News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Crossville will raise its property tax rate to assist the city in completing capital projects in the upcoming fiscal year.
City Manager Greg Wood said the general fund budget is currently $19.6 million with projected revenues of $20.1 million. Wood said the property tax rate will go up 15 cents.
“We were looking at a tax hike last year, but because of COVID we didn’t do it, we just cut things to the bone,” Wood said. “And really we should have, we were running at a deficit last year using our fund balance to balance the budget. That’s really not a good thing to do, so it was time to do it.”
Wood said Crossville currently has a property tax rate of 59 cents. Wood said that major water and sewer pipe upgrades for the 4-lane expansion from Genesis Road to Highway 127 will be implemented.
He said the widening of Highway 127 North will no longer allow for pipes to run underneath the highway
“We’ll have a 10 inch line running up one side of the road and a 6 inch line running up the other side of the road,” Wood said. “You wont have to go across the highway to connect homes to, plus it’s going to give a lot better service.
Wood said that the water and sewer fund has to be self-supporting and is separate from the general fund. He said in total, Crossville has a net budget of over $30 million.
Wood said funds for the future indoor recreation facility are included. He said there are also other pet projects for the city included, like replacing the Crossville Depot deck and adding a kayak launch at Meadow Park Lake.
“That’s what part of the funds were raised for, to hopefully be able to purchase the land for that,” Wood said. “Then go into the planning and architectural phase, we’ll have to see how that all shakes out though.”
The Crossville fiscal year 2021-2022 budget has not been officially adopted, the final reading and public hearing is June 8th. Wood said this is the same date as the city’s next regularly scheduled city council meeting.
