MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A growing number of Middle Tennessee counties are passing resolutions to gain more power in city annexation decisions, as local governments clash over urban expansion and tax revenue.
Williamson and Maury counties have already voiced their support for legislation that would require cities to get more approval from counties before annexing property. Sumner County is expected to take up a similar resolution this month.
The proposed bill would mandate cities provide financial impact statements and proof they can deliver essential services like police, fire, water and sewer before annexing county land.
"We're just asking to be part of the process to have a seat at the table," said Gabe Howard, a Maury County commissioner who is running for county mayor.
Howard has reviewed many city annexation applications and believes they often don't make sense when cities lack the infrastructure to support additional residents.
"All of the annexations that happened here in Maury County were about revenue," Howard said.
He views annexations as cash grabs for cities looking to expand their property tax base by incorporating more homes. Howard and a majority of the Maury County commission supported the resolution to give county governments more say in annexation decisions and protect rural county land.
The current system creates a financial burden for county taxpayers, Howard explained.
"Those annexed lands wind up taxed by the city and the county, so when you really look at it, there's very little benefit to the county taxpayers, even though they're left holding the bag a lot of the time," Howard said.
County resident Michael Walker supports the proposed changes. Walker, who lives in rural areas and travels to the city for services like vehicle registration, has witnessed urban sprawl firsthand.
"I'm out in the country and that's what I like to do," Walker said.
Walker believes annexation decisions need more transparency and public input.
"I think there needs to be discussion and it needs to be made public so it's not pushed through if someone has an agenda," Walker said.
For county taxpayers, the legislation could mean having more influence over annexation decisions that directly affect their communities and tax obligations.
"I think it's good to have checks and balances," Walker said.
Columbia city leaders were contacted for their position on the potential changes to the annexation process.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
