Getting Taxes Right for a New Government

By Rebuild Government on June 4th, 2010

The Charter Commission developing a new government for our community will turn its attention this week to the best ways to pay for government that is better, faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

Nashville leaders routinely give credit to the merged city-county governments there for a tax rate that is the lowest of any metropolitan city-county in Tennessee. The highest property tax in Nashville-Davidson County is $4.13. That compares to the highest property tax of $7.21 in Memphis and Shelby County.

We plotted taxes for the past 22 years for both of our communities to get a better idea of the impact that a consolidated government in Nashville had on the tax rate. As Nashville officials have said, their more efficient government produces a flatter tax rate without fluctuations upward, and that’s what our research showed as well.

Here is an example of the tax trends:

Better Services, More Savings and
Increased Efficiency

National expert Stephen Goldsmith, our resident authority on innovative government, writes in his latest column that a new government can streamline public services, eliminate duplication, and increase efficiency. Businesses are looking for communities where government gets the basics right.