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County Attorney Seeks Work-session Review of Ragland High School Tax Ballot Language
Summary
County Attorney Kurt Walker said the proposed ballot resolution for a Ragland property tax to fund the high school cannot include a sunset clause in the tax language; the commission will draft a companion resolution and revisit precise wording at the next work session.
County Attorney Kurt Walker briefed commissioners on a proposed ballot measure from the county board of education to fund Ragland’s high school, saying the measure will appear on the May ballot but requires careful drafting to address potential future school closure scenarios.
Walker told the commission that the tax language itself cannot include a sunset provision but that the commission could adopt a companion county resolution committing to reduce the tax if the high school later closed. "While we can't put a sunset provision in the language of the resolution, I believe that there's authority for the commission to reduce that tax back down if that were to happen," Walker said. He recommended delaying formal action until the legal language is finalized and scheduled the matter for the next work session so staff and the county attorney could craft appropriate companion language.
Commissioners agreed to postpone action to ensure the ballot wording and any companion commitments are clear to voters and legally appropriate. The item will return for further drafting and legal review before final placement on the ballot.
