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Cocke County budget
Members of the Cocke County Finance Committee, meeting Thursday talked about hiking the property tax rate from the current $2.83 per $100 of assessed value. Commissioner Gary Carver proposed that the county legislative body be given three proposals; an increase of 7, 12 or 17 cents. He proposed that two cents go to economic development, two cents to landfill needs and the balance to capital projects. An increase of 17 cents would see revenue rise by $935,000. Each penny on the tax rate brings in about $55,000. Capital needs include such expenses as a jail, new or repaired roof on the courthouse annex, school needs and road repair. The committee adjourned however without agreeing on a tax rate. Committee Chair Forrest Clevenger said he does not want to see property taxes continuing to rise. He suggested that county commissions in the past did not plan ahead for unforeseen issues. The last property tax hike, he said, came after county assessments dropped and so revenues fell as well. "I would not have a problem at all if I thought the people taking my money were going to bank the money and put it up in anticipation of something down the road, that isn't going to cost me more." Committee members suggested that if a wheel tax is implemented in the near future, the property tax rate could be reduced. And there is a proposal that the hotel/motel tax also be increased. Circuit Court Clerk Kristy Nease asked the committee to include a $2,000 raise in the new budget for her deputy clerk. She said the employee of 36 years is paid little more than newly hired clerks. Nease pointed out that there is no standardized pay scale for all county departments, and each department head decides on the pay level of workers in the department. Pay scale surveys have been conducted in the past, however pay scales soon developed disparities again. In addition, costs would go up dramatically if low paid employees were brought up to the higher paid workers. Commissioner Carver however suggested it is not the responsibility of the committee to set salaries, but he admitted "some employees are underpaid and others are overpaid. Clevenger observed that the budget submitted by Nease is $18,000 less than last years. The committee chair again spent some time talking about ways to reduce overtime, arguing that the employment of more firefighters and deputies would allow employees to take compensatory time instead of having to work overtime.
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Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
More Bad News For Smokies' Fans
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
Goodbye Smokies?
Keep Cocke County Beautiful
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