BELLEFONTE — Centre County commissioners on Tuesday gave tentative approval to an amended 2012 budget that includes a $2 million increase for a planned 911 improvement project.

The board unanimously approved the tentative $82 million spending plan with a $7.6 million fund balance.

The budget was originally approved in December, but the board, with two new members, reopened the spending plan after it was seated in January.

The $2 million for the 911 project is the biggest change. That money will come from the fund balance — essentially the county’s reserves. Under the budget approved in December, the fund balance was $9.6 million.

Under the tentative amended plan, taxes would remain unchanged at 7.84 mills. For the owner of a home assessed at the average value of $57,124, that means a $448 county tax bill.

County Finance Director Denise Elbell said the county is taking the $2 million out of reserves to help get the 911 project up and running.

“The $2 million will cover some of the initial front-end costs that we’re looking to incur,” she said.

Beyond the $2 million for the 911 project, expenditures increased about $80,000, Elbell said. The majority of that, she said, was the result of updated salary and benefits numbers.

The county also increased the amount budgeted for court costs from $10,000 to $35,000 in anticipation of several major trials, including the Jerry Sandusky trial, Elbell said.

She said there were also small increases in projected revenue, due largely to grants received by the county.

Matt Carroll can be reached at 231-4631.