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| County property tax increase on the horizon |
By: Mary Jean Hall, Press Staff
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Posted: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 12:00 pm
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Weakley County Commission
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Weakley County property owners could be looking at a tax increase of 13.5-cents to cover a potential two percent salary increase for county employees.
The increase would bring the tax rate from $2.0616 to $2.195 per $100 of assessed land.
After numerous meetings over the past month, the county Finance, Ways and Means Committee cut salaried positions, materials, and services. The FWM Committee recommended a tax increase of 11 cents “to bring our fund balances to an adequate amount and to fund necessary county programs.”
Commissioner and FWM committee chair Roger Stewart explained how the committee came up with the proposed 11-cent increase.
“Taxes haven’t been raised for six years,” said Stewart.
According to Stewart, during that period, improvements have been made in most of the school buildings in the county. There have been necessary repairs made to the courthouse roof and HVAC system, and all county services have been improved with no property tax increase. The fund balances in all funds, but especially the County General and Highway Funds, have become dangerously low, according to administration.
Evidently, while the Debt Service Fund reflected a fund balance in excess of $5.4 million June 30, 2012, $4.2 million of that is reserved to liquidate the debt on the Detention Center (jail). According to the administration, inadequate fund balances cause case flow problems requiring the borrowing of money by issuing revenue anticipation notes.
County property owners faced just under an 11-cent tax increase, until Monday.
The commission added 2.5 cents to the proposed tax increase to cover the salary increase for county employees by two percent. The salary increase would start on Jan. 1, 2013, if passed.
Commissioner Bob Bell asked the commission, “When will you get it next year? Will you increase funds another 2.5 cents next year?”
“This is a reoccurring expense that we’ll have to deal with in the future,” said Stewart.
The 2.5-cent increase came after Commissioner Kevin McAlpin had proposed a 5-cent increase, which failed with a vote of six in favor and 11 opposed.
Commissioner Eric Owen then moved to increase the proposed property tax by 2.5 cents, which passed with 11 in favor and six opposed.
Commissioners John Salmon, Eric Owen, Julia Rich, Roger Stewart, Tommy Jones, Earl Wright, Dale Overton, Jack Vincent, Sam Sinclair, James Westbrook and Kevin McAlpin voted for the 2.5-cent increase, while commissioners Mike Medling, Joe Farmer, Larry Taylor, Scott Fortner, Bob Bell and David Hawks voted against it.
At the end of the meeting, the commission called for a recess to make sure that the proposed 2.5-cent increase would cover all of the salaries and benefits.
They will meet today (Tuesday) at 5:30 p.m. in the county courthouse to finalize the budget for the 2012-2013 year.
The commission passed Resolution No. 2013-06, which congratulated The David Johnson Chorus on the recent recognition and years of goodwill ambassadors for Weakley County. David Johnson and a few members of the chorus attended the meeting.
“We feel very honored and we feel very humbled by you thinking of us with this resolution,” said David Johnson.
Patricia B. Moon of Dresden, Barbara Ann Tuck of Dresden, Melinda P. Goode of Dresden, and Julie Brenda Jones of Martin were elected to the Office of Notary Public for Weakley County.
The commission passed Resolution 2013-03, which makes appropriations to non-profit charitable organizations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, and ending June 30, 2013. Five thousand dollars was appropriated to each of the fire departments within Weakley County – Como/Ore Springs, Palmersville, Sidonia, Pillowville, and Latham.
Money was also appropriated to the following non-profit charitable organizations: $5,500 to the Weakley County Rescue Squad; $2,500 to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse; $51,993 to the Weakley County Libraries; $22,000 to the Weakley County Chamber of Commerce; $3,354 to the Northwest Tennessee Development District; $4,270 to the Northwest Tennessee Human Resource; $96,800 to the Joint Economic and Community Development Board; $6,000 to the Dolly Parton Reading Railroad.
The commission also passed Resolution 2013-04, which authorized an increase in the jailer’s fee of Weakley County from $35 to $37. Resolution 2013-05 passed, which authorizes the sale of real estate purchased by the county a tax sale. This would apply for five specific pieces of property.
The next regular meeting of the county commission is set for Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
WCP 7.31.12
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