Proposed city tax rate for South Fulton unchanged

by Benita Fuzzell
CITY TAX RATE IN SOUTH FULTON PROPOSED, UNCHANGED CITY TAX RATE IN SOUTH FULTON PROPOSED, UNCHANGED

Citizens of South Fulton will see no increase in the certified city tax rate for 2019, following the first reading of ordinance 2019-06, conducted special called session of the South Fulton City Commission Monday evening.

In the ordinance, read by City Manager Johnny Bacon, Mayor David Lamb and Commissioners Tommy Pruitt, Terry Taylor and Beatrice Wilcox were in agreement to determine the rate would be $1.6748 per $100 of assessed value for property in the city, the same as the previous year.

The ordinance explained every four or six years, cities and counties undergo property reappraisals pursuant to state statutes found in Tennessee Code Annotated. The ordinance goes on to say the process of reappraisal is intended to keep property ta assessments stable even though property value may increase.

As an example, Bacon and City Recorder Jackie Potter produced a tax bill from 2017 and 2018 for the same piece of property in the city. In 2017, the rate for city taxes was at $1.7500 per $100 assessed value, and then in 2018, the rate was decreased to $1.6748. However, the same piece of property, in 2017 was listed at total property value of $15,000 in 2017 and in 2018, $16,300, reflecting an increase in the total value of the property. Therefore, approximately the same amount of tax revenue was generated from the property both years, within $2, even though the tax rate was different.

Potter said when determining the rate for this year, she referred to the previously fiscal year budget, which noted the previous year’s tax rate.

Bacon said he had been assisted by Katy Stegall, a financial consultant with MTAS, in the formation of the city’s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget, and with delays in that process, the city’s tax rate had not been determined and was requested by the county, so that tax bills could be produced and mailed. Bacon said Stegall had suggested using the same tax rate as the previous year, and to establish the tax rate, two readings of the ordinance are required. The first reading was Monday night, with a second meeting scheduled for Monday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m., to conduct the second and final reading and establish the rate. The first reading of the 2019-2020 budget will also be included in the agenda. That special called session is open to the public.

Bacon added that he anticipated the completion of the first draft of the city’s 2019-2020 budget this week.

Prior to the ordinance reading, Commissioner Terry Taylor expressed his concerns regarding the lack of notification to the Commissioners, public and media about Monday’s special called session. Bacon said he had prepared emails and thought he had sent them to each of the commissioners and Mayor. He said he discovered Monday morning those emails had not been forwarded. Taylor said he was most concerned about the citizens not being notified about the meeting. Commissioner Wilcox also suggested Bacon consult with the commissioners and Mayor individually prior to setting a special called meeting, to insure a quorum.

Bacon assured the officials he would put a process in place to make sure the Mayor, Commissioners, citizens and media were provided with adequate notice in regard to meetings.