News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Citizens packed the Overton County Courthouse in strong opposition against a potential property tax increase during a public hearing Monday.
More than a dozen citizens shared their concerns about the impact of a property tax and the reasoning behind the decision to try and implement it. Multiple citizens criticized the sheriff’s department, saying that local landowners should not have to make up the cost for a recent lawsuit settlement.
Resident Michael Sells said the commissioners are not properly representing their citizens in this matter and are punishing them for the actions of the sheriff’s department.
“You’re talking about federal grants, but when you’re dealing with the federal government and you’re abusing disabled people that are federally protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the county’s involved, you’re messing with federal government grants and your ability to get them, and you’re charging the taxpayers money on it when it’s not the taxpayer’s fault, sir,” Sells said.
Resident Abigail Selby said the tax would unfairly impact local farmers with a large acreage they need for their profession. Selby said farmers are already struggling in the county without this sizable increase in taxes that would have an even stronger impact on them.
“Through town you’ll see there’s posters up, there’s chancery court options, and, correct me if I’m wrong, it’s farms and houses that are being sold because the property owners aren’t able to pay their taxes, and that is, I mean today there’s signs up,” Selby said. “You can, they go on the world wide web. Anyone in the world can get those farms, and they’re gone. I mean, out of Overton County forever.”
Two different citizens talked about the idea of a “tea party,” with resident Michael Kirkpatrick saying that the massive crowd in the courthouse was the county’s tea party. Resident Johnny Manning saying that the whole nation needs another tea party to revolt against the increase in taxation.
“Every time we turn around, everything’s going up,” Manning said. “Not only that, they tripled my assessment this year. Now y’all are going to raise the taxes on that assessment even, and then next year’s another year they’re going to go up again. There’s some point we have to say, ‘Enough is enough.'”
Several citizens shared the sentiment that this is the wrong time for such a large increase, as everyone is already struggling with inflation and would face a severe negative impact regardless of their financial status.
Commissioners voted Monday night to send the budget and any proposed property tax increase back to the Commissioners Budget Committee. County Executive Steven Barlow said Overton County has not increased property taxes since 2015.
