REAL PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED 20 Percent SO PROPERTY TAXES DON'T HAVE TO GO UP

                         Real Property Values Increased 20 Percent Increasing Tax Revenues
                                              SO Property TAXES DON'T have to go up

So why are Blount County,Townsend, Maryville and Alcoa employees talking about pay raises

and increased benefits? TRUTH RADIO HAS THE SCOOP. Before the poop lands in your property tax bill Truth Radio wants you to educate your Commissioners that Property Tax Revenues GO UP WITHOUT PROPERTY TAX RATES GOING UP BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP!!!!! IF YOUR PROPERTY assessment VALUE GOES UP YOU PAY MORE property TAXES OR IF THE TAX RATE GOES UP YOU PAY MORE PROPERTY TAXES.

Commissioner Mike Akard in the Daily Times is QUOTED as saying, He doesn't see leaving the

tax rate at 2.47 as being a TAX Increase. The law requires a separate resolution

in a reappraisal year a Tax Rate above the Certified Rate because it represents a tax increase.

That vote will take place Monday June 10 th at 5 pm in Room 430 in the Historic Blount County Courthouse.

SO, Monday June 10, 2019 IS THE DEADLINE for telling your commissioner, TWENTY PERCENT IS ENOUGH!!!! the Unincorporated Blount County PROPERTY ASSESSMENT GREW THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS which when divided into the 2015 Property Assessment results in an OVER 20 percent INCREASE IN real property

vales.

Meaning MORE REVENUE over the last FOUR FISCAL YEARS BUDGETS from new construction which are to be capped by a Certified Tax rate. However the Berrong/Mitchell Administration and Commissioner Akard want a 10 percent increase, the reason for the vote.

A yes Vote Monday June 10 at 5 pm will raise your property tax bill an additional 10 percent from the certified tax rate of $2.25 going to $2.47 after County revenues have already increased by 20 percent plus over the last four years from growth and inflation of of the unincorpeorated real property.

Blount County's HR department reports our tenure rate is higher than the Dept of Labor National Average for State and Local Governments, and Blount County four years ago raised it's payscale to more than sixty percent of our competition according to the Evergreen study.

The proposed pay scale increase will take our county to paying more than seventy percent of our competive market employers. This pay scale will result in the per capita Blount County employee

making 58 percent more that the per capita workforce taxpayer according to the US Census Bureau fact finders 2017 income of $28,000 compared to over $43,000 for the County employee.

Maryville City's Real Property Assessment Summary comparison of 2015 the prevoius reappraisal of the certified tax rate and 2019 shows an increase of ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY NINE MILLION

IN REAL PROPERTY VALUES or an INCREASE OF OVER TWENTY PEERCENT AS WELL, SURPRIZE, SURPRIZE!!

While Alcoa only realized a SIXTEEN PERCENT GAIN OR SEVENTY SEVEN MILLION, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR INCREASE IN IT's Real Property ASSESSMENT values.

Thank you for calling your Commissioner before Monday June 10 and telling them that tax revenues increase when Real Property Values go up so Property Tax Rates don/t have to.

Mayor Mitchell's Failure to Fulfill Fiscal Duties Costs Taxpayers $1.6million

Two weeks ago WBCR AM1470 requested the cost of the contracts issued by the school board to resolve it's backlog of failed maintenance issues resulting in a $90+ Million High School
Renovation Project for Wm. Blount and Heritage High Schools.

 Blount County Schools in August and November 2017 signed contracts with Lawler Wood LLC for $489,740 and Michael Brady Inc. for $1.16 to provide a renovation construction plan for  Heritage and William Blount High schools for which they will by contract receive another 5.5 percent fee or approximated $5million for services rendered in the execution of the project.

TCA 5-6-106  outlines other duties of the County Mayor beyond Chief Financial officer include
serving "as a nonvoting ex-officio member of each committee of the county legislative body".
Therefore he has failed to assist the Education Committee or the School Board  over the last two years to find a way to finance backlogged  maintenance projects.

 The maintenance projects at the root of these renovation projects have been needed for several years,
such as failing to repair and maintain the science lab classrooms, at both high schools, the visitors dressing room in the Heritage Gym and the HVAC Air Conditioning pipes that are the source of the "Water Intrusiion" at William Blount requiring the running of 19 industrial dehumidifiers down the south hall next to the library and adjoining classrooms.

