(The Center Square) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will lead a campaign supporting a constitutional amendment that will ban statewide property taxes, according to a coalition of Tennessee business leaders and organizations.
Voters will decide on the Nov. 3 ballot whether they want to permanently bar state lawmakers from enacting a statewide property tax. The group Yes on 2, comprised of the Tennessee Farm Bureau, Tennessee REALTORS, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, Americans for Prosperity, and the Beacon Center of Tennessee, is supporting the amendment.
While Tennessee does not have a statewide property tax, cities and counties can levy them to fund their governments.
The General Assembly gave final approval to the constitutional amendment during the 2025 session. Democrats opposed the measure, saying it would keep the state from raising money during economic downturns.
“I understand the political aspects of this,” said Nashville Democrat Jeff Yarbro before the Senate approved the measure in March 2025. “No one likes property taxes. We don’t need to have one. But this is a symbolic effort and one that is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist and a short-sighted one that will hold the state back, not help it.”
Tennessee voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2014 that bars lawmakers from enacting a state income tax. Tennessee is one of nine states without one.
Lee is the statewide chairman, the Yes on 2 coalition said on Monday. House Speaker Cameron Sexton is leading the East Tennessee Region; Senate Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, is leading Middle Tennessee; and Rep. Tandy Darby is leading West Tennessee.
The coalition said Monday that all of Tennessee’s 95 counties have a campaign chairman.
“We are honored that all of these individuals from one corner of the state to another have joined together to pass Amendment 2,” said Kevin Hensley with Tennessee Farm Bureau, which is leading the coalition. “Thanks to their leadership, we will spread the message far and wide that Tennesseans can forever ban a state property tax by voting ‘Yes on 2’ this November.”
Voters will decide two other issues in November.
One would remove the right to bail for some criminal offenses, including second-degree murder and rape of a child. The other adds a provision to the state constitution that says crime victims can be present at all hearings and be heard during sentencing and parole proceedings.
