Spring Hill moves forward with property tax

Taxes allow great cities to flourish
The Tennessean, July 3, 2008
So Spring Hill has a property tax again. Good for Spring Hill.
Somewhere along the lines, the city made the mistake of thinking that its golden goose would always lay eggs. That regardless of economy and build-out, Spring Hill would always have enough growth to constitute eliminating taxes for the very people causing all the growth.
It apparently never occurred to anyone — OK, it occurred to some, including Alderman Eliot Mitchell — that all those people would one day expect a decent offering of services.
Sidewalks. Parks. Recreation. Decent roads. Pretty, clean surroundings.
In other words, all the things that drive people to Williamson County in the first place.
Together, we are a community that mostly shuns "big government," but it's not because we're necessarily opposed to taxes. It's the federal income tax that tends to turn us off. Many of us object to the ways our money is spent, on things we don't necessarily prioritize politically.
But a lot of people — politicians, journalists, bloggers, etc. — assume that means we're flat out opposed to any sort of tax.
That isn't the case. While there are a fair number of folks who do object to any tax at any time, as a general rule we're OK with spending money in our own communities.
We want them to look nice, with quality amenities and good schools, because we care about our quality of life, our children's education and our own personal property values.
How many people move to Spring Hill because there's no property tax? I dare say none. How many people move to Spring Hill because they want their kids to be in Williamson County schools? That's a much bigger number.
Another number I'd be interested to know is how many people who live in Spring Hill would rather live in Franklin. When I lived there, I certainly did. Even though the taxes were much higher. Maybe even because of it.
What we get for our money in Franklin is lovely surroundings, terrific recreation opportunities, good roads with convenient connectivity, and the retail options that abound in a city willing to spend money on economic recruitment.
I know some folks in Spring Hill are furious that the city has reinstituted its property tax. But you know what? I imagine that tax — if administered correctly and spent wisely — will ultimately pay off in an increase in property value.
And maybe Spring Hill will one day be a destination because of what it has instead of what it doesn't have.