The Claiborne County Commission approved an amended 2024-25 budget authorization resolution during its August meeting, setting the 2024-25 property tax levy at $2.377 per $100 of assessed value. This was its last chance to approve a budget before the State Comptroller’s Office had to step in and manage county spending on Sept. 1.

The commission approved a motion by David Mundy to reduce the proposed property tax increase by four cents and take the $265,629 in proposed revenue from the county’s general fund balance. The amendment passed by a vote of 11-10, despite objections from County Mayor Joe Brooks and County Finance Director Eric Pearson.

Zachary Bunch, Gary Poore, Stacey Crawford, Zach Mullins, Anthony Rowe, Mitchell Cosby, Rosemary Barnett, Carolyn Brooks, Steve Mason and Quinton Rodgers joined Mundy in voting for the change. Commissioners Dennis Cook, Whitt Shuford, Haley Barker, Nathan Epperson, Mike Campbell, Tim Shrout, Steve Brogan, Eric Jones, Sherry McCreary and Dustin Wilson voted against.

Person said the measure will increase the property tax rate from about $2.78 per $100 to $2.34. The property tax rate was previously $2.30 per $100.

“The best approach is to balance recurring expenses with recurring revenue,” he said. “(Borrowing from the general fund to cover expenses) is not something the comptroller would recommend.”

Mayor Brooks said if the county continues to have to borrow from the fund, “we will never have a fund balance that would allow us to make a five percent increase.”

Commissioners had previously voted 19-2 to eliminate Persons’ $20,000 raise included in the budget proposal and instead give him the same 3 percent raise that all county employees receive.

The final budget and tax levy resolutions were passed by a vote of 19 to 2, with Shuford and Barker being the only dissenting votes.

Commissioner Brogan pointed out that 4.5 cents of the tax increase was due to government-mandated increases for emergency services.

“This is all new money and we had to do it,” he said. “We’re all taxpayers and I don’t want to pay more than I have to pay. That and the 3 percent raise for our employees is exactly what you get. Considering what’s happened in this country in the last year, there’s something wrong with people if they don’t agree to give our employees a 3 percent raise.”