BUDGET FAILS - Commissioners must go back to drawing board

The White County budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 dies once again in a county commission meeting, shot down with a 6-5 vote. The budget proposal was originally set for a $1.45 property tax rate, but it was amended to a $1.42 tax rate instead, just before voting.

Commissioners that were in favor: Derrick Hutchings, David Cranford, T.K Austin, Robert McCormick, Roger Mason, and Larry Daniels.

Commissioners that were opposed: Cain Rogers, Chris Brewington, Becky Golden, Thomas Margeson, Kyle Goff.

Commissioners Dakota White, Lanny Selby, and Jordan Cocke were absent for the vote.

Before voting on the proposal itself, County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson presented new information about sales tax revenue. There was an estimated $300,000 more in sales tax fund that the county could expect in the next fiscal year, which removed three pennies from the property tax rate. The commission voted to amend the budget down to $1.42 as a result.

The vote for the amendment was identical to the whole budget vote, except Kyle Goff also voted yes for the amendment rather than no, meaning the amendment to lower to $1.42 passed with a 7-4 vote.

Before the voting began, the Commission entertained remarks from the audience. Commissioner Becky Golden stepped away from the commissioners’ seats, and she claimed to be speaking for herself as a citizen and taxpayer rather than a county commissioner. Her speech revolved around the matter of raises for emergency medical service. In the budget proposal, all county employees, besides a few outlier positions that got targeted raises, would receive a $4,000 one time raise, including EMS workers.

Commissioner Golden said, “This budget is a slap in the face to these guys (EMS.) You are also giving $4,000 to people who are sitting in an air-conditioned office all day doing paperwork. To me, that’s not fair.”

She continued with criticism towards the emergency management agency full-time director position and a two-penny resolution passed years ago with parks and recreation.

Commissioner Golden finished her public comment with, “We have got to leave this county and this budget better than we found it. I don’t know how to do that. I kind of agree with them, there’s some numbers that don’t jive. We need to do better as far as budgeting. We need to do better as far as salaries. I know you guys have thrown out that we need to stay competitive with this county and that county. We’re not this county or that county. We’re White County.”

After the tax levy vote failed, Commission Chairman Hutchings said the rest of the budget has died as a result. The budget was sent back to committee as a result.

When old business was then addressed after the vote, Commissioner Golden spoke again. She said, “When I took this job, I took it in good faith to represent not just the people of my district but people of my community, and I’ve tried to do that. I am a little bit sick and tired, not saying names and pointing fingers, but I am sick and tired of commissioners knowing how I’m going to vote. How I’m going to vote is how I’m going to vote, and you’ll know how I’m going to vote when I get here.”

Commissioner Austin responded, “We asked these commissioners for input, where you’re at, what you want, and we get crickets. There is one or two that will speak up and say, but for the most part we get no input whatsoever from the commissioners. We got four commissioners on the budget committee. We’re just four commissioners. We’re trying to do what we think is right, but without input from the other 10 commissioners, we may never get a budget that will pass.”

Commissioner Roger Mason continued this point saying, “There was at least eight of us here that night, and I left under the impression that we were all in agreement that we were satisfied with the budget that the budget committee sent to vote. Because we were sitting here that night for that purpose. What’s the point of you guys doing that work if we, as you say, don’t provide that input. I feel like one time we show up and have a pretty good consensus on where we’re going. Then we show up the next time, and we’re on a completely different page.”

Chairman Hutchings then adds that after the $1.57 proposal failed last month, he asked for proposals from commissioners to get an idea on where the other 10 commissioners stood. Finance Director Chad Marcum confirmed that no other commissioners sent a proposal to assist the budget committee. Chairman Hutchings expressed that the budget committee wants input and assistance to assure they can find common ground on something that will pass.

Commissioner Golden responded, “I say things. First off, I’m not good with numbers like that. I’m not a finance person. So, no I’m not going to sit here and write numbers like that. I can write notes right beside here and give that to you, I’m more than happy to. Secondly, I didn’t say anything about input, I said asking me how I’ll vote. That’s two totally different things. Thank you for telling on yourself.” She said these last few statements while turning to Commissioner Austin.

Commissioner Austin responded, “I don’t have a problem, but I want to know who is going to support what we’ve got. I think it’s a legitimate question.”

Commissioner Mason then explained that so many of the positions and questions about the budget pertain to various positions that the county must have, by state law. He continued, “As we have said in these meetings over and over again, the bulk of this $1.42 tax levy that just failed tonight? Really, the biggest impact on it is payroll. So, I’ve heard people saying we need to take care of our EMS guys and sheriff’s department guys. We can’t do that without funding it.”

Chairman Hutchings then reminded the Commission that there is a hard deadline on the budget. If the Commission does not pass a budget proposal by August, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Department will come down to do it themselves. Commissioner Mason said this is all why he feels he is at a loss on where the whole commission stands and where they all want to go forward with the budget.

Commissioner Brewington then spoke up with, “It’s out there.”

Chairman Hutchings asked for Commissioner Brewington to elaborate on that statement, so Brewington said, “Can you not see all these people out here that have talked for weeks and weeks and weeks? You ain’t listen to nothing they have said out of the whole conversation.”

Chairman Hutchings then said, “I want to know what you have to say because you haven’t said a whole lot.”

Commissioner Brewington then continued with his criticisms about the full-time EMA position and parks and recreation. He says there is “too much scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” and that “we are too divided. Us 14, we’re too divided.” He then claims that he would be fine with the Comptroller coming in, saying, “We ain’t got anything to hide. Let them come in and do everything they need to do.”

Other commissioners were against this, especially Commissioner McCormick. He cited the first things the Comptroller would cut are nonprofits such as the volunteer fire departments. Brewington said “I’m fine with that, I am fine with that,” and McCormick responded, “You would kill it for everybody else.”

Chairman Hutchings then asked if Commissioner Brewington would entertain a motion that would remove the EMA and parks and recreation from the budget. Brewington said “no,” they can both stay part time. Brewington was then reminded that there is no parks and recreation part-time director, or a director for it at all. After this, he was asked again by Hutchings if he would entertain a motion that kept EMA at part-time and only put the parks and recreation director at part-time instead of full-time. Brewington only responded with, “Nah. I’ll just see where this road is going down. I’m crazy, but I’m not that crazy.”

The commission then adjourned for the evening. The budget committee did not call a special meeting to continue their work currently. August will be the last month that the commission must pass a budget for fiscal year 2026 before the Comptroller will get involved.