Hamilton County commissioners have waived $772,764 in reappraisal costs owed by the county's 10 cities.
That amount is half the county assessor's expense in fiscal 2017 for conducting work associated with the 2017 reappraisal, which occurs every four yeas in Hamilton County. A state law, passed in 1989, requires a county's cities to pay half the property reappraisal costs. The law also allows counties to waive the fee if they have agreements with their cities.
Until now, Hamilton County has never enforced the law, neither charging its cities nor formally waiving the fee.
Commissioners voted 9-0 in favor of the waiver, presented by Commissioner Tim Boyd as a means of the giving the body some "breathing space" on to determine a long-term solution before the 2021 reappraisal.
"I think sooner than later, I think we should put it to bed so we don't have revisit this time and time again," Commissioner Joe Graham said.
Graham indicated a future solution might be to waive Chattanooga's reappraisal cost - which amounted to $557,000 this 2017 - if the city waives stormwater fees it charges the county school system, which he described as "a wash."
Hamilton County Property Assessor Marty Haynes maintained the stance he has taken since he broke the news to the 10 cities in December: he is just following the law. He said he learned the county has been out of compliance for nearly three decades when he took office in September.
Since December, the municipal leaders have campaigned against the measure, sending letters to the county commission and packing the commission's meeting last week.
"This issue is resolved for this year," Haynes said. "There will be no fee sent from Hamilton County government to the municipalities. I'm fine with that, I was doing my job following state law."
Contact staff writer Paul Leach at 423-757-6481 or pleach@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @pleach_tfp.