Chattanooga Proposes “Historic” Property Tax Rate Cut

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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

On Friday, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s Office announced the proposal of a “historic reduction” in the city’s property tax rate. 

The finalized version of this proposed property tax cut asks the Chattanooga City Council to adopt a property tax rate of $1.93 per $100 of assessed property value. 

Currently, Chattanooga’s property tax rate sits at $2.25 per $100 of assessed property value. 

In an August 15^th press release, the mayor’s office states that this tax cut would still bring in $44.8 million in tax revenue to put towards protecting community centers, investing in affordable housing and securing more competitive wages for police and firefighters who “answered the call this week following historic rainfall and flood events across Chattanooga.”

“Budget negotiations are difficult and emotional. We need to remember that our common enemy is inflation, which has severely cut into our ability to pay competitive wages for our police and fire first responders, to fund baseline services like road paving, and to be able to supply essential public safety assets like fire and police vehicles or staffing at our fire stations at levels needed to deliver the protection Chattanoogans expect and deserve,” Mayor Kelly said in a statement. 

“At the conclusion of weeks of robust conversation with the City Council, I think we’ve landed at an affordable rate that strikes a fair balance between taxpayers’ pocketbooks and the reality that the cost of doing business is moving in only one direction,” he continued.

This new proposal looks to be the most substantial property tax cut in decades for the City of Chattanooga.

According to the mayor’s office, the average new cost per household under this new tax cut will be $1.10 per day. A lower rate than Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis.  

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.  You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.