Cost of Community Services Report- Robertson County

A cost of community services study performed by the American Farmland Trust is one national model that can be used by communities to understand the cost of community services on a county level scale. This methodology analyzes revenues and expenditures on a land use basis… residential, commercial/industrial, and farmland… for a specific fiscal year. Revenues by these land use categories and fiscal demands of public services (e.g. public safety, government administration, schools, courts, etc.) are examined to show the cost of providing these services to residential, commercial/industrial and farmland uses. Results of these studies provide local government decision makers a snapshot in time description of the net cost to local county governments by land use types for a particular fiscal year.

In 2005, Cost of Services Studies were completed by the American Farmland Trust in Blount, Robertson, and Tipton Counties in Tennessee.

Some limitations exist with the methodology used such as examining revenues at the county level only and also the need for state specific judgments for allocation of costs for some services across categories in keeping with state and local budgeting systems. Results of some 90 national studies triangulate however, which confirms the validity and reliability of the methodology. Generally, results can be practically interpreted to call for a balanced approach for land use planning and development decision making that includes an appropriate mix of land uses by the three categories examined. This approach can help ensure sustainable growth and cost effective governments.

For more information or to access the Cost of Community Services Study, please visit the Farmland Information Center site, and click on ‘Literature’. You can then search for reports by state. Or view the Full PDF Here.

For more information about this study, you can contact:
Dr. Bridget Jones, Cumberland Region Tomorrow Contact Form,
bridget[at]cumberlandregiontomorrow.org

Rhedona Rose, Tennessee Farm Bureau,
rrose[at]tfbf.com

Lynnisse Roehrich‐Patrick, Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
Lynnisse.Roehrich‐Patrick[at]state.tn.us

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