CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The City of Clarksville finally has a budget with close to a 6-cent property tax increase to $1.24 per $100 of assessed value. The tax rate climbed from $1.18 to $1.24 but was lower than previous tax increases proposed by Mayor Kim McMillan.
It was somewhat a struggle Tuesday for the budget to pass on its second reading. With a number of amendments the spending plan failed on the council’s first vote in a tie 6-6. Councilman Richard Garrett then made a motion to reconsider the vote which breathed new life into the budget.
“Maybe we can all come to a compromise and pass a budget and move on with governing the city,” Garrett said, as he made the amendment to the budget. On the second time around the budget passed by a vote of 7-5.
The budget passed with the 3 percent wage hike for city employees and the construction of Clarksville Fire Rescue Station 11 near Exit 1 on I-24. The fire station was added back into the budget after being taken out during the first reading.
The council was scheduled to meet Monday but voted to postpone until Tuesday because The Montgomery County Commission was set to vote Monday on a property tax rate hike for the county. Commissioners passed a 10-cent property tax increase from $2.97 to $3.07 per $100 of assessed property value.