News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Dekalb County Executive Matt Adcock said a bill going through the state legislature capping property tax increases would be devastating to counties like Dekalb.
A Madison County representative wants to require a referendum for property tax increases of more than two percent plus the cost of inflation. Adcock said local voters already have a way to control tax increases by voting people out of office.
“If this passes, I see that Dekalb County and many others will be stuck in a financial bind that could be so detrimental that they may be taking bonds out just to get operational expenses done,” Adcock said. “Not including the facilities and things like that.”
Adcock said there are projects that Dekalb County has been considering for decades that would be impossible with this tax cap. He said the state is making the county build a jail. He said that project along with a potential new Smithville Elementary School would not be possible if this passes.
“I believe the commission should have that say on whether property tax increases or decreases or stays the same,” Adcock said. “Only that local body of government knows that financial position of the county and could better make decisions like that.”
He said Dekalb County has done a good job keeping property taxes low over the years, but there are times when the county needs a revenue source it can count on.
“I like to save on property tax and anyway I can, I like to save money,” Adcock said. “Tax isn’t always a good conversation to have. It’s just kind of, nobody wants to pay any more taxes than anybody else. But, that would be detrimental, not only to Dekalb County, but any other rural county that has big expenses.”
A Beacon Poll recently found that 74 percent of Tennessee voters support the state government having some level of involvement in local property tax increases, and 67 percent support a cap on property tax hikes, if they require approval by voters in a referendum.
Tennessee is one of only five states that do not have a limit on local property tax increases, according to the Tax Foundation.
