Clarksville's budget for 2019 passed through City Council by a vote of 11-2.
The vote on Thursday approved Mayor Kim McMillan’s 2019 financial plan for the City of Clarksville.
The plan has called for an overall 2.88 percent increase in General Fund spending; however, no increase was included for the City property tax rate.
“My budget was approved by an overwhelming majority of the City Council, and includes some $29 million for new roads and improvements to our current transportation network,” Mayor McMillan said. “We continue to move forward on our pledge to make Clarksville the best place to live, work, and raise a family, and I continue to honor my commitment to taxpayers to do the most possible with the resources they provide City Government.”
The budget was presented to City Council in May before two work sessions, a public hearing, and two formal meetings; however, reports stated the budget was approved “largely intact,” preserving the mayor’s “budget priorities, which called for major road improvements, more money for public safety, and work on new family recreation opportunities.”
For fiscal year 2019, the total budget for Clarksville is nearly half a billion dollars at around $478 million. The proposed 2019 General Fund, or operating budget, is $98,155,094, an increase of 2.8 percent over fiscal year 2018.
The property tax rate remained at $1.24 per $100 of assessed property value, which is the same rate property owners paid for the three previous years.
Also provided in the budget is a 2.5 percent wage increase for city employees.
Mayor McMillan also called for $9.6 million for the first phase of the project for the Northeast Connector. The road will be a new thoroughfare to connect the Wilma Rudolph Boulevard commercial district and Trenton Road.
An amendment approved by City Council moved money for the $6.5 million downtown parking garage to the connector project, pushing the total for the connector project to $16.1. The parking garage is unfunded and on hold.
To learn more about what’s included in the budget, visit the City of Clarksville online.
