KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon laid out her plans for the new budget on Friday during the annual State of City address.
The mayor is proposing a $461.6 million net budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which is up from the $433 million net budget she proposed last year. The new budget does not include any new property tax increases.
The mayor held her address at the Tennessee Amphitheater in World's Fair Park on Friday. She said the location was chosen for two reasons: to show off work happening on a new welcome center next to the Sunsphere, and to announce a line in her budget that would pay for a visible change immediately above her.
The mayor proposed $7 million in the budget for parks and rec improvements, which would include money to design a new canopy for the amphitheater.
“We’ve cleaned and repaired this structure for 42 years, but the time has come for a new roof,” Mayor Kincannon said. “This budget includes design funds for a new roof structure. We will make sure this unique architectural gem can remain safe, functional, and a point of pride for the next generation.”
The money would also pay for improvements to Lakeshore Park and Williams Creek Golf Course, and funding has also been set aside to continue work on a new Lonsdale park.
Also included in the budget: $3.9 million in pay increases for Knoxville Police Department officers. The money would increase the starting pay for new officers to $56,000 and boost pay for experienced officers to "keep their salaries and benefits competitive with law-enforcement agencies that currently pay better than KPD."
“I am very appreciative of Mayor Kincannon for championing an unprecedented and much-needed raise for our officers,” KPD Chief Paul Noel said. “I am incredibly grateful for her unfailing commitment to the safety of our community and investment in our officers and organization. We look forward to the coming conversations with the members of City Council, who have also been nothing but supportive of our department.”
The mayor also proposed increasing incentives for paramedics and advanced EMTs in the Knoxville Fire Department.
"The stipends for Advanced EMTs will increase by $1,500 to $3,750 a year; stipends for paramedics will increase by $2,750 to $8,000 a year," she said.
There's funding in the budget to bring in new firefighter recruits and to pay for a 2.5% salary raise for all general government employees, as well as step-level raises for city first responders.
The city wants to commit roughly $3 million in this fiscal year's budget to build a new fire station in East Knoxville's Burlington community. The city said it will commit another $4 million for the station in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The mayor's budget also included $8 million for affordable housing in the city, $2.4 million to support the creation of a new rhino habitat and floating boardwalk at Zoo Knoxville, $2.7 in public safety grants, and $11.7 million for road and bridge improvements. The city said $4.2 million in funding would go to the "Transforming Western" redevelopment project in the Western Heights community.
The city said it would post the full budget to this link soon.
Knoxville City Council is scheduled to take up the first reading of the budget on April 30. After the first reading, a public hearing will be held on May 16 and the final vote will happen on May 28.
