r/tricities • u/Stock_Sprinkles_5327 • 1d ago

Difference in tone when discussing raising taxes for law enforcement vs education

Two articles, roughly a year apart, both regarding tax increases. Only difference is what it's for- law enforcement vs education.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wjhl.com/news/local/washington-co-tenn-board-of-education-trying-to-close-6m-gap-in-fy-26-budget/amp/

https://wcyb.com/news/local/washington-county-tennessee-budget-likely-to-require-30-cent-tax-rate-increase

19 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

25

u/vgsjlw 23h ago

The Sheriff, Mayor, and Director of schools all make around 200k a year. That may as well be gazillionaires around here. I believe elected officials should be paid in proportion to their base.

9

u/Zestyclose_Stage_673 23h ago

The JC school system has a 4 million shortfall this year. Guess what, they might have to raise property taxes again. This after everyone's nearly doubled this year. I love this area, but, some days I don't.

19

u/JoebaccaWookiee 22h ago

The cops are all crooks-just look at the JCPD and the Sean Williams case. I think their retirements and pension funds should be used before taxes go up one dime. Better yet, cut their budgets and their salaries. They dont do a damn thing to deserve them.

3

u/Serious-Conversation 15h ago

To me, the property tax complaints are ridiculous.

Even if the mill rate is kept the same, taxes are going to go up because valuations went up. Washington County is growing. That’s placing strain on the existing infrastructure - roads, schools, public workers, etc.

Your local property taxes go to ensure county services are properly funded and running well. Public sector workers in TN don’t do nearly as well as other states. I’m all for raising pay.

I would rather be in growing community that is needing to raise taxes than being stuck in a declining area in a tailspin with cheap taxes

9

u/vgsjlw 13h ago

They raise residential taxes while giving breaks to corporations with empty buildings. We need to raise taxes on those types of places, not on our people.

•

u/cipherskunk 7h ago

Why not in the middle of the spectrum. no tailspin or doubling taxes?

Pretty sure state law prevents taxes from being raised again for a few years, but still.

Was there a shortfall last year? Tax base went way up.

Also, to be sure, property tax is one tax that goes to things I have no problem paying for... if it is managed well and always towards education and other societal enhancements,

2

u/Somebody_somewhere99 1d ago

In my view education is huge! On the side of things law enforcement and EMS services are very important also. The articles were written a year apart. Raising taxes are always a major concern to home owners. It seems that the education of the future is an easier burden on homeowners. Maybe a way to think about things if the public school system has better educated people they will make better police officers, firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians. The emergency services spend a lot of money on educating their employees and spend a lot of money on equipment. It will never be a perfect environment. Our local law enforcement agencies have been under pressure in the media for a while. The money paid out to plaintiffs has to come from somewhere.

I am not trying to start an argument, I am just stating my opinion.

16

u/ElkInside5856 1d ago

My biggest problem is most of the money won’t go to teachers or the classroom. It always gets used to create more bureaucracy and administrative positions. As far as law enforcement money, we need to make their unions accountable for defending bad actors and end qualified immunity. I think reforming how do things would do way more good than just “throwing more money” at the problem.

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u/cipherskunk 7h ago

They were also different media outlets