Image Credit: Town of Jonesborough, TN – Municipal Government / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
On Monday night, the Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) approved a budget that includes a 28% property tax hike, taking the rate from 96.6 cents to $1.24 per $100 of assessed value.
Newly appointed Mayor Kelly Wolfe stated the raise would generate needed income for the city to perform multiple improvements including new equipment and vehicles for first responders and paving sidewalks.
“We’ve put this decision off for several years, trying to budget improvements…all of those improvements really came down at the same time,” Wolfe said. But some community members are not thrilled with the increase.
One constituent spoke against the proposal during public comment, claiming the city has started catering too much to tourists and new residents instead of stewarding the already existing community.
“We have become essentially, we are a venue,” he said. “We spend too much effort, too much money taking care of tourists and newcomers.”
Others expressed concerns that the costs of projects will only increase if action is not taken now.
“I’ve always seen the importance of what I would refer to as strategic investments,” said one Alderman.
The proposal also included a $1 increase to water and sewer rates to help fund a new water plant. Mayor Wolfe advocated for this additional increase due to the water obligations for surrounding areas.
“We’ve got a big responsibility as a little town,” Wolfe said. “We provide water for a good portion of Washington County. Our plant was built in the 1970s. It’s desperately time for that to be improved and upgraded.”
Only one BMA member voted against the proposal, Alderman Virgina Causey, making the final vote 4-1. The rate increase is anticipated to generate an additional $800,000 in additional revenue.
Several cities across the state have either raised rates or proposed property tax increases in their budget proposals for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Clarksville’s city council passed their budget to include a 4-cent raise, down from the 15 cents originally proposed by the mayor.
Mt. Juliet’s commission voted to increase property taxes from 11 cents per $100 of assessed value to 29 cents, more than doubling the current rate. The first reading of the budget proposed to nearly quadruple the rate, setting it at 59 cents, but the approved budget eventually lowered the rate to the 29 cents after several readings and additional budget cuts.
Two cities in Williamson County will also see significant hikes. The city of Franklin initially proposed a 41% increase for Fiscal Year 26, taking the rate from $0.2271 per $100 of assessed value to $0.32, but the city’s approved budget shows a slightly lesser increase to $0.296 instead.
Nolensville’s 5 cent increase went into effect July 1, taking the rate from 29 cents to 34 cents per $100 of assessed value, though that is lower than the initially proposed 55 cents, which would have been an almost 90% increase.
And while Nashville’s adopted budget for this year technically lowered the rate from $3.254 to $2.814, city residents protested earlier this year as property values have skyrocketed, with a median increase of 45% causing residents to ultimately pay more in taxes.
Tennesseans remain disgruntled with the state’s current property tax system, with a poll from last year indicating that majority of voters wish to see some form of a statewide property tax increase cap.
Legislation on the matter was presented in this year’s legislative session but only one two pieces made it to the Senate floor for a final vote and neither ever reached the full House for consideration.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
