Batesville aldermen were scheduled to meet Tuesday after press deadline for another work session in their attempt to compile an operating budget for the coming fiscal year that provides funding for ongoing city operations and leaves room for capital improvements and cost of living raises, all without raising the rate of taxation.

So far they’ve only managed to confirm a tried and true adage – namely, that you can’t have it both ways.

Privately, some aldermen have steadfastly maintained they will not vote for a tax increase, at the same time they have promised city employees a pay increase. Unfortunately, that scenario is very unlikely, according to City Clerk Susan Berryhill, who is tasked with plugging in expected revenue and expense figures and presenting those to the board for adjustments and approval.

“All I can do is write down what they tell me, and then let them make the decisions,” Berryhill said. “Everything about the new budget is still temporary and they can decide to change any item they want. It’s been a struggle for them this year because there is so much they want to do, but only so much to work with.”

Although the budget is technically in progress until next Tuesday’s budget hearing, a great majority of the expenses have been informally agreed upon – or cut – from the lists the department heads submitted early in the process.

Berryhill said aldermen have already, in previous meetings, told several department heads they will have to put off new vehicles and some equipment this year. An across-the-board three percent cost of living increase citywide was still on the table as of Wednesday.

The clerk said she “can’t see a way” taxes won’t be increased some, though, if aldermen are steadfast about the raises. A three percent raise for all employees would cost the city about $500,000 after taxes and benefits are paid. 

PEERS, the state retirement system, requires employers to contribute about 17 percent of an employee’s pay to retirement currently, and that figure is scheduled to rise each year until 2028 when companies and municipalities will be burdened with a 28 percent contribution.

Besides the pay increases for city employees (including the mayor and aldermen), other new expenses will go (tentatively) for repaving of the basketball court at Patton Lane Park, new weather warning sirens for the fire department, ball field leveling at Trussell Park, a new tractor and mower extension for the street department, Civic Center acoustic upgrades ($300,000), and renovations to the animal shelter ($75,000).

Aldermen have reportedly already capped this year’s support of several organizations at the same level of funding provided last year with no increase. Some of those include: The Grace Place ($6,000), Batesville Public Library ($235,200), Panola Partnership ($200,000), Main Street Program ($25,000), Up in Smoke Festival ($30,000), and Civil Defense ($40,000).

Police and fire protection costs taxpayers roughly $9 million and $4 million, respectively.