Chattanooga may shave 3 cents off the property tax rate it has had on the books for seven years, but property tax bills are still expected to go up.
That’s because Chattanooga property values have increased by an average of 10.9 percent after the recent Hamilton County reappraisal.
On Tuesday, the city’s top financial officers presented the fiscal 2018 budget proposal – which includes the property tax rate – to the Chattanooga City Council.
“This budget represents a lot of hard work, long hours and difficult discussions,” Maura Sullivan, chief operating officer, said.
2018 Chattanooga budget highlights
* $100,000 to being a three-phase replacement plan for second set of turnout gear for city firefighters* 14 new positions for the police department’s gun crime unit* Create a workforce development office* Modernizing the East Lake Youth and Family Development Center* Investing in Chattanooga Zoo expansion with new Africa exhibit* Supporting Step Up for summer internships for high school students* Increased budgets for paving and street improvements* Removing blighted debris from Lupton City