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Cannon County Commission declines to repeal Adequate Facilities Tax after heated public comment
Summary
After extended public comment decrying and defending the Adequate Facilities Tax, the Cannon County Commission voted down a motion to repeal the tax and discussed alternatives for school capital funding.
The Cannon County Commission voted on April 2 to reject a motion to repeal the county's Adequate Facilities Tax (AFT) after more than an hour of public comment and a brief debate among commissioners.
Commissioner Curtis George moved to repeal the AFT, prompting a wave of public testimony before the vote. Residents and small contractors argued both sides: Frank Janetti said the AFT "helps keep the property taxes down" and brings revenue into the county; Melissa Martin said Canon County's upfront building fees are two to three times higher than neighboring counties and urged the commission to reconsider whether the AFT remains necessary; Dion Myrr described charging the fee on replacement homes as unjust and warned repealing it could avoid legal risks that other counties have faced. John Taylor said restricting single-wide homes would harm low-cost housing options.
Finance Director Dian Hickman told commissioners the AFT has raised about $836,000 and that the funds have been used for school capital work such as HVAC repairs and replacements. "If it is repealed, it's going to go back on property taxes," she said, cautioning that the AFT revenues support school capital rather than operational spending.
During roll call on the motion to repeal, only one commissioner voted yes; the motion failed. Commissioners who voted to retain the tax said they were concerned about shifting costs to property taxes and the county's limited industrial tax base.
Why it matters: The AFT is charged at permit time and, according to speakers at the meeting, can materially affect the cost of new construction in Cannon County. Supporters of repeal called the fee an unfair burden, particularly on replacement homes and small contractors; opponents said the relatively modest revenue funds capital improvements for aging school facilities and that repeal would shift costs to property tax bills.
What's next: Commissioners discussed alternatives. One commissioner said they are working on a proposal to replace the AFT with a self-funded approach using current revenues; commissioners also asked staff to provide fuller budget detail before future votes.
Votes at the meeting: The motion to repeal the AFT failed on a roll-call vote (yes: Curtis George; no: Judy Shawn, Chris Singleton, Marty Williams, Eddie Mirs, Brent Brandon, Randy Ganon, Crystal Alexander, Tony Bernett). The meeting record shows the AFT has brought in roughly $836,000 to date, used primarily for school capital projects such as HVAC system work.
The commission adjourned at the end of the meeting; members indicated they would revisit related zoning and fee questions at a future agenda.
