1 million spending blueprint unveiled this week also calls for county employees to receive 1.5% raises.The Messenger-Inquirer reports Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly says he wants county employees to receive a 2% raise.
One of the biggest challenges facing the county is the rising cost of funding retirement plans for public workers. The budget proposed for 2012-2013 calls for $2.3 million for payments into the Kentucky Retirement System—that’s up from $1.8 million from two years ago.
Mattingly says Daviess County has saved enough cash to pay for needed equipment such as a pumper truck for the fire department and a dozer for the county landfill without adding new debt.
One way the county is saving future money is through a deal it made with the Riverpark Performing Arts Center last year. The county previously gave $1 million to help retire the center’s building debt, meaning local government won’t have to kick in as much money in future budgets for the facility.