Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight presented his annual budget address Friday morning, and it comes with cost of living increases and a reduction in spending across the board.
It was a full house at the Hopkinsville City Council Chambers, as the public filtered in to hear what the mayor was proposing for the fiscal year 2026-2027 spending plan. That proposed budget carries a price tag of $53.3 million, which shows a 6.29 percent decrease when compared to last year’s budget, which was $56 million.
Mayor Knight is also recommending no new taxes or tax increases, and he calls this a conservative budget as some revenues have been down recently.
In this budget, payroll tax revenue reflects a reduction of four percent from the prior year, and the Insurance Premium Tax revenue shows a two percent decrease from the prior year. It also shows a reduction in the Next Profit Tax rate from 1.50 percent to 1.30 percent.
Mayor Knight is however, proposing a three percent cost of living adjustment raise for city employees, saying they must take care of the employees that help Hopkinsville thrive.
He says economic uncertainties are evident in his proposal, as agencies across the board are looking at a three percent reduction in spending, but he says that doesn’t mean they’re not committed to public safety, city cleanliness or economic development.
Among his recommendations for council to consider—as Hopkinsville City Council must approve this budget before it can come into effect—is adding a Code Enforcement Officer and add an Opioid Officer, which would be half funded by the Opioid Litigation Fund. Seven School Resource Officers are also set to transition to the Christian County Public School System Police Department, and they will no longer be with the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Easily the biggest expense the City pays is in payroll, which makes up 61 percent of the budget, while operational expenses takes up 12.34 percent and agencies claim nearly seven percent of expenses. Meanwhile, on the revenue side of the pie, payroll withholdings bring in 41 percent of the City’s project revenues, with property taxes bringing in 12 percent of revenues and the insurance premium tax making up nearly 14 percent of revenues.
There are many other factors that go into revenue and expenses, but with tax payer dollars making up the majority of the percentages, Mayor Knight says his administration and the City Council are acutely aware that they must be responsible and conservative with the tax payer’s money.