Knoxville City Council Approves First Reading of Proposed Sales Tax Increase

Knoxville, TN (WOKI/ WVLT) Knoxville City Council approves the first reading of the proposed sales tax increase.

During last (Tuesday) night’s meeting, city council voted 7-1 (with one abstention) in favor of putting Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed half-percent sales tax increase to the Local Option Sales Tax referendum on the ballot this November.

This would put the city’s rate at 2.75% and would generate an additional $47 million a year for quality-of-life amenities to all neighborhoods and relieve the strain on public infrastructure.

City council will take a second and final vote on June 24. If it passes the second reading, it will then go on the election ballot this fall, allowing residents to decide whether or not their sales tax will increase.

Original story: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Ahead of a first vote by the Knoxville City Council on Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed sales tax increase, Kincannon released a breakdown of what that added money will support.

The proposal is for a half-percent increase to the Local Option Sales Tax. This tax allows local municipalities, like cities, to charge their own sales tax on top of the 7% that Tennessee already charges statewide. Currently, this tax in Knoxville is 2.25%, and the increase would put the city’s rate at 2.75%.

Kincannon said that this would put Knoxville on par with several surrounding counties, including Anderson, Blount, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties.

If the increase is passed, the added money will go towards the Five-Year Neighborhood Investment Plan, which a spokesperson with the City of Knoxville said will ensure projects within that plan will happen in five years.

According to Kincannon, the plan prioritizes several infrastructure needs, including the following:

• Sidewalks within one-mile of schools (Parental Responsibility Zones, or PRZ), impacting neighborhoods surrounding nearly half the schools in the city
• Repairs to existing greenways, facilities and parks
• Increasing road paving
• 1,000 affordable housing units

The following are some of the infrastructure upgrades included in the plan across Knoxville’s six districts:

• District 1
  • Sidewalks
    • Young High Pike near Hedgeapple Lane – PRZ South-Doyle Middle School
    • Woodlawn Pike near Moody Avenue – PRZ Dogwood Elementary School
    • W. Martin Mill Pike near Chapman Highway
    • W. Martin Mill Pike near W. Moody Avenue
    • Chapman Highway near E. Young High Pike
    • Chapman Highway near Childress Street
  • Parks
    • Charter Doyle Park – playground equipment and dog park renovations
    • Ijams Nature Center Park – infrastructure improvements
    • Gary Underwood Park – renovations including basketball goal and playground equipment
    • Mary Vestal Park – renovations including playground equipment
    • Scottish Pike Park – renovations including playground equipment
  • Greenways
    • Sam Duff Greenway – resurface walking track
  • Facilities
    • South Knoxville Community Center – renovations
    • River Bluff Wildlife Area – improvements to parking, trails and overlook
• District 2
  • Sidewalks
    • Buckingham Drive near Vanosdale Road – PRZ West Hills Elementary School
    • Cortland Drive near Sheffield Drive – PRZ West Hills Elementary School
    • Westwood Road near Herron Drive – PRZ Bearden Elementary School
    • Middlebrook Pike near W. Hills Road – PRZ Bearden Middle School
  • Parks
    • West Hills Tennis Center – pickle ball improvements including new bathrooms and new courts
    • Safety City – renovations including parking and playground equipment
  • Greenways
    • Third Creek Greenway – improvements and repairs
    • Jean Teague Greenway – improvements and repairs
    • Papermill Bluff / Weisgarber Greenways – improvements and repairs
    • Middlebrook Greenway to Jean Teague Greenway – new section – Third Creek connection
  • Facilities
    • Deane Hill Community Center – renovations
• District 3
  • Sidewalks
    • Francis Road near Bearden View Lane – PRZ Bearden Middle School
    • Glenn Avenue near Fillmore Avenue– PRZ West View Elementary School
  • Parks
    • Victor Ashe Park – multi-purpose field improvements
    • Westview Park – renovations including playground equipment
  • Greenways
    • Northwest Greenway – new section connector toward Middlebrook Pike
    • Pleasant Ridge Greenway – new section from I-640 to Wilson Road
    • Pleasant Ridge Greenway – new section from Wilson Road to Western Avenue
  • Facilities
    • Cumberland Estates Community Center – renovations
• District 4
  • Sidewalks
    • Buffat Mill Road near Teeple Street – PRZ Belle Morris Elementary School
    • Barton Street near Washington Pike – PRZ Belle Morris Elementary School
    • Cecil Avenue near Eighth Avenue – PRZ Fulton High School
    • Garden Drive near Jacksboro Pike – PRZ Central High School
    • Garden Drive near Rosebay Road – PRZ Fountain City Elementary, Gresham Middle, and Central High Schools
    • Jacksboro Pike from school entrance to Essary Drive – PRZ Central High School
    • Valley View Drive near Whittle Springs Road – PRZ Whittle Springs Middle School
    • Tazewell Pike and Beverly Road intersection improvements – PRZ Shannondale Elementary School
    • Millertown Pike near Loves Creek Road
    • Sanders Drive near Tazewell Pike
  • Parks
    • Whittle Springs Golf Course – renovations including parking lot and facility upgrades
    • Edgewood Park – renovations including fencing and playground equipment
    • First Creek Park – renovations including playground equipment
  • Greenways
    • First Creek Greenway – new section from Mineral Springs to Edgewood Park
  • Facilities
    • Fire Hall #15 (Jacksboro Pike) renovations
• District 5
  • Sidewalks
    • Bruhin Road near Dutch Valley Drive – PRZ Inskip Elementary School
    • Central Avenue Pike near E. Inskip Drive – PRZ Inskip Elementary School
    • E. Columbia Avenue near Harvey Street – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
    • Harvey Street near Churchwell Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
    • Huron Street near Oglewood Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
    • Henegar Street near Shamrock Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
  • Parks
    • Sam E. Hill School – renovate into a community center including a basketball court
    • Lonsdale Park – renovations including a pavilion
    • Inskip Park – renovations including playground equipment
    • Adair Park – renovations including playground equipment
  • Greenways
    • Adair / Sue Clancy Greenway – new section toward downtown
  • Facilities
    • Inskip Pool – renovations to the facility, pool and grounds
• District 6
  • Sidewalks
    • Boyds Bridge Pike near Brooks Avenue – PRZ Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy
    • Boyds Bridge Pike near Border Street – PRZ Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy
    • College Street near Jourolman Avenue – PRZ Beaumont Magnet Academy
    • S. Castle Street near Wilson Avenue – PRZ Austin-East Magnet High School
    • Wilson Avenue near S. Hermbree Street – PRZ Austin-East Magnet High School
  • Parks
    • Holston River Park – renovations including playground equipment
    • Chilhowee Park – infrastructure
  • Greenways
    • East Knox Greenway – new section toward Knoxville Botanical Gardens
    • Lower First Creek Greenway – new section connecting Caswell Park
  • Facilities
    • Dr. E.V. Davidson Community Center – renovations

Knoxville City Council is set to meet for a first vote on Tuesday. A second vote will then follow on June 24, and if both of those votes are in favor of raising the sales tax, the item will go on the Nov. 4 election ballot, allowing residents to decide whether or not their sales tax will increase.