Check growth for new taxes
How is it even possible that Hamilton County is talking about the need for a property tax increase? The riverfront and the Southside have densely built single-family homes, townhomes and apartments that were not there two to three years ago.
The people who are buying these are or will be paying large sums of money in property taxes that were not going to the county a few years ago. Yet, this demographic is not flooding the schools with children or having any significant impact on the amount of services the county must provide.
The values of properties in Highland Park, the North Shore, St. Elmo and many other parts of town also have shot up in value over the past several years. These assessments should be higher and therefore producing more taxes on their increased value.
The property owner in a small house in Hixson or Avondale on a fixed income does not need to and in many cases can’t pay more in property taxes. I do not see how with all of the new development and increased property values that the county is not wondering what to do with the new influx of money