| There's been a lot of talk about the 25 cent property
tax increase passed by county commission last month. Some would have you
believe it's almost the end of the world. It might be time to bring a
little perspective to the reality of what county commission has been
able to do, with no tax increase since 2011, and even a 4 cent decrease
in 2014. The information below is in no way intended to justify the tax
increase but to show what county commission has been able to do with no
increases for thirteen years.
For well more than a decade, county commission has
worked to keep taxes as low as possible yet provide all county services
the citizens expect, including education. In that time commission has
been able to:
- Build a $17,500,000.00 Jail Addition
- Build a $280,000.00 Addition To The County Office
Building For The Finance Department
- Contribute $750,000.00 Toward The Construction Of
A New Loudon County Fire Rescue Building
- Increased Funding To All Volunteer Fire By Nearly
$200,000.00
- Purchased a Records Storage Building for
$420,000.00
- Built a new Election Commission Office Storage
Building At The Country Office Building for $780,000.00
- Purchased A New Building To Locate A Court Clerk
Office In Lenoir City For $1,080,000.00
- Increased Funding To The Sheriff/Corrections
Departments by Over Four Million Dollars
- Increased Funding To The County School System By
Over Five And A Half Million Dollars
- Maintained Competitive Pay for All County
Employees To Retain and Attract Quality Staffing
- Cut Budgets Where Possible
These are just a few of the highlights of county
budgeting over the last decade.
While the county has been able to provide all the
needed facilities and services with no tax increases, it's important to
remember, none of the 25 cent property tax increase will go to county
government operations. 100% will go to the proposed county school
building plan and operations.
Below is a little more information
related to surrounding property tax rates and the cost to property
owners with the 25 cent increase.
Loudon County Tax Rate By Year
|
2013 |
$1.90 |
|
2014 |
$1.86 |
|
2020 |
$1.80 |
|
2023 |
$1.52 |
|
2024 |
$1.77 |
Surrounding County Tax Rates
|
McMinn Co. |
$1.08 |
|
Sevier Co. |
$1.48 |
|
Monroe Co. |
$1.52 |
|
Knox Co. |
$1.55 |
|
Blount Co. |
$1.59 |
|
Meigs Co. |
$1.69 |
|
Loudon Co. |
$1.77 |
|
Union Co. |
$1.90 |
|
Rhea Co. |
$2.25 |
|
Jefferson Co. |
$2.30 |
|
Grainger Co. |
$2.35 |
|
Roane Co. |
$2.40 |
|
Anderson Co. |
$2.63 |
|
Morgan Co. |
$2.71 |
Tax Increase Table
|
Appraised Value |
Old Property Tax $1.52 |
New Property Tax $1.77 |
Increase In Taxes |
|
$100,000.00 |
$380.00 |
$442.50 |
$62.50 |
|
$200,000.00 |
$760.00 |
$885.00 |
$125.00 |
|
$300,000.00 |
$1,140.00 |
$1,327.50 |
$187.50 |
|
$400,000.00 |
$1,520.00 |
$1,771.00 |
$250.00 |
|
$500,000.00 |
$1,900.00 |
$2,212.50 |
$312.50 |
|
$600,000.00 |
$2,280.00 |
$2,655.00 |
$375.00 |
|
$700,000.00 |
$2,660.00 |
$3,097.50 |
$437.50 |
|
$800,000.00 |
$3,040.00 |
$3,540.00 |
$500.00 |
|
$900,000.00 |
$3,420.00 |
$3,982.50 |
$562.50 |
|
$1,000,000.00 |
$3,800.00 |
$4,425.00 |
$625.00 |
|