Marion County board passes budget; tax rate remains the same

Marion County, Tenn.
Marion County, Tenn.

JASPER, Tenn. - Even though some big spending projects are on the horizon in Marion County, the property tax rate will remain the same for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

At its July meeting, the Marion County Commission voted unanimously to approve this fiscal year's budget and to keep the property tax rate at $2.1686 per $100.

photo David Jackson

County Mayor David Jackson said Marion went through a property tax reappraisal this year, and the state set the certified tax rate at $2.185 per $100.

The suggested increase would generate only about $100,000 more revenue for the county, he said.

"Our current tax rate is at 2.1686," Jackson told the board. "I would recommend that we stay at that rate."

Commissioner Tommy Thompson has advocated lowering the tax rate since the board raised it to its current level in 2011 to avoid a government shutdown.

He said he "reluctantly" voted to keep the tax rate the same this year.

"Most people in the county [have gotten] a break on their tax assessment, except the farmers and the people that own raw timberland and that type of thing," Thompson said. "They've got shot in the foot. Most people with rural property are going to be paying more."

Jackson said there was "good debate and good discussion" during the budget process this year, and there are some major projects in the works for this year and beyond.

County leaders have $1.5 million set aside to build the next building at the Marion County Regional Institute of Higher Education, which will house industrial trades classes such as welding.

Jackson said there's a chance Marion could get a federal Power Plus grant to help with those costs.

"It was the only [Power Plus] grant from the state of Tennessee that moved on to Washington, so we feel really excited about that," he said.

A "discussion" about jail expansion will be necessary "in the near future," Jackson said, and there are plans for the purchase of more land around the county airport and the construction of a new county building on the courthouse square in Jasper.

The new budget contains an extra $22,000 for the county clerk's office to cover some employees who have joined Marion's insurance program and other increases for office supplies at the court clerk's office, new phones at the juvenile court, and overtime charges for sheriff's deputies.

Jackson said there had to be increased spending at the Marion County Jail to cover medical expenses and a rate hike for the medical examiner's fees.

The county spent about $400,000 on medical costs for inmates in the last fiscal year, he said.

The budget also includes a 3 percent raise for all county employees and will add a new employee in the county mayor's office to serve as a backup bookkeeper.

"You never know when something could happen," Jackson said. "I think it's very important that we get some backup there."

Commissioner Joey Blevins said board members would explore changing the way raises are given to county employees, and look to issue those based on seniority.

"Instead of all the way across the board, we would go to like a employee time raise system," he said.

Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.

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