Will there be a 63 cent property tax increase next year?
On August 25th at the old Camden City Hall a meeting was held between concerned citizens of the county and the Benton County Industrial Board.
Rita Bendorf and Vivian Mahan were among the concerned citizens of the county who met with some of the members of the Benton County Industrial Board, which included Ben Marks, Sam Long, Stanley Medlin, Gene Palmer, and Mack Terry. County Mayor Jimmy Thornton, and Commissioners Pace and King were also present at this meeting.
In an interview with Kentucky Lake Times, Vivian Mahan said the purpose of this meeting was for the citizens of Benton County to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of the Benton County Industrial Board versus those of the Benton County/Camden Chamber of Commerce.
During this meeting questions were asked concerning the sewer system on Exit 126. Ben Marks explained that the sewer system was out of the privy of the Industrial Board. It was reported that one of the citizens in attendance stated that County Mayor Thornton objected to Marks' comment concerning the involvement of the Industrial Board in relation to the sewer system project stating that he had earlier approached some of the Board members concerning the plans for the sewer system.
In this same meeting on August 25th, another person in attendance stated in an interview that County Mayor Thornton said that there would be a 63 cent property tax increase next year.
Some will recall that News Channel 5 out of Nashville was present at the Monday night meeting (September 27) when the budget was passed by the Benton County Budget Committee. Barry Simmons, the reporter with News Channel 5 interviewed County Mayor Jimmy Thornton after the conclusion of the budget meeting.
Joe Kyle of Camden, TN, told Kentucky Lake Times that he asked Simmons after his interview of Mayor Thornton, if Thornton acknowledged his earlier statement at the meeting on August 25th concerning the 63 cents property tax increase next year. Simmons told Kyle that Thornton denied any knowledge about such a thing.
Kentucky Lake Times has since obtained an audio tape that was recorded at the Industrial
Board meeting held on August 25. The question remains, did Thornton say that there would be a
63 cent property tax increase?
Click here to listen to this recording. (You will need Windows Media Player or WinAmp to hear this recording).
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Readers' Comments:
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comment: you tellin me that mayor thornton is gonna stick us with more tax next year? thats thorntons voice for sure.
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