Although it’s July, the Miami County commissioners last week had an eye on 2017 with public hearings on the proposed county tax budget and the Troy-Miami County Public Library budget.

The county’s proposed budget at this point is based on budget requests submitted by elected officials and department heads. Those requests have not been reviewed but show around a 1 percent increase over the past year’s budget, Commissioner John “Bud” O’Brien said.

Later in the year, the commissioners will meet with department leaders to review updated budgets requests. The tax budgets, which are required in July by state law, are planning documents, the commissioners said during the public hearing July 7.

The commissioners are expected to vote this week on the tax budgets.

County Auditor Matt Gearhardt said the tax budgets are the first of two steps in the budgeting process.

At this point, revenue projections for next year are up 0.5 percent, Gearhardt said, adding the estimate is conservative based on 2015 final figures and what has been seen during the first half of this year.

Overall budget requests for 2017 for all county funds totaled $91,266,378.74. The general fund requests totaled $30,848,696.68.

The commissioners discussed the library’s budget with director Rachelle Miller and fiscal officer Teri Curtis.

Curtis said the library this year is purchasing a new bookmobile for more than $150,000 and will be taking bids on renovations to the front portion of the building including a family-style restroom.

Miller explained that, although a new bookmobile was purchased four years ago, a new one is on order after the current vehicle was parked due to recurrent mechanical problems. The previous bookmobile lasted for 15 years, she said, adding, discussions are being held with the library legal counsel about possible legal action

For 2017, no larger projects are yet in the pipeline, Curtis said. The library tries to include around $200,000 in each year’s budget for capital projects, she said.

The library’s total annual budget is around $2 million.

In other business last week, the commissioners approved the request by Tipp City’s Repacorp for 75 percent tax abatement for 10 years for an expansion project. The company has pledged hiring 40 new employees during the next three years.

The Tipp City schools board of education and the Tipp City Council approved the abatement previously.

The abatement would be on taxes for the $1.8 million to $2.1 million-construction investment for a 40,500-square -foot warehouse/manufacturing facility and modifications to the existing storm water detention system. The project also will include another $9.5 million to $11.5 million in machinery and equipment plus furniture, fixtures and inventory.

As part of the enterprise zone request, Repacorp has agreed to make the school district and the Miami Valley Career Technology Center “whole” for taxes abated by making payments to the schools.