Dear Mayor and Members of the Metro Council:

If you, Mr. Mayor and Members of the Metro Council, want to be fair to ALL taxpayers, simply sell the land to the Sounds and the out of State developer for Fair Market value and let them develop it and PAY TAXES LIKE ALL OTHER DAVIDSON COUNTY HOMEOWNERS. Otherwise, please don't insult our intelligence by asserting that taxpayers will not bear an additional burden from this sweetheart deal.

Here are the facts:

1- Davidson County now has the second highest county (GSD) property tax rate in the entire State of Tennessee. Davidson County's GSD rate of $4.04 is second only to Shelby County's rate of $4.09. See all rates HERE.

2- Davidson County Taxpayers in Madison, North Nashville, Goodlettsville, Old Hickory, Hermitage, East Nashville, and Antioch will have to pay for the police, fire, library, and education services that would have been paid for with the sales tax on ticket sales. The Sounds get to keep this money.  Why don't you allow other taxpayers to escape their sales tax?

3- Davidson County Taxpayers in Madison, North Nashville, Goodlettsville, Old Hickory, Hermitage, East Nashville, and Antioch will have to pay for the police, fire, library, and education services that would have been paid for with the $500,000 annual "maintenance" fee. We are sure that Davidson County homeowners would like to be paid a maintenance fee to help them maintain their homes.

4- Davidson County Taxpayers in Madison, North Nashville, Goodlettsville, Old Hickory, Hermitage, East Nashville, and Antioch will have to pay for the police, fire, library, and education services that would have been paid for by the property taxes that will be used by the out of State developer to pay off his debt instead of paying taxes like all other homeowners. (TIF financing) We are quite sure that many Davidson County Homeowners would like to use their property tax money to pay off their mortgage.

Please don't insult Davidson County Taxpayers by suggesting we won't have higher taxes because of this sweetheart deal. Property tax rates are MUCH lower in surrounding counties. As we have shown in the past with dramatic migration data, citizens are voting with their feet and moving OUT of Davidson County into surrounding counties. This sweetheart deal will simply accelerate this trend by causing more out migration and reducing the tax base which will, of course, create even more pressure for future tax increases.

Thank You,

Members of Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc.

Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc. is an all-volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan, statewide taxpayer advocacy group. We are working to protect the family budget from excessive taxation and for open, accountable government.

County	2005 Tax Rate
Davidson (GSD)	4.04
Sumner	2.59
Wilson	2.48
Dickson	3.21
Williamson	2.84
Rutherford	2.80
Robertson	2.66
Cheatham	3.13