 If Mayor Mitchell would have attended to these issues coming before the Education Committee over the past 9 years he has been in office he would have been able to have his budget director 
or maintenance management team offer solutions to addressing these maintenance and repair issues before they have become a health and safety threat to some of the William Blount students in WBCR's opinion.

Instead the unmanageable $90 + million renovation project has been rejected by the Mitchell administration suggesting that Fund 177 be used to fund these needs.  Had Mayor Mitchell been visiting the Education Committee as TN Code requires the schools could have avoided spending $1.6 million in Architural fees and solved several of the underlying maintenance and repair needs for our student and teachers. 

 A prudent Mayor would have been going to school board meetings or at least meeting
with board members and or the Director for schools frequently enough to head off the failed $1.6
expense the the humble opinion of WBCR. 

Don't Get FOOLED AGAIN Listen to Truth Radio AM 1470 Everyday and ACT to Preserve Freedom in Blount County

This is Freida for Truth radio NEWS on AM 1470 streamed from truthradio.tv and on your phone at

1-641-741-1023 thats 1-641-741-1023 Where you Exclusively hear on Radio AM 1470 in the Knox Metro area. Where Alex Jones and Inforwars ads are just $80/week for 24 - 30second for 3 months.

For a sample AD call 984-1470.

Did you get your property assessment increase in the mail? Everybody I discussed it with got a 25% or better Property APPRAISAL INCREASE. The good news is Blount County residents can freeze their property taxes if you are over 65 and income qualified. Alcoa and Maryville residents cannot freeze their property taxes because their City Councils have not passed the adopting legislation making it possible since 2007.

The good news is state law says the County when establishing it's NEW Certified tax rate it must

bring in NO MORE REVENUE THAN IT DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR. However since the Berong/Mitchell Pay Raise passed without allowing public comment.

Now just like 4 years ago the Certified TAX RATE voted on in May must be changed if the UNSUBSTANCIATED and EXCESSIVE PAY RAISE to 58 percent more EARNINGS than the US Census Fact Finder workforce tax payer in Blount County, will be paid by the Berrong /Mitchell Administration.

If you keep your taxes check your last tax property tax ASSESSMENT of 4 years ago and combine

the two increases and let WBCR know if your Property Tax Assessment has gone up over 50 percent

in 8 years like ours. Call 984-1470.

The May 7^th Budget Committee meeting will be very important for we should learn what the Certified Tax Rate will be however at the Special called Blount County School Board meeting of April 15 it was reported that they would be requesting a 32 cent PROPERTY TAX INCREASE TO RAISE $11.1 MILLION for the High Schools renovation projects through Fund 177 that does not share any tax money with the cities of Alcoa and Maryville.

If you divide 32 cents into $11.1 you get the value of the penny the School board is using for this request is $348,875. Compared to $306,000 at the Tax Certification Rate of $ 2.11 four years ago.  If that is the case that would mean a 14 percent growth in the value of the property tax rate valuation resulting in a 14 percent reduction the PROPERTY TAX RATE down .37 cents to 2.10 Certified TAX RATE for FY 19/20.

Right back to where it was four years ago before the Berrong/Mitchell 36 cent property TAX INCREASE TO FUND PAYING THE PER CAPITA RATE OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES 47 PERCENT MORE THAN THE 2017 PER CAPITA WORKFORCE TAXPAYER IN BLOUNT COUNTY.

The PARROTED reporting by the Daily Times quoting the Architects moisture intrusion findings have been refuted by the on sight inspection with the William Blount Head Custodian and photographic evidence provided by WBCR to the Director of Schools.

The industrial dehumidifiers at William Blount are necessary because the HVAC pipes have not been maintained properly thus producing water condensation flooding the 50 yard hallway south of the library and several adjacent classrooms when the AC is running.

According to Architects Agreement between the School board and Michael Brady, Inc in addition

to a $567 thousand fee for putting the renovation proposal in writing they are paid 5 and a half percent of the TOTAL Cost of the Work for Construction Administration, bid document preparation, and construction documents. Thus the bigger the project the more they are paid.

