Maury commission takes first step to support building impact fee

The Maury County Commission approved on Monday a resolution that strives to secure more funding to support exponential county growth.

Commissioners approved an amendment to the County Powers Relief Act that would generate more county revenue, or a tax up to $3 per square foot on new residential development. The commission is vying for the authority to impose the tax based on the square footage of residential developments to create revenue to support needed infrastructure growth.

State approval would be required before the fee could be implemented.

"We are growing so fast, we can't fund all of our growth," county commission vice chairman Ray Jeter said. "We need to build schools and roads for the new people who are moving into the county. We need a fee that is earmarked for infrastructure."

Jeter said he believes it's "not fair" for the burden of growth, such as road improvements and new schools, to fall solely on taxpayers through property tax increases.

Some Maury County leaders say if the building impact fee is passed in the state legislature, it could stave off future county property tax increases. The commission approved a countywide property tax increase of 31 cents last fiscal year, bringing the current rate to $1.91.

In an effort to thwart another tax increase, Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt and the commission are aggressively seeking the implementation of the building impact fee, after a similar bill sponsored by Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, failed in the House last legislative session.

Cepicky and Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, have vowed to sponsor the bill once more in the next General Assembly.

Butt said other high-growth counties are also interested in joining Maury County in supporting the resolution.

"Maury County is going to do everything in its power to take the lead to get this passed," said Butt, who has been pushing for the fee since her campaign for mayor.

The resolution states that "counties that are in high growth areas especially in certain parts of Tennessee are at a disadvantage and the cost of growth are being placed upon individual taxpayers rather than the development paying its fair share of the increased costs."

“Cities in the state of Tennessee are allowed to collect funds from developers that are related to growth and are allowed to have additional impact fees, but counties have been limited from doing so,” the resolution states.

Maury County is the fastest-growing county in Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Maury commission takes first step to support building impact fee