JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a budget with a 28% property tax increase Monday night.

The property tax rate will increase from 96.6 cents to $1.24 per $100 of assessed value.

Taxes on a home valued at $250,000 would increase from $604 to $775 a year.

Newly-appointed Mayor Kelly Wolfe said the town has multiple improvements to fund. Those improvements include new equipment and vehicles for first responders, to paving sidewalks.

“We’ve put this decision off for several years, trying to budget improvements…all of those improvements really came down at the same time,” Wolfe said.

Former Mayor Chuck Vest told News Channel 11 that infrastructure improvements like paving streets and building a connector road linking New Hope Road with Ben Gamble are needed.

One person spoke against the tax increase during public comment.

“We have become essentially, we are a venue,” Lon Reed said. “We spend too much effort, too much money taking care of tourists and newcomers.”

Alderwoman Virginia Causey cast the only vote against the budget and tax increase. Others fear the costs of projects will only go up if action is not taken now.

“I’ve always seen the importance of what I would refer to as strategic investments,” Alderman Adam Dickson said.

The board also voted to increase water and sewer rates by $1 to help fund a new water plant.

“We’ve got a big responsibility as a little town,” Wolfe said. “We provide water for a good portion of Washington County. Our plant was built in the 1970s. It’s desperately time for that to be improved and upgraded.”

The tax increase is expected to bring in $800,000 in additional revenue.