When they passed the Rain Tax, they blamed it on the federal government claiming they were mandated by congress to pass the Rain Tax which is, I'm sorry to say, is just a lie.

But now it looks like it's the county's fault, at least for how much city officials want to increase the the sales tax. And to take it even a step farther, city council had nothing to do with asking for the tax increase, even though they voted unanimously to place it on the ballot.

“I said during the first part when we started discussing that a quarter cent in my opinion would be plenty to do what they need to do and I still stand to that,” Eddie Simpson, councilman, said. “They’re scared that Loudon County will pass the same tax and if they do then it cuts it in half, which makes them only get a quarter cent..." “... I’ve said all along council had nothing to do with asking for the tax, it’s strictly the school that’s asked for help and that was the only fair way city council had of making sure that they got their needs and let the people vote on it,” he added. News Herald 7/11/18

I have attended every county commission meeting since September of 2014 including just this past Monday. I haven't heard a single commissioner advocating to raise the sales tax, not one time. In fact, unlike the Lenoir City council, county commissioners have worked hard not to raise any taxes on the citizens. So I'm not sure where Mr. Simpson got the idea that the county was considering that. Shifting blame maybe?

I just wonder if the city school board or the council have considered the radical idea of cutting spending rather than raising taxes to fund their needs?

Obviously, the majority of council has decided the easiest way to get more money is just to keep squeezing and squeezing their citizens with higher and higher taxes. What's next is the sales tax hike doesn't pass? Property tax increase, higher Rain Tax, a wheel tax? Who knows but they're not going to stop.