Nashville property owners may be carrying lighter wallets soon as some members of the council want to raise property tax rates by 50 cents.
Councilman Bob Mendes has proposed the tax hike as a way to pay for government employee cost-of-living raises and for schools and make up a budget shortfall, NewsChannel 5 reports. He wants the bill to come forward next week and pass before the Memorial Day weekend.
Councilwoman Sharon Hurt and Councilman Bill Pridemore have backed Mendes’ plan, The Tennessean reports. The plan would raise the combined property tax rate in the Urban Services District from $3.155 to $3.655 per $100 of assessed value, a 15.9-percent hike, and the General Services rate by 49 cents from $2.755 to $3.245. A home appraised at $250,000 in the Urban Services District would pay about $319 more per year in property taxes.
Mendes’ justification is that last year Metro lowered the rate to a low of $3.15 following a reassessment, NewsChannel 5 said, and added Nashvillians would want to honor the city’s obligations. The council has made budget mistakes that have lead to the problem and will study across-the-board budget cuts next year.
The budget must be approved before July 1.
Mayor David Briley, who is one of 13 candidates running in the May 24 election to finish former Mayor Megan Barry’s term, has spoken against the tax increase, The Tennessean said. At-large Councilmember Erica Gilmore, one of his opponents, supports a tax hike.
Conservative mayoral candidate Carol Swain tweeted about Briley, “Please ask where he stands on the proposed property tax increase, & will he veto it?” She also tweeted, “Our city council thinks that raising property taxes instead of exercising fiscal responsibility is the correct course of action. What do you think? Elect Carol Swain so we can stop our tax and spend politicians.”
Everyone will be punished for voting against Transit. Your insolence will not be tolerated.
My evil plan is working
Mendes wanted to make us a sanctuary city also. Progressives have this city broke and now they want us to pay for their no leadership government. Nashville could rapidly lose its title of the “It City”. These government leaders that have gotten us here need to go, it’s time for a big change
Shouldn’t CITIZENS vote on this and NOT the Council. Citizens should also get to vote on abolishing emissions testing. ( the State just abolished it but our Council wants to keep it)
Progressives never have enough money. There’s always a reason to go into more debt. They also don’t believe in taking responsibility for bad choices. That’s why they’re the bad choice for our votes!
Briley says he’s against it ONLY because he is running for Mayor! He and most of the Council are the reason that during the best of times Nashville is one step away from being bankrupt! Any slow down in the economy will bring Nashville to the same place as Detroit.Think about it, record revenues for the last several years, and Nashville is broke. Where’s the problem?