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Sullivan County moves to continue county tax-relief program, caps county contribution at $400,000
Summary
The commission heard a detailed presentation from the county trustee on tax-relief recipients and approved placing a resolution on waiver rules to allocate up to $400,000 to supplement reduced state tax-relief funding.
The Sullivan County Commission on Aug. 14 reviewed the county’s tax-relief resolution and agreed to place the measure on waiver rules, allowing the county to provide up to $400,000 in county funds to supplement the State of Tennessee’s tax-relief program for eligible elderly, disabled and 100% disabled veterans.
Commissioner Glover presented the resolution and emphasized the program’s role in assisting low-income residents. County Trustee Angela Lateller explained the program mechanics: applicants must first be approved by the state tax-relief program before receiving county assistance. Lateller said last year the county added $80 per recipient on top of state payments; the state’s per-person payments in the prior cycle were $729 for veterans and $132 for elderly and disabled recipients, and the county’s additional payment has varied.
Lateller provided comparative data in the meeting packet showing significant assessed-value increases for a sample of recipients and said average household incomes for those receiving assistance can be low (one sample average shown at $11,376 annually). She told commissioners that the state’s reduced funding in recent years has left a gap county officials want to help bridge. The draft resolution would reauthorize county-level relief and cap the county contribution at $400,000 for the coming cycle.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about per-recipient amounts, program eligibility and how many people would be served. Commissioner Marris observed that dividing the $400,000 cap across the roughly 3,400 state-approved recipients would yield a small per-person supplement; Lateller said last year the county paid an average of $80 per person and that actual per-person amounts vary because some recipients’ taxes are lower than the full county supplement. Commissioners thanked the trustee’s office for its work and discussed outreach and publicity so eligible residents are aware of the program.
No final appropriations vote was taken at the Aug. 14 meeting; the resolution was placed on waiver rules for consideration at the upcoming meeting. Lateller said finalized applicant counts and the state’s determinations will drive the exact county payment amounts once the program is executed.
The transcript shows the county plans to continue the program at the same not-to-exceed amount used in the prior year; the resolution text in the packet lists a not-to-exceed county contribution of $400,000. The transcript does not record a formal roll-call funding vote on the appropriation during the Aug. 14 session.
