Livingston Receives $623K For Downtown
A state rebate produced some $623,000 for Livingston downtown revitalization efforts. Downtown Revitalization Commission Chair Gene Gantt said the rebate allows the city to get a portion of their sales tax back each year. Gantt said that rebate funding must be spent on improvements to the city square or efforts to bring more people to […]
Livingston Ready To Pass Budget Friday, Small Tax Hike
The public can sound off Friday as Livingston Aldermen consider the second reading of this year’s budget which includes employee raises and a nine-cent property tax increase. Mayor Curtis Hayes said budgeting this year has been tight. He said after conducting a pay study two years ago, employee compensation has become a greater focus. “You’ve […]
Overton Budget Committee To Revisit Pay, Taxes
The Overton County Budget Committee will go back to work on a new county budget after hearing from residents upset with a property tax increase and some of the spending in the budget. Commissioner Geraldine Walker said the main concern she heard from the public about the last proposal was a $3 per hour raise […]
Dekalb Schools Asking County For Help With Salaries
Dekalb County School officials told the County Commission’s Budget Committee Tuesday night, it needs help funding salary increases for teachers and staff. Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said by keeping a healthy fund balance, the district has managed to fund raises itself in years past. He said as general expenses increase and the district works […]
Property Tax Elimination Could Pose Risks To Celina
Celina has the legal right to stop property taxes under state law, but the move could pose additional challenges to funding a city’s programs, personnel, and general operations. That according to Tennessee Comptroller’s Office Director of Communications John Dunn. The Celina Board of Aldermen discussed its desire to eliminate the town’s property tax in its […]
Celina Mayor Proposes Ending Property Tax In New Budget
Celina Mayor Luke Collins suggested discontinuing the city’s property tax as part of the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Collins told the Board of Aldermen Tuesday night the city’s property tax brings in some $200,000 annually. He said the current property tax is set at 87 cents. With a fund balance of $1.3 million, […]
Cookeville Develops New Magazine-Style Visitors Guide
Cookeville and Putnam County have created an updated visitors guide to encourage experience-driven tourism and showcase the city’s local businesses. Tourism Director Shan Stout said the guide had not been updated since 2019 and many of the businesses listed had either moved or gone out of business. She said the new guide more closely favors […]
Crossville Sports Authority Could Help Finance Rec Center
Crossville looking at the formation of a Sports Authority to serve as a financing mechanism for the Recreation Center project. Crossville Mayor RJ Crawford said a Sports Authority would allow the city to leverage water rates and sales tax revenue to lower bond obligations. He said the residents of Crossville have made it clear that […]
White County Commissioners Approve Sales Tax Referendum
White County Commissioners hope to add some $1 million in annual sales tax revenue by adding a referendum to the August county general election ballot. Commissioner Derrick Hutchings told Commissioners Tuesday night the resolution would increase the county’s sales tax from 2.25 percent to 2.75 to match the rate in Sparta. He said the extra […]
Commissioners Will Consider August Sales Tax Vote
White County wants to try again in evening the sales tax rate inside the county, proposing an August vote on the topic. Steering Committee A commissioners decided the issue had a better chance to bring out voters during a regularly-scheduled election, rather than a special election. Non-Sparta residents only would vote on whether to increase […]
