Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs is keeping tight reins on the fiscal horses, presenting a $1.1 billion budget for the upcoming year that spares residents from a tax hike while nudging up salaries for educators and county staff, as reported by WATE and Knox News.

In the dollars-and-cents breakdown, there's $87 million allocated for public works to keep the county's infrastructure from buckling under its growing population, these projects align with Jacobs' Advance Knox growth plan, a strategic move Jacobs detailed to manage the ever-growing county over a 20-year horizon which cost $1.2 million to develop, according to Knox News, the education sector is particularly enthused with Knox County Schools landing a hefty $683.7 million, that whopping figure up $23 million from last year, earmarked mainly for boosting teacher pay to make sure educators get their due.

Jacobs' fiscal blueprint also envisions a modest 2% raise for county employees as they navigate the shoals of inflation, a smaller jump than last year's 5% raise for general employees, reported by WBIR, and sheriff's office employees who previously enjoyed a substantial salary boost are set for the scheduled cost of living raises starting January 1.

From the looks of it, the county's purse strings are getting tighter, with this year's budget reflecting a modest increase of $32 million, or about 3%, a stark contrast from last year's approximately 9.5% leap; Chris Caldwell, Knox County finance chief, relayed to WBIR that tax and sales revenue streams have plateaued, a hard truth setting the stage for a budget that while these constraints do not signal despair they call for a thriftier approach to governance.

Before the buck stops at the desks of the Knox County Commission, due for final approval by June 30, commissioners are set to plunge into budget hearings on May 13 and 20, as documented by Knox News, community members are keeping an eye on key budget appendages, such as nearly $80 million for a new Farragut school and an $870,000 chit for a Hardin Valley community center among the capital investments aiming to keep pace with the county's growth spurt.