Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Watson responds to Abbatiello’s column on budgeting, property taxes

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

By Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watston responded Thursday to a guest column by former City Council member Leonard Abbatiello on budgeting and property taxes.

I have reviewed the comments from Mr. Abbatiello for the paper. There are a couple of clarifications that need to be made in his comments, but generally “matching” our budget cycles with various Tennessee or federal cycles is good. Oak Ridge is the earliest in the state at present time. Hohenwald and Memphis has a collection period beginning July 1. Morristown, Crossville, and Norris have a period beginning Aug. 1. Alcoa, Maryville, Johnson City, Dyersburg, Newbern, and Sardis have a collection period beginning Sept. 1.

Perhaps most importantly (as Mr. Abbatiello knows), June is the month of tax appeals. At present, we have various changes that occur during that month after our June 1 collection period. This causes a number of administrative changes, which do have a cost, so a shift in the calendar would avoid some of this administration, especially during a reappraisal (next one in 2015). [Read more…]

Guest column: Budgeting and property taxes, why are we different?

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

By Leonard Abbatiello

As a matter of convenience to the Oak Ridge Board of Education, the city is getting ready to change the budgeting cycle and the Oak Ridge property tax due and delinquent dates. The city-proposed changes are only a partial band-aid. No one has considered the taxpayer, or the impact of what is best for everyone. 

Early in Oak Ridge’s municipal history, the city had the State of Tennessee legislature pass a private law and a local ordinance which made it possible for Oak Ridge to tax its businesses and citizens much earlier than any other government in Tennessee. It was cash-flow strapped and it then sought state relief to force earlier federal payments. This created a budget cycle that required Oak Ridgers to pre-pay property taxes rather than pay-as-you-go, which happens in the rest of Tennessee.

Today, Oak Ridge is the only Tennessee government which sets its budget and property tax rate in May, its tax bill payments due date is June 1, and the late tax payment date now is July 31 annually. This makes us pre-pay our property taxes and forces early budget decisions. [Read more…]