Property tax approved by Loudon County Commission to fund school projects

LOUDON, Tenn. (WATE) — The Loudon County Commission approved a property tax increase on Monday that would fund new school projects.

After a motion to delay the vote until an independent feasibility study on the school projects failed, commissioners voted 6-4 in favor of increasing the combined property tax rate to $1.7683 on each $100,000 of taxable property outside the city limits of Lenoir City.

It marks an increase of 25 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw was in attendance at the meeting and said he does have the ability to veto the tax increase, but declined to state if he would do so.

The proposal came in light of a request from the school system. Loudon County Director of Schools Mike Garren said earlier this month that projects including the development of a “north end school”, the addition of 10 classrooms to Philadelphia Elementary, and upgrades to Greenback School would add up to around $111 million.

Meanwhile, Lenoir City leaders on Monday approved a one-year moratorium on new apartment construction projects. It won’t affect projects that have already been approved and the city council reserves the right to end the moratorium early or extend it.

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