Residents voice frustration with proposed Catoosa County tax hike

A group of Catoosa County residents at a public hearing to discuss a potential property tax hike.

RINGGOLD, Ga. (WDEF)- Catoosa County residents voiced their frustrations on Tuesday over a proposed property tax hike.

For example, one resident, Catherine Shanks, said, “We are now at very serious risk of losing our home, with six children, it’s something I’d never thought I’d have to bring up.”

Numerous residents said Tuesday the potential 30 percent rise in property taxes would put many in a dire financial situation.

” If this percentage goes up, I’m going to have to go up to a 80 year old woman that rents from us and say, “I’m going to have to go up on your rent 100 to 200 dollars a month.” She’s on a fixed income,” said resident and rental owner Shay Love.

Catoosa County School Superintendent Chance Nix says that the additional revenue would go to various functions within the system, including paying for state required healthcare for teachers.

He says that the schools have not received the help from the state to properly address increased costs.

Nix said. “I’ve tried to reach inroads with the State. Mitchell and I have met multiple times about the budget, and other issues to try to get support because what you bring up is the problem. When you’ve got a partnership like you’re talking about, but you’re not working together, the kids suffer.”

While much of the discussion Tuesday was centered around the impact on taxpayers, others pointed out the decision this impact will have on teachers and students inside of Catoosa County Schools.

“If we have to continue to cut costs in a way then what is proposed in this budget, cutting teachers, our class sizes go up which mean our students don’t get the one on one help that they need, and a lot of people who are not in the classroom don’t realize the impact that Covid had on our learning, and so we had a lot of students learning from home. So we have a lot of gaps we are still focusing on in the classroom,” said Catoosa County teacher and education advocate Kaitlin Martin.

The Board of Commissioners are holding their own separate public hearings and plan to vote on these tax raises in two weeks.