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Bristol council rejects proposed FY2026 tax increase after heated public hearing
Summary
After nearly three hours of public comment and council discussion, the Bristol, Tenn., City Council voted down Ordinance 25-13, a proposed fiscal 2026 budget that would have set the city property tax rate above the state-certified rate.
The Bristol, Tennessee, City Council voted down Ordinance 25-13, the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and tax rate, after an extended public hearing and council debate on June 19. The ordinance would have set a citywide property tax rate above the certified rate; the motion to adopt the budget at a $1.92 tax rate failed on a roll call vote.
The budget presented by Finance Director Holly Barron totaled $155,339,488 for FY2026, which Barron said reflects a roughly 4.1% increase from the prior year and includes market-pay adjustments and department-specific salary changes. City Attorney Daniel Smith told the public the county reappraisal raised Bristol property values from about $744 million in 2024 to about $1.18 billion in 2025, and that state law produces a certified tax rate intended to leave revenue neutral after reappraisal; Smith cited…
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