Smith County Considering A 59-Cent Property Tax Increase

The Smith County Commission will host a public hearing next week to discuss a proposed 59-cent property tax increase.

5th District Commissioner Linda Nixon represents the Gordonsville and Lancaster communities. She said the proposal comes after commissioners cut nearly $1 million from the 2019-2020 budget proposal.

“I mean it’s just down to bare nothing, and we can’t let the county just fall apart,” Nixon said. “I’m terribly upset about it but I don’t know what else to do.”

The county’s budget and finance committee met last month to discuss the proposed property tax adjustment.

Nixon said the county lacks a sufficient revenue stream and requires the property tax to maintain a balance.

“It’s purpose is to re-fund our county because we’re broke, basically,” Nixon said. “We had revenue that we thought were going to be substantial and they were not. The reason you have to have the property tax is that’s the only one you can get in there right now and we need the money now.”

Nixon said a wheel tax could help alleviate the blow of a property tax adjustment, but added there’s simply not enough time to do so.

“You have to have that voted on and you have to get it on the agenda and it can’t be done,” Nixon said. “Property tax is the only thing you can do to get money in the system because we need it so bad. I am so, so sorry for everybody. I know they’re upset, [and] I’m upset.”

Smith County repealed its wheel tax approximately two years ago as the tax only went towards the county school system.

Nixon said she understands if residents are upset about the proposed tax adjustment.

“It’s one of those things where you can’t go around it, you’ve got to go through it,” Nixon said. “I’m hoping and expecting that if we get a wheel tax on, the property tax will go down a lot. That’s just my view on it and I apologize to everyone in my district. It’s the way it is and we’ve looked at it from every angle.”

The public hearing will take place Thursday, June 20 at the Smith County Jail and Courts facility starting at 6 p.m. The full commission will consider the property tax increase during their June 24 meeting.