If you think this message is important then go to the Truthradio facebook page or the truthradio.tv blog and share the information there about the pay raise, proposed tax rate and while you are thinking about it call 984-1470 and give your address to send you a TRUTH AM1470 window sticker for your car and help fuel the freedom fight excessive taxation and jail time for fines in Blount County.

UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS REPEATED BY DAILY TIMES

Facts either misrepresented of failing to be reported by the Daily Times article on Saturday March 9 titled “County passes pay raises for employees to curb turnover” by Waylon Cunningham.

FIRST The County “turnover” is better than State Government Employees according to US Department of Labor that reports a 9.2 year average tenure for employees with less than 14 years
service while according to the Blount County Human Resource Department reply to FOIA #74
question #7 “Average tenure:9.5 years, 182 have more than 14 years of tenure”.

According to the same request a total of 72 employees have left the County's employment since the last pay raise 4 years ago which means an average of 18 people or less than 3% terminations.

The Sheriff's Department has 329 of the 671 employees and only 24 of them terminated since the last pay raise or an average of 6 per year. 0R LESS THAN 2 PERCENT PER YEAR.


SECOND “Data for the market was weighted toward counties, “ The first sentence of
paragraph # 7. According to the Evergreen Solutions DRAFT Report dated December 20, 2018

EXHIBIT 3A “MARKET PEERS” Blount County #11 IN POPULATION IN the State while the Counties of Knox #3, Montgomery #7, Williamson #6, Bradly # 16, Anderson #20, and Wilson # 12.
Also included in the Peer Market are Standard Aero, State of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Lab.

THIRD TOTAL PAYROLL OF THE 671 FOR 2018 $27,888,945.04 according to Foia Request # 70-2019

TOTAL IMPLEMENTATION COST AT 70% $2,216,635.66 More than the lowest Market Member

TOTAL PAYROLL AFTER IMPLEMENTATION $30,105,945.04
according to Implementation Plan for Blount County February 21, 2019

AFTER PAY RAISE PER CAPITA INCOME FOR 671 EMPLOYEES $44, 867,28

PER CAPITA INCOME FOR BLOUNT COUNTY TAXPAYER $28,344
ACCORDING TO US CENSUS BUREAU FACT FINDERS

    58 Percentage Difference in Per Capita Income for County Employees AFTER PAY RAISE PROOF 44,867 –28,344 = 16,523 /28,344 = 58 %

   47 Percentage Difference in Per Capita Income for County Employees BEFORE PAY RAISE 27,888,945 / 671 = 41,563 – 28,344 = 13,219 /28,344 = 47 %E PROOF

PER Capita INCOME includes 16 year olds and above in workforce US Census Bureau not American Comm. Service (ACS)

Greetings this happy afternoon Josh Foster Editor @ thedailytimes .com, February 25, 2019
 
Equal rights would give above the fold placement on the editorial page that would be appreciated since for my response has 66 fewer words than Commissioner Anderson when you don't include the (https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk). The research to support my position is below under FYI.

Thank you for your consideration.



Editor,

According to the Director for Blount County Human Resources Department the "average tenure is 9.5 years". The national average for State and Local municipalities, according to US Dept. Labor at 9.2 years. The 671 employees are now getting 60 percent more than 32 other employers pay for the same job and the Commission and Berrong/Mitchell administration want to make it 70 percent.

The definition of “per capita income” by the source for Commissioner Anderson uses, is not the US Census Bureau but rather the American Community Survey. The USCensus Bureau that “produces and disseminates the official estimates.” In the official Census Bureau estimates the employment status of 16 years in the workforce and those older in the workforce as the "per capita income" and not “toddlers”.(https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk)

I never used “extravagantly” to describe the excessive pay raise that the unsubstantiated loss of employees is proposed to remedy. If the 70 percent pay scale is implemented the average pay raise is $6296 per employee at midpoint. Using the new proposed pay scale the per capita income of County employees is $48,425 a difference of $20,091 more that the per capita taxpayer is earning.

Commissioner Anderson or anyone may speak on the issue Monday March 4 at 6:30pm at 114 Defoe Circle, Maryville 37804. Remarks will be video streamed live and archived at ww.truthradio.tv where the documentation presented to the editor for this letter appears on Truth Radio's Blog.

