Despite the pandemic, Franklin’s growth did not stall and its tax base grew.
The city’s proposed $25.6 million budget, an increase of 1.47% from this year, includes an additional $667,000, the bulk of which will go toward salaries.
The 2022 budget includes $24.5 million in tax collections and $1.1 million in other funds, including $500,000 in the Rainy Day Fund. Tax-supported funds increased by 3.15%, while non-tax-supported funds decreased by 24.9%.
Salaries make up the bulk in new spending. Every city employee will earn an additional $1,500 annually, and some will get a larger increase, depending on how their salary compares to comparable positions in other cities and towns, Mayor Steve Barnett said.
Employees with the city’s police and fire department could see an increase of $3,450, the highest pay bump among city employees. That raises base salaries for all of city’s public safety employees to $60,000, to make the departments more competitive, Barnett said.
The raises would put Franklin at the median of immediate competition within the county. Greenwood police officers make $65,426 annually, and sheriff’s deputies make $56,463. Greenwood firefighters make $65,951 annually, and Bargersville firefighters make $59,724, according to Greenwood and Johnson County’s draft budgets and Bargersville’s 2021 employee compensation report.
Ranked officers and firefighters would also be given raises in the 4-5% range to maintain the pay spread between the positions.
Elected officials would get modest raises. Barnett would get a 1.17% salary increase, and Clerk-Treasurer Jayne Rhoades would get a 1.38% salary increase. Franklin City Council members would each get a 3% raise, according to city documents.
The General Fund, which holds the bulk of taxpayer dollars, is $18.4 million, a 3.85% increase from this year. General Fund spending would stay largely the same other than the salary increases, city documents show.
“I think it is a good, balanced budget. Our department heads are really responsible with tax dollars. We do a good job looking after that,” Barnett said.
A few other areas of the city’s budget will see slight increases, including an extra $15,000 for street and sidewalk repairs, and $15,000 for public art projects.
Trash collection will grow by $2,100 due to rising fees from the city’s trash vendor. Because the fee is expected to increase even more in the coming years, the council is expected to have a discussion about trash collection and advertise a request for proposals to see what other companies would charge, Barnett said.
A public hearing for the budget is set for 6 p.m. today, during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting at Franklin City Hall. The council will vote on the budget at its Oct. 4 meeting.
