County Commission approve tax increase
The Weakley County Commission voted Monday night to approve a property tax increase, raising the rate from $1.37 to $1.54 per $100 of assessed value. The 13-percent hike marks the first such increase in the county since 2012.
Commissioner David Hawks led discussion on the measure, emphasizing the financial pressures facing the county. Hawks detailed rising costs for infrastructure and education, including school buses at $160,000 each, single-axle dump trucks at $120,000, double-axle trucks at $160,000, and resurfacing roads at approximately $75,000 per mile. The cost of hot mix asphalt alone can reach $165,000. Hawks also noted that state-mandated teacher raises further necessitate increased funding.
“I'll tell you this — if I ever vote to raise taxes because I feel like I had no choice, and however many years I got left in that term, I will not take a penny from the county commission for my job,” said Hawks. “Whatever the county pays me each month, I will write a check to weCARE, because I think the citizen people kind of need it worse than I do.”
Weakley County Mayor Dale Hutcherson said the decision followed a detailed and careful budgeting process. “Our commission took this process very seriously,” Hutcherson said. “They went line by line, distinguishing between needs and wants, and trimmed the budget down as much as possible. These decisions weren’t made lightly, especially by such a conservative commission. Their primary role is to guard the taxpayers' dollars, and they approached this responsibly.”
County Trustee Marcy Floyd confirmed that the new rate will appear on residents’ property tax bills this October. “This was done solely by the Weakley County Commission,” Floyd stated. “It had nothing to do with the mayor or myself. I just collect the taxes; I don’t set them.”
Floyd clarified that while property assessments have changed over the years, this marks the first true increase in the county’s property tax rate since 2012. She explained that reappraisals by the state occur every five years and can lead to rate adjustments that may impact individual tax bills differently. The most recent reappraisal was in 2023, when the rate dropped from $1.97 to $1.37 per $100 due to increased property values.
Tennessee’s state constitution sets assessment rates at 25% for residential property, 30% for personal property, and 40% for commercial property. Floyd emphasized that this system prevents residents from being taxed on the full appraised value of their properties.
Floyd acknowledged the public response and workload the change brings, but underscored its importance. “Nobody likes it. No one wants to pay more taxes. But we still have all our schools, roads, and services running. If the commission hadn't acted, we might be looking at shutting down schools or cutting transportation.”
She added that Weakley County’s tax rate remains lower than that of many neighboring counties, one factor contributing to new residents moving into the area. “We have low taxes, good schools, and safe communities. You can’t maintain that without some hard choices.”
For Weakley County residential properties, this increase in tax effectively works out to about $43.75 more paid in tax for each $100,000 in appraised value. Martin residents will see an increase on their city tax rates in addition to the county tax increase.
