Tuscaloosa County Approves $146M Budget, 5% Raise For Employees

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa County Commission on Wednesday officially approved its general fund operating budget for the coming fiscal year, totaling $146.8 million.

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The budget for the new fiscal year will include a 5% cost of living raise for all employees.

"Inflation is what inflation is, but that was a very strong cost of living adjustment," Probate Judge Rob Robertson told Patch on Wednesday. "As challenging as budgeting always is, we are just trying to maintain a good labor force and be competitive."

Following the adoption of the FY23 budget, District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker told Patch the new budget represents 36 consecutive years where the county has given pay increases to its employees.

"I think 5% is a pretty good number," Acker said. "We didn't increase our health insurance and still put extra money into the retirement plan, so we're trying to make [the county] as optimal of a work environment as we can."

In terms of big-ticket budget items, the County Commission approved $18 million for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office and $13 million for the Tuscaloosa County Jail, which Robertson said reinforces the county's commitment to investing in public safety.

Acker explained that most of the funding for outside agencies remained flat, including a 20-year bond issuance for Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) that will be paid off around the middle of October.

For instance, one agency that will see increased funding is Arts & Autism.

Acker said the nonprofit recently lost funding from certain Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) grants that were covering fuel costs for its transportation, so now the county will help pick up the slack in the face of year-over-year increases in fuel prices.

OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING FY23

• Community Service Programs of West Alabama: $30,000
• Focus On Senior Citizens: $260,403
• Tuscaloosa's ONE Place: $37,500
• Tuscaloosa Education Foundation: $10,000
• Tuscaloosa Public Library: $1,312,615
• Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority: $3,140,730
• Children's Hands-On Museum: $60,000
• Arts N Autism: $10,000
• Tuscaloosa County Heritage Commission: $1,500
• Kentuck Art Center & Festival: $40,000
• Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre: $15,000
• Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra: $35,000
• Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports $25,000
• West AlabamaWorks!: $25,000

Of all of the funding measures, however, Acker pointed to six new positions that will be added in the License Commissioner's Office over the coming months as having a direct impact on every citizen in the county. The goal will be to combat long lines and wait times at the county's difference tag and license offices across its footprint.

"We're trying to get people in those [offices] and having folks there to do the transactions so [customers] don't have to wait any longer than they have to," Acker said. "When I go in there and I see 10 windows and there's only two clerks and there's 20 people in line, it's frustrating. If there's four or five working and everything is humming along, are there still going to be lines? Sure there are. But that's good customer service for our citizens. The volume has grown, the population has grown, so there are just more transactions."

Robertson said the county has also budgeted to hire additional plumbers and electricians for facility maintenance.

While the county will continue to do business with outside contractors where necessary, the new additions will help with the constant maintenance demands for the county's numerous facilities, including the Tuscaloosa County Jail and the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1

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