Working for Term Limits,

Harry Grothjahn

120 DeFoe Circle

Maryville, TN 37804

FYI

In researching the Census Bureau definition of per capita income the following reference was made.

DP03 - American FactFinder - Census Bureau

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_5YR/DP03/0100000US
Workers 16 years and over, 143,621,171, +/-143,374, 143,621,171, (X). Car, truck, or van .... Per capita income (dollars), 28,930, +/-77, (X), (X). Nonfamily ..

when entering the above address the following appears in the search bar. https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

Where we read the following.

“Although the American Community Survey (ACS) produces population, demographic and housing unit estimates, it is the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program that produces and disseminates the official estimates of the population for the nation, states, counties, cities, andville towns and estimates of housing units for states and counties. :”

Subject	United States
	Estimate	Margin of Error	Percent	Percent Margin of Error
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Population 16 years and over	255,797,692	+/-17,051	255,797,692	(X)
In labor force	162,184,325	+/-135,158	63.4%	+/-0.1
Civilian labor force	161,159,470	+/-127,501	63.0%	+/-0.1
Employed	150,599,165	+/-138,066	58.9%	+/-0.1
Unemployed	10,560,305	+/-27,385	4.1%	+/-0.1
Armed Forces	1,024,855	+/-10,363	0.4%	+/-0.1
Not in labor force	93,613,367	+/-126,007	36.6%	+/-0.1

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_17_1YR_B19301&prodType=table

Versions of this table are available for the following years:

• 2017

	Blount County, Tennessee
	Estimate	Margin of Error
Per capita income in the past 12 months (in 2017 inflation-adjusted dollars)	29,453	+/-3,241

QuickFactshttps://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/blountcountytennessee,US/SEX255217

Blount County, Tennessee; UNITED STATES

QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties.

Table

Blount County, Tennessee	UNITED STATES
Female persons, percent	 51.5%	 50.8%

People

Population
Population estimates, July 1, 2018, (V2018)	NA	327,167,434
Population estimates, July 1, 2017, (V2017)	129,929	325,719,178
Population estimates base, April 1, 2010, (V2018)	NA	308,758,105
Population estimates base, April 1, 2010, (V2017)	123,100	308,758,105
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2013-2017	59.5%	63.0%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2013-2017	54.6%	58.2%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)	229,831	708,138,598
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000)(c)	561,471	2,040,441,203
Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000)(c)	3,761,415	5,696,729,632
Total merchant wholesaler sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)	D	5,208,023,478
Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)	1,441,212	4,219,821,871
Total retail sales per capita, 2012(c)	$11,606	$13,443
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2013-2017	24.8	26.4
Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2017 dollars), 2013-2017	$51,172	$57,652
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2017 dollars), 2013-2017	$28,334	$31,177
Persons in poverty, percent	 12.1%	 12.3%

Commissioner Jared Anderson used the American Community Survey

(ACS) definition below which

we learned above is not the same method as the Census Bureau's .

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS), 5-Year Estimates. The PRCS is part of the Census Bureau's ACS, customized for Puerto Rico. Both Surveys are updated every year. American FactFinder

Definition
Per capita income is the mean income computed for every man, woman, and child in a particular group including those living in group quarters. It is derived by dividing the aggregate income of a particular group by the total population in that group. This measure is rounded to the nearest whole dollar. For the complete definition, go to ACS subject definitions "Income in the Past 12 Months, Per Capita Income."

Please note IN THE ECONOMY SECTION EMPLOYMENT IS BASED ON THOSE 16 OR OLDER

70 % Pay Raise Unjustified & EXCESSIVE

                FOIA EXPOSES $6,296 AVERAGE                              COUNTY PAY RAISE    

               70 % PAY RAISE UNJUSTIFIED & EXCESSIVE 

The Blount County Commission has already recommended for approval on January 17,  FINAL VOTE IS Thursday February 21, 7pm Rm 430 Historic Courthouse

            The contemptuous abuse of new Commissioners and distracted voters by the Berrong/Mitchel administration almost passed this resolution in January but for some disgruntled employees who got to Chairman French the resolution had to remove the Sheriff's 75% pay scale, and give all the employees
an increase from the 65% of market to 70%.   The reason for the increase given by the Director for Human Resources was that the employment "market" is allegedly taking county employees with experience and proficiency away from our service and costing us more to train their replacement.  I thought that was why we built a driving track and training facility with shooting range years ago was to make money training new hires and other Sheriff's deputies.

