MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Rutherford County's mayor says they don't have the tools to make sure growth pays for itself.
Out of all the Tennessee counties, Rutherford has the most new people moving to it annually.
At a meeting last week during a discussion about affordable housing, Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr told the Tennessee Advisory Commission that impact fees would help in his county. Impact fees are amounts charged to developers to help pay for services that new neighbors will use once they move into newly built homes.
"We're getting ready to price ourselves completely out of the affordable, attainable housing market unless the Tennessee General Assembly gives each community — all 95 — the specific tools they need to address that specific problem," Joe Carr said.
Beth Demasky has lived in a neighborhood off Thomson Lane for around 30 years. This summer's 16% property tax increase to support local infrastructure impacts Demasky's family.
Her concern is toning down growth; she doesn't think creating more revenue addresses that.
"They're interested in getting more people in here," Beth Demasky said. "The dollars I think are a lot of it."
Within the county, some communities have implemented impact fees. This summer, Murfreesboro instituted a $7,800 fee that developers pay to put toward schools and parks.
According to the Census Bureau, roughly 25 people move to Rutherford County every day.
