Tennessee House Speaker Requests Investigation Into Staggering Davidson County Property Valuations

Image Credit: @CSexton25 / X

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton has requested an investigation into the most recent property valuations in Davidson County after hearing reports of massive increases that residents may be unable to afford.

As the region continues to attract more development, property valuations in nearly all Middle Tennessee counties have increased, but Davidson appears to have risen to absurd levels as some properties saw a jump of more than 300%. 

The 2025 reappraisal resulted in a 45 percent median in increase in property values across the country according to Assessor Vivian Wilhoite, and while state law mandates counties remain revenue-neutral after a reappraisal, local councils can vote to raise tax rates as the Metro Council did this year despite consistent public pushback. 

After the reappraisals, many homeowners in the county tried to fight the steep increases in the home values, and subsequent higher tax bills, through an appeal but of more than 19,000 informal review requests only 6,400 resulted in a change, or roughly 34%.

Median home values have skyrocketed in the Nashville area, rising from approximately $325,000 four years ago to $474,000 now. Some neighborhoods like Bellevue, Forest Hills, and Green Hills are facing values which have increased over 50 percent. 

Local businesses are not immune to the steep increases, and many are concerned they will be unable to afford continued operations. The owner of barbecue restaurant Peg Leg Porker relayed that his property taxes have shot up significantly since buying his building in the Gulch. In 2017, the small, family-run restaurant’s tax bill was less than $10,000. This year’s bill is $86,000, an 800% increase.

In response to hearing many such reports, Speaker Sexton asserted that he has requested an investigation into the matter. “The Speaker has asked the Comptroller’s Office to review the situation, as the only current recourse owners have, filing and appeal, faces a two-year backlog before being addressed,” read a statement from Sexton’s office.

Sexton also expressed concerns that besides residents being unable to pay the increased tax, businesses may choose to leave to avoid the inflated figures.

“Massive valuation increases like these threaten to shutter businesses,” Sexton elaborated. “Action must be taken quickly to provide relief before it’s too late.”

The Speaker’s announcement comes just a couple of weeks after Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower released a report claiming glaring mistakes were made in how properties were evaluated in Rutherford County, causing residents to pay more than they should.

In addition to issues with how the Rutherford County Assessor’s Office was measuring the square feet of lane, the comptroller’s office also said that several properties were not on the tax roll and that staff were improperly trained.

“Based on the work we have performed, there is not one property-owning taxpayer in Rutherford County that should have any degree of confidence in their property assessment,” Mumpower said.

Mumpower is urging Rutherford County residents to check their property values from the last appraisal year and recommended the county commission order an independent review of every parcel in the county.

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.