Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight presented his annual budget address Friday morning, where he focused on his ongoing promise to ‘grow home’ while not proposing new taxes.
The mayor’s proposed $56.9 million for fiscal year 2025-2026 represents an 11.22 percent increase in the budget when compared to fiscal year 2024-2025, but it does not include an increase to the tax rate, which Mayor Knight says was very important to him.
It does have payroll tax revenue budgeted at two percent growth, along with the same for the insurance premium tax—that, along with a pension decrease for both hazardous and non-hazardous employees is what will allow for no tax increase.
Mayor Knight says he’s proposing a three percent salary increase for all city employees, along with the City absorbing the increase to health insurance costs, resulting in no cost to employees.
There will be some new positions added to the City staff, including a Payroll Coordinator, a Director of Technology, a Fire Training Officer and 12 additional fire department personnel, along with a Recreation Program Coordinator for youth and senior programs at the Sportsplex.
The mayor says this budget would also have increased funding for the demolition of abandoned structures, an investment of $583,000 in the Municipal Road Aid Fund and expand work on sidewalks, street repairs and signage and snow response.
Along with that investment, the budget would introduce the “Hoptown Helps” initiative, a new grant program supporting local nonprofits, completion of Fire Station Five, launch of a small business conference and more. The mayor says it’s all part of their commitment to “Growing Home”.
The mayor was excited to announce that this budget will include the final payment on the bond for Bluegrass Splash—the City has been paying that bond for the last 20 years.
You can view the entirety of the Mayor’s Address on the City of Hopkinsville YouTube page.