Loudon County Commission Pushes Through Property Tax Increase With Minimal Public Discussion

Image Credit: Loudon County, TN Meetings / YouTube & Canva

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

The Loudon County Commission approved a property tax increase on Monday with plans to use the additional revenue for new school projects.

Earlier this month, Loudon County Schools Director Mike Garren requested an additional $111 million in funding to build a “north end school”, add 10 classrooms to Philadelphia Elementary, and upgrade Greenback School.

A motion was made during the Commission’s meeting to postpone a decision on the tax increase so that an independent study could be done to determine whether the projects were feasible. That motion failed, so the increase went forward for a vote.

In a 6-4 vote, commissioners approved an increase of 25 cents per $100 of assessed property value. This would bring the combined property tax rate to $1.7683 on each $100,000 of taxable property outside of Lenoir City limits.

As noted in previous editorials from resident Susan Gingrich, the county commission acted in a “secretive and sneaky manner” to execute the tax increase. 

According to Gingrich, initial meetings to discuss the increase were done without published agendas and official minutes were not kept. Videos of those meetings were edited to leave out certain portions of the comments. Additionally, “opportunity to comment at commission meetings has also been curtailed…despite laws giving the public the right to be heard.”

Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw attended the meeting. Bradshaw does have the authority to veto the increase, but he has not indicated that he has plans to do so.

Watch the June 24 meeting HERE.