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Washington County Commission OKs 13 cent property tax hike

Published September 26th, 2006 | 0 Comments

JOHNSON CITY - Washington County commissioners voted to amend a recommendation by the County Commission's Budget Committee at their Monday meeting, setting the county tax rate at $2 per $100 of taxable property for the fiscal year 2006-07.

The original recommendation called for the tax rate to remain the same as last year at $1.87. But some commissioners thought a 13 cent increase, which will be added to the county's debt service fund, would better prepare them to fund a school building program as well as a jail expansion/justice center project in the coming months and years.

In all, the amendment and the new recommendation each passed 17-8.

Voting in favor of the amendment and new recommendation were Commissioners Bob Scott, Pete Speropulos, Paul Woodby, C.B. Kinch, Frank Bolus, Mark Hicks Jr., Jim Powell, Phil McPeak, Wendell Messimer, Ron England, Gerald Sparks, Scott Buckingham, Mark Larkey, Janice White, Ben Bowman, Danny Edens and Pat Wolfe.

Those opposed to the two measures were Sam Humphreys, Peggy Richardson, Sid Campbell, Bill Biles, Richard Matherly, Mark Ferguson, Kyle Shell and Evert Jarrett.

"Whatever we decide to do when it comes to schools and the jail, this will help pay off the interest on the new debt as well as the old debt and replenish some of the money taken from debt services to balance the budget," County Mayor George Jaynes said.

Some felt the county should have started raising taxes years ago when the need for new schools first appeared on the county's radar.

"This is something we should have been doing in little increments - raising the tax rate, in past years, which that commission didn't," Buckingham said.

Others, like Campbell, still felt many of the county's taxpayers couldn't take on this type of increase.

"In the long run though, the county is going to save money while maintaining a high bond rating in putting that extra money into debt services," said Speropulos, a member of the county's Budget Committee who made the motion to increase the certified tax rate by 13 cents. "This move is also looking at what's best for the taxpayer because I know they don't want to be hit all at one time with a huge rate increase. That, while letting us provide good schools and jail renovations."

The commission also passed by a vote of 20-5 a recommendation by Director of Schools Grant Rowland to accept the concept showing the figures of the total cost of the construction of two new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade schools and the renovation of Daniel Boone and David Crockett high schools that total $60.46 million, plus the cost of $47 million that would cover Johnson City's portion.

Humphreys, Richardson, Campbell, Matherly and Ferguson voted in opposition to the recommendation.

The total cost of $107.46 million includes all architect fees, contingency plans, furnishings and athletic fields.

The "yes" vote now allows the county mayor to start the process of a bond issue, which puts an actual vote on funding the school building off another month until the October commission meeting.

"You're not funding a resolution at this point," County Attorney John Rambo said. "We must hire bond counsel, write documentation. ... Next meeting you would be voting on school bonds."

The goal of the Washington County Board of Education is still to begin construction by November in order to get students in the new schools by the fall of 2008.

With each school site having already been bid out, architect Ken Ross told the commission bids were only good through Oct. 30, but they would try their best to get them extended if needed.

Many questions revolved around construction cost differences in the project itself, as well as parts of the project some commissioners thought were unnecessary.

"I have no problem voting for the two elementary schools, because we do need them, but the high schools and the ball fields going at the elementary schools - I have a problem with that," Humphreys said.

"What's best for the kids of this county also includes having ball fields for them to use after school, and it's also good for the community. Just look at the number of people who are at Daniel Boone's track each night," Buckingham said. "Don't tell me it's not important for the kids."

Rowland said on behalf of himself and the school board that he appreciated the action taken by the commission.

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