Tennessee property tax spikes may trigger a special legislative session
Rising local property taxes in Tennessee, the highest in the nation, have prompted lawmakers to consider a special session to curb the increases.
According to the Beacon Center, Tennessee now tops the nation in local property-tax growth, with some suburbs seeing increases of 14% to 164% this year. Voters will decide in November whether to prohibit a statewide property tax, yet the measure leaves city, county and school-board taxes untouched. A January proposal by Rep. Jason Zachary and Sen. Bo Watson to limit local tax hikes to inflation plus 2% failed to advance out of committee.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton's office indicated that a special session is being explored as an alternative solution. At present, taxpayers can only contest their assessments through local appeals, as the state lacks a comprehensive cap on property taxes. Critics argue that many local expenditures fund nonessential services, suggesting spending cuts as another path to relief.
