Franklin Leaders Propose $145M Spending Plan

FRANKLIN, TN — Franklin residents won't pay more in property taxes next year, but will see a slight increase in garbage fees under the budget proposal announced Tuesday by City Administrator Eric Stuckey. The $145,221,130 proposed fiscal year 2018 budget is a 1.5 percent increase over fiscal 2017. The general fund will grow 1.2 percent to $68,942,027.

Stuckey said the general fund increase is primarily due to increases in personnel expenses and expanded services in the areas of public safety, parks and streets, all of which are significantly impacted by growth. While the budget proposal keeps property taxes flat, it does raise the residential services fee from $16.50 to $17.50 per month, the first increase in the fee in four years.

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“Franklin’s growth and the investment in our community is certainly positive, but it does place significant challenges before us,” Stuckey said, in a statement. “Last year, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen moved decisively to put Invest Franklin in place, which dedicated 10 cents of property tax to growth-related infrastructure/transportation investments and to meet increasing demands for core city services."

Stuckey said the board identified the "first tier" of Improve Franklin projects including:

• McEwen improvements between Cool Springs and Wilson Pike
• Franklin Road improvements between downtown and Harlinsdale
• Completion of the second phase of Hillsboro Road improvements (currently under construction)
• Construction of sidewalks
• Development of a large community park along Carothers South in southeast Franklin
• Construction of Fire Station 7 in southeast Franklin
• The city's share of the development of the county-wide public safety radio system.

The proposed budget will add 8.5 positions, 5.5 of which are in parks, fire, engineering, streets, water management, and stormwater. All of these departments are growth-effected. The budget also includes a 2.5 percent across-the-board pay increase for city employees with another performance-based increase of 2.5 percent also available.

Stuckey said the city's compensation plan will undergo a top-to-bottom review. The analysis recommends a 4 percent adjustment in every pay grade.

The budget also funds $3.9 million for equipment replacement, $230,000 for technology enhancement and $350,000 for facility improvements.

The budget can be reviewed on the city's website.