             I say UNJUSTIFIED because NOT ONE EXAMPLE OF HAVING REPLACED AN EMPLOYEE IS PRESENTED, IN FACT NO EVIDENCE OF HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE DEPARTED FOR MORE PAY HAS BEEN GIVEN!!!

             The unsubstantiated excessive pay increase if implemented AVERAGES $6,296 PER EMPLOYEE, for example the least amount of pay raise is pay grade 301 for $4098 while the at Mayor gets a raise of $12,357 for an total annual pay of $125,867.

                 Why do I claim the pay raise to be EXCESSIVE?  
          The per ca pita taxpayer income in (2017 dollars from 2013 to 2017) for Blount County was $28,334 compared compared to the present per ca pita income of County Employees is $42,129 or 
$13,795 more that the taxpayer making almost 50% less.  When we calculate the using the new proposed
pay scale the per ca pita income of County Employees is $48,425 a difference of $20,091 more that the
TAXPAYER IS EARNING  70 % LESS THAN THE PER CA PITA COUNTY EMPLOYEE . 
          Commissioner Akard, local business owner said in the January Commission “the proposal does a whole lot more than PAD OUR RE-ELECTION POSSIBILITIES”. While Commissioner Caylor, Maryville Fire Department Employee wished a lot of other Commissioners would object to Commissioner Akard's statement that this pay raise is some how a Quid Pro Quo to get re-elected as WBCR AM 1470 General Manager Harry Grothjahn suggested in his Comments on Items on the agenda earlier in the meeting.
         This modified 20 position Pay Scale and 19 Step compensation plan by Evergreen for 671 County employees including all elected officials "will be presented to the Commission in the form of a new resolution for approval" according to the "DRAFT Minutes" of January's Commission Meeting will  , Thursday February 21 at 7pm room 430.
         You are welcome to do the math yourself. The FOIA request from the Blount County Human Resource Department for the current pay scale starts with Pay Grade 101 while the 70% of Market Pay Scale begins with 301.  The current pay scale is from Exhibit 2A of the December 20, 2018 Draft Proposal.  
             

Rank            60%           70%   of Highest Competing Employers Pay Grades

Grade       Present    Proposed Inc./Emp.    Employees/grade     Total Cost Inc.      Cost 70% Total Cost

in Grade

101/301      26,903       31,001     4,098                  18                          73,764                   558,018

102/302      29,190       33,637     4,447                  42                        186,774                1,412,754

103/303      31,671       36,496     4,825                  49                        236,425                1,788,304

104/304      34,363       39,598     5,235                  57                        298,395                2,257,086

105/305      37,284       42,964     5,680                  80                        454,400                3,437,120

106/306      40,453       46,616     6,163                229                      1,411,327             10,675,064

107/307      43,892       50,579     6,687                  44                        294,228                2,225,476

108/308      47,623       54,878     7,255                  41                        297,455                2,249,998

109/309      51,671       59,543     7,872                  30                        236,160                1,786,290

110/310      56,063       64,604     8,541                  23                        196,443                1,485,892

111/311       60,829      70,096     9,267                   23                        213,141                1,612,208

112/312      65,999      76,054   10,055                   12                        120,660                   912,648

113/313      73,046      80,998      7,952                   8                           63,616                   647,984

114/314      77,794      86,262      8,468                   3                           25,404                   258,786

115/315      82,850      91,869      9,019                   6                           54,114                   551,214

116/316      88,235      97,840      9,605                   3                           28,815                   293,520

117/317      93,969    104,199    10,230                   1                           10,230                   104,199

118/318    100,078     110,972   10,894                   1                           10,894                   110,972

119/319    106,582     118,184   11,602                   0

120/320    113,510     125,867   12,357                  1                            12,357                   125,867

                                                                             671                      4,224,612             32,493,400

Average Employee Pay Raise Proposed is $6,296.