By Chris Taylor
Clarksville, TN – Montgomery County, Tennessee will likely not increase property taxes for the next fiscal year. The Budget Committee is going forward with a plan that grants no new funds for the county's school system despite more than $9 million in cuts made to balance its budget. School officials had requested a 28-cent property tax increase to restore those cuts. The Clarksville Leaf Chronicle reports Director of Schools Mike Harris estimates the school system has about $17 million in unfunded needs and would require a 60-cent tax increase to restore all cuts made in the past several years. The budget decision comes on the heels of reports city Mayor Johnny Piper is exploring ways to retract over a million dollars in city taxes that go to the school system under voluntary agreements.