A decision on public employee raises may determine whether or not nonprofits receive a funding increase from the county in 2015. Kosciusko County Council is reviewing this week a $33.2 million proposed budget for next year, an increase of nearly $2 million from this year but still short of actual expenditures in 2013. Increases in many funds, such as $165,000 for highway department trucks not included in the current budget, are largely offset by winding down payments on the justice building – a savings of $942,000. Council voted Tuesday to consider including an increase in funding for not-for-profit organizations only if they also approve a pay increase for county employees during another meeting today. Ron Truex told council that he and the other commissioners weighed either keeping the nonprofit funding level or tying it to public employee pay.
