Property Tax Increases Are a Threat to Tennesseans on Fixed Incomes

Tennessee is a place where hard work is supposed to pay off. Families work, save, sacrifice and invest in a home with the hope that one day they will own a piece of the American Dream.

But for too many Tennesseans—especially seniors, those living on fixed incomes and renters—that dream is increasingly under threat from rising property taxes.

According to a recent report by the Beacon Center, Tennesseans have experienced some of the largest property tax increases in the country in recent years. At a time when families are already closely watching every dollar they spend, rising property taxes can create real anxiety and financial uncertainty.

For a family whose income rises along with the cost of living, a tax increase may be difficult. But for a retiree living on Social Security, a widow relying on a fixed pension, or a working family renting their home alreadystruggling to afford groceries, gasoline, childcare and medical bills, another increase can be devastating.

As a real estate agent, I have had the privilege of helping hundreds of families and individuals find a home and secure their own piece of the American Dream. It pains me to see homeownership—something that should provide stability and security—become a constant source of financial anxiety.

This problem is particularly serious for seniors who have spent decades paying off their homes. No Tennessean should have to worry about being taxed out of the home they worked a lifetime to afford simply because the value of their neighborhood has increased around them. It also affects minority and working-class communities in rapidly growing and gentrifying areas who are renting and trying to save for a down payment to one day buy a home.

There is growing bipartisan agreement among elected officials, policymakers and everyday Tennesseans that action is needed. This November, voters will consider a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the General Assembly from levying a state property tax in the future. That is an important protection. But it does nothing to stop local governments from continuing to raise property taxes.

As the daughter of a single mother, I know firsthand what it means to live teetering on the edge of poverty and survive paycheck to paycheck. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school and attend college. My life has taught me that the American Dream is still possible—but it requires opportunity, hard work, perseverance and the chance to keep the fruits of your labor.

I have been blessed to build a successful career, but I will never forget where I came from. I know what it is like to worry about whether there will be enough money at the end of the month. That experience is one reason I decided to get off the sidelines and run for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 60.

If elected, one of my top priorities will be property tax relief. I will work to freeze property taxes for seniors 65 and older, particularly those living on fixed incomes, while pursuing meaningful caps on future property tax increases and stronger protections to help ensure Tennesseans can remain in the homes.

A few months ago, I started a petition urging the General Assembly and Gov. Bill Lee to provide critical property tax relief for homeowners and business owners. More than one thousand Tennesseans signed because they want their voices heard. The people I have spoken with love Tennessee and are proud of their communities, but they feel they have little control when state and local tax bills continue to rise.

Tennessee does not have to reinvent the wheel. According to the Beacon Center, 46 states already have some form of taxpayer protection designed to limit or restrain property tax growth.

It is time for Tennessee to join them.

Protecting taxpayers is about more than numbers on a government ledger. It is about protecting seniors who deserve to retire with dignity. It is about protecting families trying to build wealth and stability. And it is about ensuring that the American Dream of homeownership remains within reach for every Tennessean.