Bradley County Commissioner Jeff MorelockCLEVELAND, Tenn. – Bradley County voters will decide in August whether to levy a wheel tax to fund capital school projects.
On Monday, county commissioners voted 12-2 to place a $32 wheel tax — assessed each time a vehicle is registered in the county — on the August ballot. Commissioners Ed Elkins and Mel Griffith opposed the plan.
The wheel tax would go into effect on Jan. 1 if the referendum is approved.
“My personal opinion is that this commission is shirking its responsibility and it’s our job to fund schools,” said Commissioner Jeff Morelock. “Once again, I’ll go out on a political limb and say, if it was up to me, we’d vote on a property tax increase to fund this and be over and done with.”
The commission’s Education and Finance committees drafted the wheel tax proposal last fall in response to a $25.5 million funding request by Bradley County Schools. Major uses for the money include renovations to Lake Forest Middle School, an eight-classroom pod for Walker Valley High School and a new elementary school in southern Bradley County.