After over a quarter of a century of “no tax increase” and the prosperity of local sales tax growth County commission may have to ask residents for a raise..
And some county commissioners blame Sheriff John Mehr’s lawsuit against the county for apprehension funding the new school in the north west corner of the county to replace Pope.
Madison County financial management committee met to discuss known funding obligations and the unknowns of rising construction costs for the Madison County Jail, unknown operational expenses for the Jail complex, and the sheriffs lawsuit. Commissioners worry that they can’t meet their obligations for a new school, and the public private partnership for a new JCM with the current tax revenues.
One option commissioners are considering is a $100 wheel tax.
Commissioners have a special called meeting February 14 to consider the public private partnership for construction of a new JCM.
Without the county’s participation a new Madison academic school proposed for the campus of joining University of Memphis Lambuth would all but certainly be postponed or null since the agreement calls for participation from all parties.
One proposal being considered is to earmark the tax increase specifically for education. In 2018 commissioners raised property taxes To collect $6 million and marked the money in a special account for education.
The February 14 special called meeting is the first of two required by law to pass the public private partnership agreement.
