CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Clarksville's proposed budget passed its first reading on the fifth attempt Monday night, but it comes with major cuts and tradeoffs — including a proposed 11% property tax increase that some council members say is still too high.
Mayor Joe Pitts marked the milestone after the vote. "Ordinance 98 passes first reading, Hallelujah," Pitts said.
The budget includes reductions across several departments. Councilman Joe Shakeenab pushed for cuts in Human Resources and IT, questioning department heads directly during the meeting.
"With the proposed $50,000 cut, will your department be mission failure?" Shakeenab said.
"It will not be mission failure it will just mean less things done," City of Clarksville IT Director Amie Wilson replied.
The biggest impact of the IT cuts would be technology upgrades for city employees — which could affect customer service at City Hall.
The council considered significant cuts to the Clarksville Transit System but ultimately decided against them. The city is expecting two new hospitals and a new VA clinic, and officials may need to add or adjust bus routes to serve those facilities.
In previous budget debates, almost $500,000 has been cut from the Parks and Recreation budget, meaning ball fields and swimming pools may not see upgrades in 2027. Additional budget cuts to Parks and Rec were not approved at the meeting Monday night.
Road improvements could also be significantly delayed under the proposed budget, including expansion efforts along Needmore Road, Memorial Drive Extension, and Rossview Road.
Ward 10 Council member Stacey Streetman pushed specifically for those projects to be funded, but the amendment didn't get enough votes.
Taking on more debt for major projects may not be a viable option, either. The city's finance director said Clarksville's debt load of $200 million "keeps her up at night."
All of those cuts are tied to keeping the property tax increase lower than what the Mayor initially pitched. Under the current proposal, property taxes would go up about 11%. But some council members say that is still too high.
Ward 12 Councilwoman Keri Lovato said she voted for the budget to keep the process moving — but made clear she does not see it as finished.
"I am going to vote in favor of this budget tonight because we need to move forward, but I do not believe this budget is the final product. We need to make more cuts and get this tax rate down," Lovato said.
The budget still needs to pass a second reading before it takes effect.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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