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Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Skyrocketing property taxes continue to be a central issue for home and business owners across Tennessee, including in Nashville where a local businessman had to sell one property just to be able to afford to pay the nearly 100% property tax increase on the other.
At the end of September, Christian Paro, owner of coworking and office space Center 615 on Main Street, sold off another building he owned which houses popular Asian street food restaurant Hawkers to afford the $150,000 tax bill on the Center 615 building.
“It’s about $150,000, and then last year it was $80,000, $86,00,” he said of his 2026 valuation, a significant increase which was not in the budget for his main business.
“In the ’21-22 assessment cycle, it was a 90% increase. And then I thought that would never happen again. And then in ’25-’26, it was a 94% increase,” he noted.
Paro is also the founder of the Property Tax Coalition, a group of over 400 home and business owners “fighting for tax accountability and transparency” that was formed after hundreds of residents saw their tax bills soar over the past couple years.
Many of the coalition’s members have appealed to the Property Assessor’s office for reassessments, with some finding a bit of success in getting a lower tax bill approved, but others, like Paro, cannot say the same.
“I took a closer look at my bills, and also how my raising the red flag that there’s a problem here for the city with the mayor and the assessor,” Paro said. “And it was falling on deaf ears, and then I lost my appeal. They actually tried to make my valuation higher on this building. During my appeal, I had, like an affordability crisis looming. I wasn’t able to pay my tax bill.”
This forced him to make some difficult decisions, ultimately leading Paro to sell the second property to help him pay off the main tax bill.
“A big chunk of it will pay for this and set aside funds for next year, which will be here before you know it, like February 27, the next tax bill is due. Because of this debacle, I haven’t been able to set any funds aside. So there’s really not much coming to me, I guess, so I’m planning for next year for the worst, paying off what’s late for this year and giving my staff a raise,” Paro elaborated.
And while the mayor’s office has maintained they do not have control over property valuations as they are created through the assessor’s office, the Metro Council is set to vote upon the mayor’s small business incentives package, which Mayor O’Connell has proposed as a way to possibly help some legacy businesses that have been around for at least 10 years.
However, some local owners have stated that many small businesses, if they even meet the legacy benchmark, will still not be able to afford the upfront capital necessary to participate in the program.
One third-generation owner, Manuel Delgado of Delgado Guitars, is an example, as his family’s 98-year-old business meets the legacy requirements, but doesn’t qualify for the incentives because they can’t afford the costs.
“When in your own backyard, the very neighborhood that is supposed to be artist friendly, we’re the ones that made this a desirable city to come to, and now, with property tax increases, our landlord, who is amazing, I love him. His family is amazing. Without him, we wouldn’t be here, honestly. But his taxes go up, and I don’t expect my rent to stay the same. Of course, that should go up as well. So, all of that gets trickled down, and that eventually gets trickled down to the cost of what we’re doing here, trying to help our artists. We have to raise our prices,” Delgado said.
“I pray [my enemies will] open a small business because it’s really hard being a small business owner. It makes it really really difficult to see a future in Nashville right now, which really breaks my heart because we love it here,” he added.
The Tennessee legislature will likely address property taxes when it reconvenes in January or possibly before as House Speaker Cameron Sexton has tossed around the potential for a special session in the Fall amid continued pressure from constituents across the state.
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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.
2 Responses
TN is taxing its small businesses and property owners into bankruptcy and worse, while offering tax breaks to large businesses coming into the state from BLUE STATES. What is wrong with this picture. TN mayors and counties have got to stop this domestic terrorism. If these jurisdiction cannot manage the money they received, reshape the seats of those who sit in them. The people need to stand and the courts need real judges, not the good ‘ol boys who seem to hand down unethical and unlawful rulings while conspiring with counsel behind closed doors….
ROBBERY!!