CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After more than seven department heads addressed the City Council on Tuesday night on why a 34% property tax increase should be implemented for the next fiscal year, members of the council shared their perspectives and concerns about the proposed budget.
Councilman Joe Shakeenab said he’s not in favor of making cuts to the Police Department, Fire Rescue, Street Department and Building and Codes.
“These are the guys, if anything, that need a little bit more. But we have 19 departments in the city, so if anyone’s looking at cutting, well you should be looking at some of those other departments,” Shakeenab said. “We can’t cut $1 million from Fire Rescue, or $1 million from CPD; we just can’t do that.”
| PREVIOUSLY: City explains need for 31-cent property tax increase, aims for ‘structurally sound’ budget
Councilman Eric Claunch agreed that central services cannot be messed with. “We’ve increased pay for (police) officers, and it’s still below what they probably should be getting. Our fire department is still below what they should be getting,” he said.
Shakeenab asked if the City had thought of implementing a different property tax rate than $1.23. Wilcox said they did run some other numbers, including $1.17, before deciding on the proposed rate.
‘City residents are paying for a fire department who will never serve them’
Councilman Brian Zacharias said he has spent time leading up to the work session going over the breakdown in local taxes, which includes what percentages go to the county, and what percentages go to the city. “It’s been an eye-opening process for sure,” he said.
“One thing I keep running into is this new fire department that the county has. City taxpayers pay county taxes and city taxes. They’re funding one fire department here in Clarksville, and they’re funding another fire department in the county. What are city residents getting for the money that they are paying toward that county fire department?”
Fire Chief Freddie Montgomery Jr. responded that they receive nothing. “We provide all the services inside the city, and we also support the county through mutual aid,” Montgomery said.
“So, you’re telling me that city residents are paying for a fire department who will never serve them?” Zacharias asked. Montgomery said yes.
Zacharias asked, when Clarksville Fire Rescue responds to a call out in the county, if their department is reimbursed for their services.
Montgomery said no, their department does not get reimbursed due to the mutual aid agreement, and they accept all liability and responsibility when responding to a call outside city limits.
‘I’m not saying 31 cents is the answer, it’s too much at once’
Zacharias spoke to the ongoing city needs, and its comparatively low tax rate.
“We heard from Chief (Ty) Burdine that for the last two years that new hires have been requested but not approved, and that was out of the desire not to raise taxes. We mentioned Chattanooga having 100 more police officers than we do; in case anybody is interested, Chattanooga’s city tax rate is $1.93,” he said. “For Building and Codes, you have your abatement mission, which is currently suffering right now.
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“I’m not saying 31 cents is the answer, it’s too much at once. But when you look at what Clarksville is spending per resident, which is about $900, and you look at what other cities our size are spending, which is about $2,000 per resident. … We need to spend enough to run the city. I don’t know what that number is, but I think if it could be done for $900 per citizen, then we wouldn’t be the only city in Tennessee trying to do it.”
Claunch agreed that a 31-cent increase is not the answer, however, he acknowledged that the city has to spend more money in order to maintain needed services.
‘It is time that we quit eating steak on a bologna budget’
Councilman Tim Chandler said that there needs to be a discussion about the State of Tennessee’s attempt to cap cities’ annual property tax rate increases at 2%.
“This past year was the first year it was tried,” Chandler said. “What they’re trying to tell cities is if you go more than 2%, and the inflation, you have to put it on a referendum. What you’re asking people to do if you put it on a referendum is, do you want to pay more money or not?”
He said he’s been connected to the city for over 40 years, and “It is time that we quit eating steak on a bologna budget. It’s that plain and simple.”
“We sit up here praising the department heads, we’re praising what the city is doing, then when we come in here, we forget about it at budget time,” Chandler said. “I’ve had my differences with some city department heads, don’t get me wrong, but they are trying their damndest, folks.”
Chandler said as Clarksville continues to promote people moving into the area, “what people don’t realize is if we keep this up, we’re going to be the best bankrupt city in the state. And if you don’t think the state wouldn’t try to come up in here and take us over if we don’t follow our financial responsibilities, you are wrong.”
Clarifying questions involving funds sent annually to CMCSS
Councilperson Wanda Smith asked Wilcox to clarify how much money is going toward the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System annually.
Wilcox said that in this fiscal year, the city gave CMCSS $75 million, with $72 million of that required by state law. “The sales tax rate is broken into four parts that were put into place from 1964 to 1988,” Wilcox said. “So, this has been going on for quite some time. Like I’ve said, it’s collected by the state, given to the county, and then the county forwards us our portion. And we get a report every month about what was collected.”
Wilcox said in addition to what’s required by state law, the City of Clarksville also sends CMCSS 20% of a voluntary amount from the city’s 1977 tax. “That has not changed as of yet,” she said. “It ends up about between $3 to $3.5 million a year.”
City budget for Ajax Turner Senior Center
Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Letourneau touched on how the Ajax Turner Senior Center has been budgeted for FY 2026-27.
“The big-dollar ticket item for us this year is with the Ajax Turner Senior Center,” Letourneau said. “Let me first say we’re very excited about this opportunity, and I want to be very clear that our intent is not only to continue to provide programs that their very valuable volunteers are facilitating over there, but to continually improve and provide new programming with member feedback.”
Letourneau explained what’s different in the proposed FY 2026-27 budget. “The current center charges $35 per year for its members, and our intent is to align this with our recreational centers and our fee structure. That’s 65 years and older are free, and $5 per year for those under 65.”
Letourneau said the senior members would also have access to the city’s three existing recreational centers at no additional cost.
Right now, the budgeted funding for Ajax Turner Senior Center FY 2026-27 is $1.286 million. $178,000 is expected to go toward meal service. “We believe once we get in the facility, we can reduce this budget number by streamlining the services and expenses for following years,” she said.
Smith asked Wilcox how much the City currently spends toward the Ajax Turner Senior Center. Wilcox said the city historically has given around $800,000 a year.
The City Council next meets Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 106 Public Square.
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