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Friday, October 30, 2026Oct 30

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Rhea County to fund new high school

HOW THEY VOTEDWheel tax resolutionFor: Emmaly Fisher, Bill Hollin, Tom SmithAgainst: Doyle Montgomery, Grover Parks, Ronnie Raper, Jim Reed, Tracy TaylorBond resolutionFor: Fisher, Hollin, Montgomery, Parks, Raper, Reed, TaylorAgainst: Smith

DAYTON, Tenn. – Rhea County commissioners voted late Tuesday to fund construction of a new high school but declined to pass a wheel tax to build a jail or a justice center.

Commissioners were presented a resolution to authorize selling up to $50 million in bonds to finance both the high school and justice facility or jail – officials have said they’d build one or the other but not both – but they changed the amount to $35 million after the wheel tax resolution failed.

A wheel tax is collected when residents register or renew their vehicles in the county.

The bond resolution was approved on a 7-1 vote, with one commissioner absent.