Hannah McLeod

3 weeks ago | smokymountainnews.com | Hannah McLeod

“Revenues are also slightly higher due to increased quantities of service fees that are collected, building permits, environmental health permits, various things that go through our processes.” Sales tax revenues are not projected to increase in the coming fiscal year. “A couple years ago, you had some really big upswings in those and that was very positive for us financially, but one of the things we’ve seen is that basically those are remaining flat, where they were last year,” said Cabe.

3 weeks ago | smokymountainnews.com | Hannah McLeod

The county underwent a property revaluation this year which resulted in a massive increase in real property taxable value for Jackson. Prior to the revaluation, real property taxable value stood at about $11.45 billion. As of Jan. 1, that number had increased by almost $7 billion, or 60%, to about $18.4 billion. “We’re projecting the tax base to grow nearly $7 billion, over 60%, which is a huge amount” Tax Collector Tabitha Ashe said when she presented the information to the board in January.

1 month ago | smokymountainnews.com | Hannah McLeod

Commissioners listened to residents but had no discussion regarding county libraries and the Fontana Regional Library system. A new agreement between the three counties that make up the Fontana Regional Library system — Jackson, Macon and Swain — had been reached in November, signaling what was thought to be the end of almost two years of controversy over the merits of the regional library system and libraries themselves.

1 month ago | smokymountainnews.com | Hannah McLeod

Outdoors Latest Damage is done: Macon to make changes following damage caused by debris removal Over the last few months, Maconians have sounded the alarm on what they see as excessive debris removal in the county’s waterways.

1 month ago | smokymountainnews.com | Hannah McLeod

Latest ‘It’s got to go’: Commissioners want to remove Jackson libraries from FRL Anyone who thought that two years, dozens of meetings, thousands of dollars and hours of public comment to reach a new interlocal agreement between Jackson, Macon and Swain counties for the Fontana Regional Library would spell the end of the controversy over local libraries thought wrong. Last week a majority of commissioners in Jackson County expressed their desire to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library...