A Look at the Franklin Special School District

It looks as though Robertson County is not the only County facing recognizable challenges in education – socioeconomic, ethnic and community-based schools:

It was back in October when Franklin Special School District leaders started to work on a plan to bring socioeconomic and ethnic balance to its seven schools and 3,800 students. More than nine months later, it’s still unclear what direction the district will take.

It looks as though Williamson County – yes, that Williamson County faces some of those same challenges we do here.

It will be interesting to watch much like it will be interesting to watch just what we do here in Robertson County.

UPDATED: County-By-County Analysis: Their Budgets

We are not the only County struggling with fiscal issues.

Here are what other counties are doing with their budgets.

What I will try to do is highlight some of the other discussions, issues and, most importantly, solutions they applied. Consider this a forum for discussion rather any endorsement of one idea over another.

Henry County: Protests after a $.15 increase.
Dyer County: It appears that Dyer County reluctantly broached just what charitable contributions should come from public coffers. Further, each department had a reduction of their budget by 4%.
Monroe County: Bleak, and more bleak.
Williamson County: $.23 increase
Obion County: Nothing definitive here with the exception of the 'wheel tax' proposal. Fees are taxes, too.
Anderson County: $.16 increase & $25 wheel tax
Carter County: $.14 increase

Please feel free to share any stories you may have. This is an open forum.

County-by-County: Comparing the Property Tax Rates

Many of you have asked me just what the tax rates are for our surrounding counties.

Of course, this question was sparked by the recent story in the Robertson County Times discussing the possible property tax increase.

The numbers I pulled below are the “base” property tax rates. I say “base” because they do not represent the entire tax rate. Municipalities within the respective counties have additional taxes on top of the respective county taxes. Some counties, such as Cheatam County have additional taxes for fire districts. I have not included those for comparison since it is hard to compare based on those separate taxes.

If you would like to investigate further, please follow this link to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury – Division of Property Assessment. A link can be found here: 2010 PROPERTY TAX RATES:

County                      Property Tax Rate

North Middle Tennessee

Cheatam County              $              2.78                       

Sumner                               $             2.02.08 

Robertson                           $              2.61

Dickson                                $              2.85

Montgomery                     $              2.88

Trousdale                            $              3.00

Wilson                                 $              2.4327

Middle/Southern Middle Tennessee

Davidson                             $              3.56

Rutherford                         $              2.4652

Maury                                   $              2.59

Williamson                        $              2.26

Marshall                              $              3.09

Bedford                               $              2.27