The Mount Vernon City Council has approved its fiscal year 2026 budget during a meeting held on June 23, projecting $12 million in revenue for its General Fund.
"Just so people understand and the public. This is the actual budget," said Council President Bruce Hawkins, according to a meeting video. "We talked about the budget in January and February. That's not the budget. That's appropriations. This is the official budget that goes to the county auditor so that they can release the funds that we're supposed to be receiving."
Mount Vernon Auditor Daniel Brinkman said that the 2026 estimates do not affect what was estimated for 2025. The city is submitting to Knox County what it anticipates for its revenue in 2026, which Brinkman emphasized as important because it helps the county determine what revenue the city might receive from them in the coming year.
According to the meeting's agenda packet, Mount Vernon based its revenue figures on collections made so far this year. Property taxes were estimated at $1.03 million, while the Local Government Fund—comprising general tax collections from the state—is projected at $268,129. Other revenues, potentially including grants and fees collected, were estimated to contribute $12.05 million.
The agenda packet also indicated that Mount Vernon's beginning cash balance is projected at $2.16 million. With expenditures set at $13.07 million, this would reduce the cash balance by fiscal year's end to an estimated $1.14 million. The city will need to account for approximately $758,878 in year-end encumbrances.
