As Monday’s Loudon City Council workshop came to a close, councilman Tim Brewster raised the possibility of a tax increase for the coming year.

The recommendation would pay for road paving and future infrastructure maintenance, he said.

“We have got to consider doing a property tax increase this year, on this budget,” Brewster said. “We’ve got infrastructure that’s got to be done, paving that’s got to be done.”

He estimated an 8-cent hike would provide $216,000, which could pave 2.5 miles of city roads, while 12 cents would provide about $304,000 for 3.5 miles of paving.

Brewster anticipates there will be a tax increase by the county, which he said the city could “piggyback on.”

Jeff Harris, city mayor, opposed the idea of piggybacking on a county hike. Instead, he said any increase should be based solely on city finances and not take other government entities into consideration.

Johnny James, councilman, said he would only consider the increase if it could be guaranteed the money would be earmarked for paving.

“I’m going to talk to my constituents out here in the public and see how they feel about it, but at the same time I’m going to tell them it goes to paving and it will be guaranteed to go to paving,” James said.

He expressed concern about public perception if the city moves into its new facility on Highway 72 in the same year it asks for more taxes.

“I don’t want them to think that (the tax increase is paying for the new facilities),” James said. “And if we do put this into movement, we are going to have to assure them that it’s going to go to paving and paving alone. ... Not to buy more property and not to buy more buildings.”

Brewster estimated that with a 12-cent increase every street in the city could be paved in five years, adding the increase could then end or used for other infrastructure upgrades.

“If these people can see that they’re going to get something out of this they’ll be responsive to it,” James said. “If not, I don’t think they’re going to be responsive to it.”

Loudon is set to hold a budget workshop at 10 a.m. today at the new city hall. Ty Ross, city manager, agreed to present various budget options with and without a tax increase.

“You can choose your appetite for the size of a tax increase you want as you desire,” Ross said.

Council could then vote on the tax hike at the regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the new city hall building.

Smoking ban

The city discussed the possibility of a smoking ban in all city parks starting this year.

A ban would include tobacco products as well as electronic cigarettes at the recommendation of the city’s recreation advisory committee.

“It’s going to be tough,” Mark Harrell, Loudon Parks and Recreation director, said. “It’s going to be a tough issue to tackle. I appreciate as a former person that used smokeless tobacco, it’s a tough habit to quit. I did it for 20 years and I know what it’s like, but I also know what nicotine did to my mother, how it destroyed her life. ... I think it’s time to start looking into it.”

When the ban would go into effect was a point of discussion. James suggested starting July 1 ahead of the July 4th holiday.

Harrell suggesting easing into the change.

“Maybe we just don’t drop the hammer immediately,” Harrell said. “Maybe we give the opportunity to folks to know that we are going to ban this and it’s coming down six months from now before we start. ... I ask that you consider that and you take it a little slow and not be the smoking police.”

Council will vote on the ban during the regular monthly meeting.