Johnson City property tax bump heads to final reading amid public concern

Commissioners approved Johnson City's fiscal 2027 budget in a unanimous vote on its second of three readings Thursday morning amid talks of potential amendments to the ordinance. An estimated $37 million aquatics facility is at the center of public opposition to the budget, despite the first-year debt service only accounting for about a third of the proposed 28-cent property tax hike. Mayor Greg Cox said he'd still like to see what the options are to fund an aquatics facility, citing the ongoing bid process for repairs to Freedom Hall Pool. "I do have a little hard time with the aquatic center as a line item for debt service, I would prefer it to read more as a parks and rec capital improvement, because I do think, depending on what bids come back for Freedom Hall, the speed of the aquatics center conversation can change," Cox said before proposing that the funds for the aquatics facility debt service be allocated for parks and recreation capital. "In the next reading, I would really like to have a conversation on that," Cox said of the proposed change. Besides Cox's suggestion, the board did not spend much time deliberating over budget amendments. Most of the commissioners took the time to address the public directly. "I've been listening to the public. I have heard lots of people talk to me individually, plus texts, plus emails and we listen to what comes in," said Commissioner Todd Fowler during the budget reading Thursday. "I do want to make something clear. I was not the author of the new aquatic center. I had nothing to do with the original plans of the aquatic center. I did not push this forward." Fowler also said he'd support cutting the aquatic center from the budget entirely because he didn't see it as a necessity compared to the other additional city asks, such as funding for various equipment, personnel and maintenance costs. "This is because people here want to do something to help Johnson City, and we are criticized. And I've been called everything – more things than I've ever been called," Fowler said. "This is the worst job I have ever had, just to let you know. This is not something that I do because I want recognition. I did it to try and get my kids to move back here by making Johnson City a nicer place. "So, with that, if you want to cut something with the budget, we can cut the aquatic center because it's not a necessity like the other things that are really on there with this tax increase." Both Vice Mayor Jenny Brock and Commissioner Joe Wise said they are confident in the city's proposed budget as it is, Wise noting that he believes aquatics should be a priority for the city. "We've heard from a lot of people and everyone assumes that they're the one expressing the opinion of 100-percent of the people, and you're not. You're expressing the opinion of some of the people and there are other people expressing the absolute opposite opinion of you," Wise said. "Aquatics is just one thing a city does … it is not an unusual thing for a community like Johnson City to make a priority and it's something that I believe should be a priority." "We've worked through months of workshops and looked through those numbers and asked those questions and I believe we've arrived at the right place for Johnson City, not just today, but long-term," Wise added. Before making the motion to approve the budget, Brock echoed a similar sentiment. "It would seem by some of the comments that we don't spend any time with this budget, but let me tell you how many hours we have spent with this budget — many, many," Brock said. "Obviously every city, county right now are having challenges that you have to answer the things on how you move your city ahead through the budget process." Following the commission's approval, Louise Stump, a longtime Johnson City resident who attended the meeting, said she wished she'd seen more discussion about possible budget amendments. "I wish we'd seen more transparency before this. We have now after the first reading it appears, at least three commissioners… questioning, 'is there some compromise in the middle?' Yet all of them pass this on, stating, well, we can talk about it next time," Stump said. "Next time — next time is the final reading. "I don't understand what's going on behind the scenes, and based on what I've seen this morning, I'm not sure I understand what's going on in the scene," Stump said. If the budget were to be approved as is by the commission on final reading, the 28-cent property tax increase would cover a total of $8.8 million in additional budget asks from city staff. A breakdown of these additional expenses are as follows, according to information from previous budget presentations: First-year debt service for a full aquatics facility buildout – $2.815 million Four-member concrete crew and equipment – $1 million Contribution to city's stabilization or "rainy day" fund – $1 million Post office demolition – $800,000 Various vehicles and equipment (mowers, scissor lift and trailer, trucks, salt equipment, etc.) – $693,000 Supplemental funding for paving – $500,000 City Hall cooling tower – $450,000 Three-member downtown maintenance crew and equipment – $430,000 Permitting software and customer service training – $375,000 James Ellis Sports Complex restrooms – $250,000 Lower Tannery Knobs infrastructural additions – $175,000 Market pay adjustments for CDL-licensed employees – $146,000 Citywide gateway signage – $144,000 City Hall directional signage – $48,500 Downtown wayfinding – $26,000 These additional asks are on top of the city's total $122.1 million general fund base budget, which is primarily supported by local taxes. The city's proposed fiscal 2027 budget across all of its 21 different funds, including the general fund, totals $406.4 million. A third and final reading of the city's FY 27 budget will take place during the commission's regularly scheduled board meeting, June 25 at 6 p.m. The commission will meet in the commission chambers at City Hall, 601 E. Main St.