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HUNTSVILLE —Scott County finally has a new fiscal year budget with no tax increase, despite an estimated $2 million in new revenue, according to County Commission’s Budget Committee Chairman Jeff Watson.

The school budget is up about $1 million due to new money from the state, while the county’s Debt Service Fund has increased about $1 million, due in part by tapping into the fund balance, Watson said.

Both the tax levy resolution and the budget resolution were adopted by identical 11-1 votes, with two members absent and Third District Commissioner Joel Newport casting the lone dissenting vote on both motions. Absent from the meeting were Commissioners Mike Slaven and Dennis Sexton.

The tax rate for FY 2007-2008 (which actually began July 1) will be $2.67 for each $100 assessed property value for Scott Countians residing outside the Oneida Special School District. The rate is $2.91 for those within the special school district. Both are identical to last year’s tax rates.

A breakdown of the “outside” tax rate shows $1.16 being obligated to the General Purpose School Fund, 59¢ for the County General Fund, 56¢ for the Rural School Debt Service, and 36¢ to the General Debt Service Fund, for a total of $2.91.

The difference between that rate and the rate of those residing within the special school district is that those inside do not pay the 56¢ on the Rural School Debt Service, but do pay for the Oneida Schools’ operational budget (33¢ per $100 assessed property value), and the system’s Debt Service Fund (47¢), in addition to the other county’s other funding obligations, for a total of $2.91.

The three-member Budget Committee, which began its work in April reviewing requests from various county departments, was given credit for keeping the tax rate at last year’s level, despite pressures to fund pay raises for Sheriff’s Department employees, begin the payoff process on the new multi-million dollar Scott County Justice Center project, and badly needed capital improvements for the Scott County School System, to name but a few.

Second District Commissioner Leonard Bertram, who said he would vote for the budget, was critical of the failure to meet the financial needs of the Sheriff’s Department and a new building for the Scott County Ambulance Service.

Bertram was also critical of the “$200 to $300” spent each month to provide a meal for the Commissioners at their often lengthy monthly work sessions.

Sheriff Anthony Lay, while critical of the Commission’s failure to meet his request to adopt a five-year plan for a gradual but substantial increase in the salary of his officers, did thank each member individually for the one-year raise that was approved.

Sheriff Lay told the Commission the pay scale plan he had presented them would have provided an incentive for officers to stay with the force, and although the $2,500 to $3,000 pay hikes will be very much appreciated, he pledged to continue to lobby to get his pay scale plan approved.

“You will see me next year,” he said.

Scott County Director of Schools Sharon Wilson, while sympathizing with the Commission’s budget-making problems and saying she could operate with the local funds provided, pledged to be back this year to ask for additional money for projects affecting the health and safety of the children of the county.

“I will abide by that budget . . . I will live within it . . . but I will have to come back and ask for help with capital improvement projects,” Wilson stated.

She added that as director of schools, she was “the voice of the children,” and assured them that any time she comes before them asking for money “it’s legitimate.”

Speaking for the Budget Committee, Chairman Watson stated that “nobody was happy with everything,” but he and his fellow committee members had tried to “put together a package we felt like funded the needs and satisfied the majority of people.”

Watson went on to say that he realized there were some concerns about dipping into the fund balance, but added there was a “clear consensus . . . that nobody wanted to raise property taxes.”

Fifth District Commissioner Paul Strunk was among those who had reservations about utilizing reserve funds to balance the budget, particularly when the savings were being used to fund “recurring expenses” like pay raises.

Once the tax rate and budget resolutions had been adopted, County Trustee Jimmy Byrd thanked the Commission for its efforts in getting its budget work completed in time to get the tax statements printed and mailed out by the first Monday in October.

In other business Monday night, the Commission:

• Voted to accept a $12,658 grant from the Department of Justice for the Scott County Sheriff’s Department — money which requires no local match and will be used in the purchase of equipment for the department’s Tactical Response Unit, or “SWAT” team;

• Voted to renew a contract with General Sessions Court for the Scott County Probation Program with the maximum liability to the county of $25,000 for FY 2007-2008;

• Approved the recommendation of County Mayor Rick Keeton to reappoint Veterans Service Officer Ron C. Keeton to a new two-year term;

• Voted to appoint Jimmy Byrd to the unexpired term of Jared Carson on the Scott County Parks and Recreation Board; and,

• Approved changing the holiday schedule calendar to eliminate the scheduled October 8 Columbus Day holiday, and allow county employees to be off on Wednesday, December 26 instead.