KNOXVILLE — The Marion County Board of Supervisors have approved the maximum county-wide property tax levy rate for the upcoming fiscal year, which is a slight decrease from the previous year.
On Tuesday, supervisors approved a county-wide property tax levy rate of $9.78 per $1,000 taxable valuation for fiscal year 2023-24. This rate is a 10-cent decrease from last fiscal year, which had a property tax levy rate of $9.88 per $1,000 taxable valuation, according to Jake Grandia, Marion County auditor. At this rate, the county is projected to collect $14.3 million in property taxes.
Supervisor Mark Raymie says the “trend” has been to decrease the overall property tax levy rate from preceding boards. According to county documents provided by Grandia, the property tax levy rate has consistently decreased slightly each year since FY 2019-20, which had a property tax levy rate of $10.73 per $1,000 taxable valuation. The highest rate in the last 10 years was FY 2013-14 at $10.87.
“This board is very proud of the fact that board members look for ways to reign in costs, look for ways to return dollars to the taxpayer, but also fully fund the services and economic activities that we have undertaken,” he says. “That’s unusual for a county our size to be able to do that.”
Supervisors also approved the county's certified budget for FY 2023-24. Total revenues are estimated at $31.3 million, a decrease of $3.5 million from the current fiscal year. Total expenditures are projected at $40.35 million, an increase of $3.7 million from the current fiscal year.
Salary increases for elected county officials, including three supervisors, sheriff, auditor, treasurer, recorder and attorney, were also finalized for FY 2023-24.
Elected official salaries are determined by recommendations from the Marion County Compensation Board. The compensation board recommended a 11.8% salary increase for county supervisors, along with 18% for the county sheriff, 7.56% for the county auditor, 8.3% for the county treasurer, 9.2% for the county recorder and 6.58% for the county attorney.
The salary increases approved by supervisors Tuesday cuts the compensation board’s salary increase recommendations for elected officials in half. Salary increases for the following elected county officials are:
— Supervisors received a 5.9% increase from $42,158 to $44,645 each. The supervisor chair received a slightly higher increase at $46,145.
— The county sheriff received a 9% increase from $120,511 to $131,256.
— The county auditor received a 3.78% increase from $84,289 to $87,475.
— The county treasurer received a 4.17% increase from $84,289 to $85,633.
— The county recorder received a 4.6% increase from $80,893 to $84,614.
— The county attorney received a 3.29% increase from $136,997 to $141,504.
In other news:
— Supervisors approved the Marion County Secondary Roads Department budget, estimated at $10.2 million in total expenditures, for FY24.
— Supervisors approved a construction contract with Sta-Bilt Construction Co. for $427,535 to microsurface county roads G76 and G40.
— Supervisors amended a 28E agreement between the county and the City of Knoxville that establishes parameters around the redevelopment of the Knoxville VA. The amendment allows the county to cede portions of the VA to the city as they redevelop the area to streamline the process. Raymie says this will “protect the county’s financial interests going forward” but also allows the city more flexibility to sell and develop the ground within city council.
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