I dare say that most folks that visit my website share my concerns about the current administration in Washington This nut job and everyone in his administration are intent on destroying as much of the American way of life as possible while in office. But do you realize your local politicians can hurt you financially quicker than the federal government?

Loudon County has 10 commissioners, 6 is a majority. Loudon City has has four councilmen and a mayor that votes, 3 is a majority. Lenoir City has six councilpersons making 4 the majority. That said, 6, 4 or 3 people, depending on jurisdiction, can vote to pass legislation that can reach deep into your pockets.

Local politicians can vote to raise your property taxes to any amount they want with no limit. In Lenoir City, not only your property taxes but your Rain Tax too. County officials can slap you with a wheel tax of any amount and all three government bodies can pass zoning regulations to crush your community, like Lenoir City has already done. That's why it's so important to know the people you vote, for in local office.

This is about Lenoir City's recent property tax increase and how it's worse than it seems.

At the end of June, The Lenoir City mayor/council passed the largest property tax increase of the modern era, 17%/14 cents. But it wasn't just a normal property tax increase. They waited until a reappraisal year. Property reappraisal happens every four years. This is when all property is reappraised and most always property values go up. This year, Loudon County property owners saw their property values go up more than they ever had before.

Here's how it works out.

We'll look at old Bill's house, a fictitious character. Back in 2020, old Bill's house was appraised at $200,000.00. Old Bill's property tax was $495.00.

If the city had passed a 14 cent property tax last year, 2020, old Bill's property taxes would have gone up by $70.00.

But the Lenoir City mayor/council waited to raise property taxes on a reappraisal year when their property tax rate was suppose to go down to compensate for old Bill's increased property reapprasial. So now old Bill's house appraisal has gone up to $265,000.00.

So because the mayor/council waited to raise property taxes on a reappraisal year, old Bill's property taxes went up by $149.00, double what it would have been had they raised property taxes last year. The city kind of got a two for by waiting to raise property taxes on the reappraisal year. Almost as if they wanted to inflict the most financial pain on the most property owners they could.

While the mayor/council is raising nearly everybody's property taxes, they have given certain developers huge tax breaks through PILOTS, Payment In Lieu Of Taxes. Five year, ten year and even twenty year property tax breaks.

Lenoir City government is headed in a bad way with higher and higher taxes and unchecked development and it won't end here. They'll be back for more.