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Residents urge tax relief after reappraisals; animal-shelter director warns a $20,000 cut would cripple operations
Summary
Multiple residents told the Jefferson County commission that 2024 reappraisals have doubled assessed values in some neighborhoods and urged relief for seniors; CARE animal shelter's director said a proposed $20,000 cut would force staff reductions and impair care.
Several Jefferson County residents used the public-comment period to press the county on the effects of recent reappraisals and proposed budget changes.
James Lance, who identified himself as representing Dogwood Acres, said the proposed 2024 assessments would roughly double assessed values in his subdivision and asked the commission to "enact a property tax freeze for senior citizens in accordance with Tennessee Constitution Article 2, Section 28." Lance said many residents are seniors on fixed incomes and feared they may not be able to remain in their homes.
Residents at multiple podiums echoed concerns that sales of homes to newcomers who can pay more have inflated neighborhood sale prices used in the five-year reappraisal window, producing assessed-value increases that local incomes cannot match.
Mindy Hutchison, director of CARE, Jefferson County's municipal animal shelter, said the shelter handles about 1,200 animals a year and typically houses roughly 100 at a time. She said the organization relies on morning care technicians and volunteers and warned that "if we lose $20,000 out of our budget, we could very well indeed only have 3 [technicians], and honestly, I just don't see how this would be possible for us at all." Hutchison asked the commission to keep CARE's budget intact.
A resident, Catherine Hunter, asked about a five-day written-notice rule for speaking on tax items and said many people do not check the courthouse posting or the newspaper; staff replied such requirements are advertised on the county website and posted at the courthouse and that the five-day requirement applies to the tax item.
Staff (identified in the meeting as Susan) explained the reappraisal method: the county uses sales from a five-year period (2019'2024) to value property at 100% of market value; the certified rate (the rate that would yield the same total revenue as the prior year) was stated as $1.3431.
The commission heard these public comments before proceeding to debate and votes on nonprofit appropriations and the county levy.
The meeting record shows commissioners then acted to restore some nonprofit funding one-time from fund balance and to reject or accept other budget amendments following the public comments.
