Road Committee

Allows Proposed

Resolution To Die

For Lack Of Motion

By NELSON MORAIS

Staff Writer

The Greene County Commission's Road Committee on Monday decided not to propose or support a referendum for the November ballot that would increase the wheel tax if approved by voters.

Committee members noted that county residents are being hit hard by rising gas and grocery prices, as well as by other steep price hikes.

Greene County Road Superintendent David Weems had said his department was definitely in need of more funding. But Weems quickly added that he opposed a wheel tax increase to do that, citing increases in the cost of gas and other costs of living for residents.

"I just don't feel like now's the time to place any more burdens on taxpayers," Weems said.

The county wheel tax is currently $20 per motor vehicle, with certain types of vehicles exempt from the tax by law.

County Budget Director David Lawing has said half of the present $20 county wheel tax goes to the Highway Department directly for current operations, and the other half goes to the county debt service fund to pay off road bonds.

The Greene County Commission's Budget & Finance Committee earlier this month asked the Road Committee to discuss and, and if interested, pass a resolution to place a wheel tax increase referendum on the ballot.

"Funding for (the highway) department is almost red-line critical," said Road Committee Chairman Kevin Morrison.

The purpose of Monday evening's discussion, Morrison said, was for the committee to consider and possibly support a wheel tax referendum on the ballot, "or let it die in committee."

Motion Never Made

After lengthy discussion, the proposed referendum died without anyone making a motion to support it. Commissioner Margaret Greenway said she agreed with Weems that now was not the time to increase the wheel tax.

Fred Malone Jr. argued in favor of a slight increase in the wheel tax, perhaps $5, because he said that while only an estimated 30 percent of the citizens of Greene County own property, their property taxes disproportionately fund the Highway Department.

"I'd be willing to give a little extra rather than have my property taxes go up .... Thirty percent of us (are property owners in Greene County who) are carrying the burden."

Tim White concurred with Malone, saying he was "part of the 30 percent" of residents who own property and pay property taxes to fund the highway department.

Bleak Financial Outlook

Morrison described a bleak outlook for most citizens, with increases in gasoline, electric power, water rates, groceries, insurance and property reappraisals.

"We've got plenty of people with property appraised more than they can sell it for," Morrison said.

He also said economists were predicting "a record (trade) deficit for the U.S. next year."

Robbie Morgan suggested that instead of an increase in the wheel tax being put on the ballot, it would make more sense to redirect more revenue from the hotel/motel tax to the county's Highway Department.

The county has a 7 percent hotel/motel tax. Of that, 1.5 percent goes to the Greene County Partnership to promote tourism and another 1.5 percent to the GCP for economic development; 2 percent is designated to cover county debt service on road bonds through 2021; and 2 percent is designated for capital projects, half of that for recreation and half for performing arts.

"The bottom line is you have to have your infrastructure in place. We could have the biggest tourist attraction in the area, but" roads so shoddy they would not get visitors to the attraction, Morgan said.

"Let's take what we have and be more creative and redistribute" revenue from the hotel/motel tax, Morgan said. Later, he added, "you've got to get your priorities straight."

'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul'?

Morrison contended, however, that redistributing the revenues collected from hotel and motel guests was "sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul."

Betty Ruth Alexander said she was in favor of having members of the Greene County Commission debate and vote on a wheel tax referendum.

Greene County Attorney Roger Woolsey said he strongly doubted voters would approve a referendum to increase the wheel tax if they were given the chance to vote on it.

"I think we're kidding ourselves to believe it'd be passed" by voters, Woolsey said.

Morrison asked committee members, "What is the pleasure of this committee: let it (a proposed referendum on the ballot) die, or recommend it to the full county commission?"

No one made a motion.

On another matter, William Ricker of 1445 White Sands Road attended the meeting to request that a county-maintained road near his residence be extended about 125 feet.

Weems told Ricker, who was accompanied by his son, Scottie Ricker, that the committee could not consider his request without William Ricker first gathering consent/approval signatures from owners of adjoining properties along the requested extension.

Vehicle Weight Limits

Hilton Seay asked committee members if perhaps a maximum weight limit should be enacted for tractor-trailers and others with heavy loads that are putting too much pressure on county roads and destroying them prematurely.

Woolsey said the idea of weight limits had come up before, but committee members should be aware of the higher costs that loggers and even private property owners would incur by requiring more trips with smaller vehicles to, for example, remove cut timber from a property.

"Like everything the county does, it affects someone adversely," Woolsey said.

He also said when he had previously contacted the University of Tennessee's County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) for their opinion on vehicle weight limits, he was told, "Don't pass a law unless you're willing to enforce it."