Sales tax increase passes first

Sales tax increase passes first reading

Jeremy Nash news-herald.net

Lenoir City Council during a special called meeting Monday unanimously approved the first reading of an increase to the local sales tax rate by half a percent.

Councilmen Mike Henline and Bobby Johnson Sr., motioned and seconded, respectively, with the vote passing 6-0. Henline and Councilwoman Jennifer Wampler also motioned and seconded to put the referendum on the Nov. 6 election ballot, which passed 6-0.

If passed on second reading, it would bring the local sales tax rate for Lenoir City to 2.5 percent, according to a document provided Monday.

The decision comes months after a school safety task force was formed and helped brainstorm ways to improve school safety. City council and Lenoir City Board of Education held a joint workshop June 26 at city hall to discuss ways to fund those ideas. Initially city representatives considered a three-fourths of a percent increase, which would have brought in an additional $2.9 million annually, but ultimately decided to go with a half a percent increase at $1.89 million.

“I think it sends a message that we’re not just trying to gouge the taxpayers, that we’re trying to cut every penny and do everything we can to make sure that we get what we need, but yet we’re fair, but ultimately, again, it’s ultimately left up to the taxpayers,” Tony Aikens, Lenoir City mayor, said. “If they want it, they’ll vote it in and if they don’t they won’t. We believe we’re telling them what we think, we’ve done our homework. We’ve included law enforcement, administrators, city officials and students.

“... Even the students said, ‘Look, we need to do this and this and this and this,’ and we agree,” he added. “We’re left up to the task of how to pay for it.”

Lenoir City Administrator Amber Scott said funds received from the increase in sales tax would only be used for school safety and would not be sunset.

Items up for consideration include funding four school resource officers, three social workers, three registered nurses, fencing at Lenoir City High School and classroom video and panic call technology.

“I just want to make sure we’re doing everything possible to keep our students and staff and teachers and families feeling safe,” Jeanne Barker, director of schools, said. “Now I believe they are safe, but they need to feel that we are doing everything possible, and we can do better. We need a fence around the high school and that is extremely expensive. Something that looks nice but also is functional. We’re looking at electronic devices, key locks, electronic locks for schools, looking at supporting the emotional needs of students.”

It’s a plan Barker called “comprehensive.” LCHS security fencing could cost $500,000, while social workers and nurses could be $50,000 and $55,000 each, respectively. A concrete dollar figure could not be determined.

“I don’t know exactly what all of that would look like, I just know that we need to do something,” Barker said. “... Everything is an estimate at this time. We have met and we have identified some needs and so this is an opportunity for us to try to get in front of the people to see if they believe it’s also a need. That’s where we stand.”

A public hearing for second and final reading will be 5:30 p.m. followed by Lenoir City Council’s meeting at 6 p.m. July 9. If the vote passes, documentation will then be sent to the state and Loudon County Election Commission to put it on the November ballot.

“We want to do everything that we can in order to lessen the risk of having a tragedy like what we’ve had across the country at schools,” Scott said.