Cheatham County adopts 2018–19 tax levy after narrow vote on school levy amendment

The Cheatham County Legislative Body approved the county tax levy for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, after commissioners rejected larger proposed increases and adopted a 2¢ addition to the General Purpose Schools levy.

Commissioner Diana Pike Lovell moved to amend the levy by adding 4¢ to the General Purpose Schools levy; Commissioner Shanon Pickard seconded. That amendment failed on a roll-call vote, 6 Yes, 6 No. A subsequent motion by Commissioner Tim Williamson, seconded by Commissioner Gary Binkley, to add 3¢ also failed, 6 Yes, 6 No. A motion by Commissioner Diana Pike Lovell, seconded by Commissioner Tim Williamson, to add 2¢ passed 7 Yes, 5 No.

The body then approved the tax levy as amended. The final tax-rate schedule recorded in the minutes lists County General 1.4103, Highway/Roads 0.0661, Education Debt Service 0.1668, General Debt Service 0.0656, Solid Waste/Sanitation 0.1036, General Purpose Schools 0.9767, Capital Projects 0.0197, Capital Projects/Vehicles 0.0686, Capital Projects/Jail 0.0500, for a total of 2.9274 per $100 of assessed value. The minutes record the roll-call tallies for the motions and the final approval.

Separately, the body approved the Fire Tax Levy for multiple districts (including Ashland City Rural, Kingston Springs Rural, Pleasant View Rural, Pegram Rural and Pegram City, Harpeth Ridge, Henrietta, and Two Rivers) on a roll-call vote of 11 Yes and 1 No.

The votes were recorded individually in the minutes. The tax levy and the fire levy approvals were entered as Resolutions 4 and 6 in the official minutes. No additional fiscal motions were taken on the levy during the session.

What happens next: The tax levy takes effect for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, as recorded in the minutes; the session included no further procedural steps recorded on implementation.