Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Taxes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County mayor outlines senior property‑tax freeze option for Jonesborough residents
Summary
Washington County officials described a 2008 state statute that allows counties and municipalities to freeze property tax amounts for qualifying seniors; county staff said 27 counties and 36 municipalities have adopted the option and that qualifying residents must re‑apply annually by April 4.
Washington County officials on Monday told the Town of Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen they have been studying a state statute passed in 2008 that would let counties and municipalities freeze the tax amount for qualifying seniors.
The county mayor (speaker 7) said the idea was brought by citizens and reviewed over several months. “Today, 27 counties have implemented this tax freeze and 36 municipalities,” the mayor said, adding that the program freezes the amount of tax owed, not the property assessment, and that residents would need to qualify each year. County staff told the board the town could choose to participate alongside the county so that eligible residents inside town limits would receive the same protection.
Robbie, the county tax assessor (speaker 8), explained how verification would work: the assessor’s office would confirm property ownership and deed information while income verification could roll over from existing county relief programs when applicable. “So as far as verify all the properties that would qualify, that would be the assessor’s office,” Robbie said.
Town staff said participation would likely not increase town workload because some eligibility checks would be handled through existing county processes. The county mayor said commissioners have been briefed by the state comptroller on implementation details and that a proposal could come before the county commission in August or September.
Key program details discussed at the meeting: - The freeze preserves the tax amount for qualifying residents when future tax increases or reassessments occur; it does not prevent changes to the assessed value of property. - Individuals must re‑qualify annually (the county cited an April 4 deadline for qualification). - The measure differs from existing state tax‑relief programs for low‑income residents and veterans, which remain separate and are funded by the state.
The town accepted the briefing and asked the county to provide additional technical documents prepared by the comptroller’s office for local review. The board did not take a formal vote on adopting the freeze for the town; members said they would await the county’s formal proposal and supporting materials before considering participation.
