Would you support the City of Cleveland, Tennessee, enacting a Taxpayer Bill of Rights similar to Spring Hill's and reducing its property tax rate to zero over the next five years?

its charter. No other state, county, or municipality in the United States has adopted similar legislation since.

Williams said letting Spring Hill's citizens vote on whether the city should raise taxes is a concept, that while novel, is long overdue.

Quoted in the Franklin Review-Appeal, Williams said, "I've been researching it for about two months,"  he said he received inspiration for the idea from organizations such as the National Taxpayers Union and Tennessee Tax Revolt. "We want the people to have a say so, not the fat cats and politicians."

"We've run this city as a business," Williams said. "Our board is very conscientious; we realize this is the people's money."

Williams said he was convinced that incorporating the Taxpayers Bill of Rights would not hamstring officials if Spring Hill ever experienced a tense economic climate.

"I feel if there were a major crisis, I'm sure our board could convince the taxpayers," he said. "If they couldn't, then we probably wouldn't have a good reason for raising taxes."

Seeing taxes being raised all around him, Williams said he would love to see other cities use Spring Hill's system as a model.

"Definitely, we would love for this to be something that spreads across the state and nation," he said.

When the bill was passed in Colorado, Democrats fought its implementation, but the measure passed with 53% of the vote. In 2000, the state's voters approved the use of some of its budget surplus for education needs instead of tax refunds.

Williams noted that Spring Hill has been able to provide increased services such as the building of a new water treatment plant and expansion of the city's sewer treatment facility, all completed while the tax rate was lowered.

"We've also built a million dollar fire hall, paved the streets, gotten a new library, put in streetlights, all the while lowering the taxes," Williams said. "It all comes back to money management."

Mayor Leverette said it is something that will force the board to look for new solutions if the city faces a financial crisis besides just raising taxes.

Leverette went on to say that if the need to raise taxes did arise, it would be up to the aldermen to make a solid case to the citizen and get their approval.

Maury County Commissioner Joe Roberson was one of three commissioners in attendance.

Roberson said he welcomed the change in attitude toward taxes and hopes the county commission may consider something similar before next year's budget debate.
.