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Knoxville mayor’s budget includes big raises for police, new World’s Fair Park theater roof

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Knoxville mayor’s budget includes big raises for police, new World’s Fair Park theater roof

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Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed budget holds the property tax rate steady while significantly increasing pay for police and carving out money for a new roof on the aging World’s Fair Park amphitheater.

Increased revenues in the city mean she’s working with more money this year. The requested budget totals $461.6 million, an increase of about $28 million.

“Knoxville is on a roll,” she said at a State of The City address about the 2024-2025 budget April 26 at World’s Fair Park. “And this budget reflects our commitment to completion.”

Now in the first year of her second term, she touted job additions, forestry planning successes and changes to make the city’s vehicle fleet more environmentally friendly.

Knoxville Police Department officers could get the raise they requested

When Kincannon’s office kicked off its budget preparation work in early March, Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel was quick to request a raise for officers to keep them from leaving for better-paying jobs with neighboring agencies and to mitigate the number of retirements over the next few years.

Under Kincannon’s proposed budget, officers’ annual starting pay would increase to $56,000. Right now, they make $46,424.

The investment totals to over $3.9 million and is accompanied by other police salary increases, and incentive pay increase for Knoxville Fire Department Advanced EMTs and paramedics. The stipends for Advanced EMTs will increase by $1,500 to $3,750 a year, and stipends for paramedics will increase by $2,750 to $8,000 a year.

Affordable housing

Kincannon proposed $8 million towards affordable housing, a $500,000 increase from last year’s proposal. Knoxville’s rental and housing crisis continues with prices remaining stubbornly high because of low supply.

Projects receiving city money include:

  • The Transforming Western redevelopment project, a project headed by Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation that will add 740 low- and mixed-income housing units to the neighborhood northwest of downtown by 2028.
  • The Affordable Rental Development Fund, which is used to incentivize developers building affordable rental housing. Assisted properties are all around the city. Some examples are Restoration House, Callahan Flats, Inskip Flats and Caswell Manor.
  • Permanent supportive housing, which is assistance and supportive services for residents with disabilities that would otherwise prevent them from achieving housing stability.

In addition to the $8 million in city taxpayer dollars, $950,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds are being transferred to the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Department to support property acquisition for more affordable housing.

Lonsdale park development and Tennessee Amphitheatre improvements

Kincannon is proposing roughly $7 million for improvements to parks and recreational facilities, including at Lakeshore Park, Williams Creek Golf Course and World’s Fair Park.

After 42 years of cleaning and repair, Kincannon wants to buy a new canopy for the amphitheater and her budget includes design funds to do so.

“We will make sure this unique architectural gem can remain safe, functional, and a point of pride for the next generation,” she said.

Lonsdale Park received $1 million last fiscal year. The community park is planned for the site of the old vacant Sam E. Hill School. Part of the iconic school will be preserved, while the 150,000-square-foot site is designated for sports, children’s play and open space for events. 

New Burlington fire station

Kincannon announced in December plans for a new Fire Station 6 in Burlington and received approval for land purchase from Knoxville City Council shortly after.

Now, she’s asking for $3 million to begin construction on the station.

The existing 87-year-old station was briefly vacated and required extensive repairs last year. A new station, located just a block away, will be energy efficient, more spacious, and able to accommodate modern firefighting and rescue equipment.

Kincannon laid the foundation for revitalizing Knoxville’s east side before her December inauguration.

Money for community programs

Kincannon also earmarked funds for community programs around the city, totaling over $7 million.

  • Over $2.7 million is proposed for grants and service contracts for public safety organizations, including Turn Up Knox and the Young-Williams Animal Center.
  • Almost $2.4 million is committed to a new rhino habitat exhibit and ravine floating boardwalk at Zoo Knoxville.
  • $648,500 in grants is proposed for dozens of arts and culture organizations.
  • $1.5 million are funding nonprofit partners such as the McNabb Center, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Girl Talk and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
  • $310,000 is earmarked in opioid remediation funds thanks to class-action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.

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