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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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A proposal to increase the county wheel tax by $10,
bringing the total to $30, will be addressed by
Carroll County Commissioners during the September 13
meeting. Faced with some eight county bridges that
need repair or replacement, the County must either
increase the wheel tax or increase property taxes to
cover the expenses, said Carroll County Mayor Kenny
McBride.
A $10 wheel tax was first implemented in Carroll
County in 1976 and another $10 was added in 2002 to
fund the $3 million local share of the proposed
977-acre recreational lake in the Leach Community.
Voters in Carroll County approved the latter $10
during a special referendum in the year 2000 with a
provision that the tax cease after the total local
share of the lake's costs were reached, estimated at
12 years. The proposed addition of $10 is needed to
provide some $240,000 annually for rural highway and
bridge projects, said McBride.
Tennessee law requires commissioners to approve the
wheel tax by a two-thirds majority during two
consecutive meetings. In Carroll County, that will
require a minimum of 14 votes in both the September
and October sessions.
Wheel tax rates in area counties include: Gibson -$25;
Henry -$33.50; Weakley -$20; Henderson -$20; Dyer
-$40; Chester -$15; Shelby -$50; and Hardin -$10 with
a proposed $28 increase to total $38.00.
"The wheel tax will alleviate the need for a property
tax hike for the next few years," said McBride, who
estimated that an increase of 9 cents to the current
$1.06 per $100 assessed rate would be needed if the
wheel tax is defeated.
Carroll last increased property taxes in the year
1992, while neighboring counties have sustained
property tax increases (per $100 assessed value) as
follows in the last three years: Benton County - 76
cents; Henry County - 15 cents; Weakley County -6
cents; Gibson -3 cents; and Henderson County -72 cents
per $100.
Tennessee law has a provision to allow the citizens to
mandate the issue be rescinded or taken to public
referendum after approval by the Commission. After
passage by the Commission, voters can present a
petition to the Carroll County Election Commission
asking for a referendum. That petition must be signed
by registered voters in the county numbering 10
percent or greater of the number of persons who voted
in the last guvernatorial election. That will require
approximately 912 signatures.
Such was the case in 1992 in Carroll County when
commissioners approved a $20 hike in the then-$10
wheel tax. The citizens then gathered more than 1,470
names on a petition calling for a referendum on the
wheel tax. Commissioners, faced with establishing a
budget before an October 1, 1992 deadline, responded
to the referendum request by raising property taxes by
32 cents per $100 assessed value.
County Highway Department supervisors Nolan Robinson,
Dennis Parker, Scotty Bailey, and Ricky Scott have
endorsed the wheel tax. A written statement by
supervisors said, "This revenue is needed in order to
keep the department operating in a manner that is
sufficient to what it is now."
The measure has also been approved in the Highway and
Budget committees.
McBride said the County maintains 101 state-inspected
bridges that are more than 20 feet in length. Eight of
those bridges are rated as "poor" but not unsafe, said
the mayor. Another 26 bridges, shorter than 20 feet,
are inspected by local authorities. The bridge
projects are estimated to cost a total of $5 million,
of which the state will pay 80 percent of that
expense. Closing the roads instead of repairing the
bridges is a temporary option, said McBride. However,
if the road is closed permanently, the State will
withhold all State Aid funding. Replacement of a
bridge over the Big Sandy River on the Westport Road
is the most urgent. The bridge is estimated to cost
$1,000,060, of which the local share will be $212,000.
Accident Claims Lives of Two Huntingdon Women
Two Huntingdon women lost their lives in a fiery,
two-vehicle crash on Highway 22, south of Huntingdon
Thursday.
Pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by
Carroll County Medical Examiner Designate Steve
Cantrell were Jessie Maudine Barnett, 80, of 1284
Barnett Street, Huntingdon and Charline Ruby
Warbritton, 84, of 735 Westport Road, Huntingdon.
A joint funeral service was held Sunday, September 5
at 2:00 p.m. at the Huntingdon Church of Christ.
Trooper Mark Jackson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol
stated the 11 a.m. collision occurred when Mrs.
Barnett, who was driving a 2000 Kia, attempted to turn
right off Westport Road and travel north on Highway
22. As the driver pulled into the left lane of Highway
22, she was struck by a Weakley County Highway
Department dump truck, driven by Jerry Brooks Legens,
69, of 7107 Highway 22, Dresden, the trooper said. The
2000 Volvo dump truck was loaded with gravel.
Following impact, the car burst into flames and the
two vehicles were entwined as they traveled
approximately 500 feet north on Highway 22, the
trooper said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the fuel tank
on the passenger vehicle ruptured, with friction
causing the car to burst into flames, Trooper Jackson
said. As the two vehicles skidded, the front of the
dump truck also caught fire. However, Legens was able
to exit the vehicle without injury.
Emergency personnel responding to the scene in
addition to Tennessee Highway Patrol, included
Huntingdon Fire Department, Carroll County Rescue
Squad, McKenzie Fire/Rescue Team, Carroll County
Sheriff's Department, Huntingdon Police Department,
Carroll County Emergency Management Agency and Baptist
Ambulance Service.
One northbound lane of Highway 22 was closed to
traffic approximately four hours following the
collision. The sheriff's department and Huntingdon
Police Department assisted with traffic control at the
wreck scene. Northbound traffic was diverted to the
southbound side and allowed to continue north.
Southbound traffic was able to use one lane of their
side, the trooper said.
