Knoxville City Manager Aaron Adams says the city budget remains mostly unchanged year to year as the operating budgets of city departments that make up the bulk of city spending require few adjustments over time.

As the 2017-18 budget process continues the parts of the budget that fluctuate are project costs and staff changes. Cuts to city staff, like the elimination of the assistant city manager position have helped balance this year’s budget. Adams says department heads have what they need to accomplish their goals for the next year and the city council has established its priorities with the spending on continuing street repairs, a sewer replacement project and a commitment to aggressively paying down debt accrued as a result of past construction.