Kingston Springs considers property tax freeze for seniors on fixed incomes

Town officials will explore whether Kingston Springs can offer property tax relief to qualifying senior citizens, with the proposal expected to return to the Board of Commissioners next month.

The Board discussed the idea during its Aug. 20 meeting after Mayor Todd Verhoven raised the possibility of creating a tax freeze for older residents on fixed incomes. Verhoven said he had seen similar programs in Burns and Dickson and wanted to determine whether Kingston Springs could establish something comparable.

The proposal would freeze the property tax rate for qualifying residents at the rate in effect when they receive the exemption. Future tax increases would not apply to those residents, although eligibility requirements would still need to be established.

Verhoven said the program could provide relief to residents who have limited ability to absorb rising costs.

“These are people on fixed income,” Verhoven said during the meeting. “They can't just go out and get a job or ask for a raise.”

The board has not yet approved a tax freeze or established eligibility requirements. Verhoven said he planned to speak with Burns Mayor Rusty Grove about the town's program and share that information with City Manager John Lawless.

Board members also discussed the potential effect on town revenue. Lawless said the town does not currently have a reliable way to model how many Kingston Springs residents might qualify, though existing county and state tax-relief data could provide a starting point.

Lawless estimated that one penny of the town's property tax rate generates roughly $16,500 to $17,000 annually. He said the financial impact of a freeze could be relatively small if only a limited portion of residents qualified.

Verhoven said he would like to see the proposal studied before making a decision.

“I hope that we don't have to raise taxes anymore,” he said, adding that he would prefer the town to continue looking for ways to control its budget.

The board agreed to gather more information about similar programs in other communities, with the potential tax freeze expected to be placed on the Sept. 17 Board of Commissioners agenda for further discussion.

Board approves data-center moratorium

The board also unanimously approved on second reading the town's 12-month moratorium on applications for high-resource usage facilities, including potential data centers.

The moratorium, which was initially approved on first reading in July, gives the town time to study regulations for developments that could place significant demands on electricity, water or other public infrastructure.

The Planning Commission originally recommended an 18-month moratorium, but the Board of Commissioners reduced it to 12 months before giving it unanimous approval on first reading last month.

Town officials have emphasized that the moratorium is not a ban on data centers. Rather, it provides time to develop permanent regulations governing high-resource developments. The town has not received an application for a data center or other high-resource facility.

Friends of Kingston Springs nonprofit established

City Manager John Lawless also announced that Friends of Kingston Springs has officially been established as a nonprofit organization intended primarily to help raise funds for the town.

The group held its first meeting Aug. 19, Lawless said. Members include city Commissioner Michael Coldwell and Planning Commission Chair Tony Gross, among three other residents. 

“It took a little bit of time to get this group established,” Lawless said. “But I think that now established, things will move very quickly, and I think it's going to be a great resource to the town.”

Lawless thanked the residents who volunteered to serve on the group and said he believes it could become an important resource for the town as it works to raise funds for community needs, like new playground equipment at Burns Park.