Currently, Lenoir City mayor, Tony Aikens and his council, are asking the residents of the city to vote to increase the sales tax rate another .75%, bring the city sales tax rate to 2.75%. As Aikens likes to say, it's less than a penny. He apparently believes voters can't do the simple math to understand just how much more money that will take out of their pockets every year.

This tax increase is being sold as a way to raise more money for the city schools and a community center. Certainly sounds like worthy causes. But what's the city's record on raising taxes in the past.

In 2017, Aikens and company passed the Rain Tax on every resident, business, school and nonprofit in the city. That tax was said to be for storm water improvements. In the 7 years since it was passed, does anyone know of a single storm water improvement taking place? The Rain Tax tax money was just manipulated to pay for current staffing and street maintenance.

In 2018, Aikens and company tried to raise the sales tax by claiming all the taxes raised would go to city schools for safety they just couldn't do without. That sales tax was voted down by the voters and none of the safety items, the tax was to pay for, were ever implemented. Obviously, the need wasn't as great as they said it was.

In 2021, Aikens and company raised the city property tax by 17%. They never even bothered to explain why they raised the property tax and pretty much did it without most city property owners even knowing about it.

Very little information has been given to the city residents on the city's plans for the extra four million dollars per year generated by a .75% sales tax increase. City school board director, Jeanne Barker, has passed out some flyers showing they would add a couple of additions at their schools and a multi-purpose indoor athletic field and tennis courts. No details on when all this new construction would begin, how much it would cost, how much revenue would be needed to pay for everything. While it seems Ms. Barker is in full support of the sales tax increase, she will nether be voting for or against the tax increase. She doesn't live in the city.

Mayor Aikens finger in the pie this time, is to build a community/senior center. This one's more vague than the school plan. No costs, no location, no time frame on the construction. In fact, Aikens has already stated that even if the sales tax increase were to pass, a new community/senior center would be years away. 

"Even if voters approve the increase, a new recreation center would be years away, Aikens said.." Mayor Tony Aikens, News Herald 5/21/23

So as mayor Aikens and the council ask you to pay up, a good question might be, what did they do with the millions in higher taxes they've already stuck city residents with?

Another mayor Aikens thing he keeps saying is, it's not him or the city council or the school board raising the sales tax, it will be the city voters voting for it. Not the mayor or any council member or school board member for that matter, has publically said they will vote for the sales tax increase. Might be a good question to put to each of them.

Aikens said on the defeat of the sales tax in 2018, in his own words:

“I’ve said from day one the fairest way is to put it on the ballot. The majority of people voted it down, even though it didn’t get voted down by a lot. It did get voted down and I’m going to abide by their wishes.” News Herald November 2018

I guess abiding by the voter's wishes has a time limit. The trust factor of this mayor and council is very low given their taxing history. Why should anybody believe them now?

Nothing will ever change in Lenoir City until something changes in Lenoir City.