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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Disgruntled Nashvillians plan to protest a potential property tax increase for Davidson County in the wake of news that property values across Nashville are up by 45 percent on average.
On May 1st at 10 a.m., the same day and time that Mayor Freddie O’Connell is scheduled for his State of the City address, several groups including Americans for Prosperity, the Nashville GOP, and the Nashville Tea Party plan to meet outside the Nashville Public Library.
Pointing to the lack of a cap on annual property tax increases in the state, these organizations want city leadership to look at cutting unproductive programs instead of raising taxes on homeowners.
Just a few years ago in 2020, the Metro Council raised property taxes for Davidson County homeowners a historic 34 percent. A citizens group at the time delivered more than 20,000 petition signatures for a referendum to call a special election for residents of Davidson County to weigh in on the tax hike.
The proposed Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act would have repealed the 34 percent increase and limited future property tax increases to 2 percent a year. After a lawsuit was filed by 4 Good Government against the Davidson County Election Commission, Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the group’s charter amendment could not be placed on a special election ballot.
Now property owners are looking at an even higher tax increase, with some neighborhoods like Bellevue, Forest Hills, and Green Hills facing values that have increased over 50 percent.
The median value for a house in the Nashville area was $325,000 four years ago, but is now up to around $474,000.
While O’Connell has said that he wants to keep tax rates low, he has cited the potential loss of federal funding and its effect on the city’s budget as a factor in any potential rise in property tax which will be set this summer and then approved as part of the budget for Nashville by June 30th.
Property owners who disagree with the new value of their homes can appeal by requesting an informal review through the assessor’s office. The deadline is May 9th at 4 p.m. Start the appeals process either by calling 615-862-6059 or online at the Assessor of Property’s website.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
