KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Community groups gathered in North Knoxville on Wednesday to discuss the proposed budget for the city, and to discuss priorities it should address.
The event was named the "People's State of the City" and community groups like Allies of Knoxville's Immigrant Neighbors, Community Defense of East Tennessee and Knoxville Water and Energy for All hosted it, along with several others. During the event, speakers discussed the issues they worked on and answered questions from attendees.
"One of the challenges with a process like this is the general Knoxville community member has no idea that the budget process is even happening right now," said Brady Watson, a community organizer. "There's not a whole lot of time for public input ... I would say we have concerns about the public engagement process."
Knoxville City Council decided to give council members and the community more time to review the budget this year before passing it on second reading and putting it in effect. They already passed it on the first reading during the last city council meeting.
Now, community members and council members have until May 30 to review it before the council meets again to formally pass it.
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon unveiled a $559.5 million proposed budget. It did not include a tax increase. However, it did include $9.3 million for roadways and repairs, including $1.8 million for sidewalks, curb cuts and repairs. The budget also includes $4.2 million for the "Transforming Western" project that seeks to effectively redo the Western Heights neighborhood.
"The budget impacts every citizen of Knoxville," said Watson. "In our view, the public should be guiding our budgeting process and figuring out how to spend the money."
It also includes $3.5 million for infrastructure improvements around the site of the Knoxville baseball stadium near the Old City. The city had already committed $14 million for such work. Around $805,000 would go to arts and culture nonprofits.
"Really, we wanted to organize a community event where folks could express their concerns, their hopes, their frustrations if they have them, about the city," said Brady Watson, a community organizer. "And lay out a people's, or a community, vision for the future of our city."
The groups asked for three additions to the budget. First, they asked to have the Office of Community Empowerment and the Office of Community Safety separated into two groups. Second, they asked for an alternative response team for when Knoxville Police Department officers respond to mental health-related calls. Third, they asked for more money to address a lack of housing that people can afford in the city.
"We have a housing crisis in the city, and again we applaud the city for investments they have made in affordable housing and permanent supportive housing, but it's not enough," he said. "More units that are affordable and not just high-end, luxury condos."
The city council will vote on the second reading of the budget on May 30.