CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council voted down a proposal to roll back more than $3.3 million in sales taxes for schools; however, it had been narrowly approved before one council member changed their vote at the last second.
Two amendments to the resolution were introduced Thursday night. Councilman Brian Zacharias proposed an amendment to continue funding the additional local option sales tax allocated to CMCSS, but the motion failed for lack of a second.
Councilman Jimmy Brown introduced his amendment for the city to recapture the $3.3-3.5 million, but implement it over a period of three years. Brown moved for something similar when the rollback proposal was before the council during their fiscal year budget process.
Brown’s amendment would begin in July 2027 and extend through June 2029. “Instead of this being a big hit at one time, this would spread it out over three years and give the school system and the county time to make adjustments,” Brown said. His amendment was approved 9-3.
Councilwoman Keri Lovato moved to postpone the resolution indefinitely and place a proposal on referendum to increase the city’s sales tax by a quarter. “It does remove the additional 20% given, but with raising the sales tax, it will give the school more money, so they would not be without, and it would also give the City of Clarksville more revenue as well.”
After some discussion, Lovato’s motion was voted down 5-7.
Resolution fails after council member swaps vote
When the resolution as amended was voted on, the proposal was set to pass 7-5. Voting in favor were council members Eric Claunch, Tim Chandler, Ambar Marquis, Jerry Haywood, Brown, Joe Shakeenab, and Mayor Joe Pitts.
Voting against were Zacharias, Carlos Peters, Wanda Smith, Stacey Streetman and Lovato.
However, as Pitts asked if any member of the council wanted to change their vote, Claunch decided to vote against the resolution at the last second, which led to its downfall. Councilman Travis Holleman was absent.
This article will be updated with additional quotes.
| PREVIOUSLY:
- City Council talks rollback of $3.3 million to schools, willing to meet with county
- Proposed rollback of $3.3 million in sales taxes for schools’ stalls, discussion of ballot decision
- Letter: Proposed rollback of sales tax to schools pulls rug from under students | OPINION
- Montgomery County seeks school funding solutions as city looks to take back $3.5 million in sales tax
- City of Clarksville proposes 31-cent property tax increase, pullback of portion of sales tax shared to schools
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