Freedom rank is No. 9 among all Tennessee cities, towns
The Beacon Center unveiled its inaugural City Freedom Index recently, which ranks the 30 most populous cities in Tennessee with an overall freedom ranking, naming the Town of Farragut among its Top 10.
“After nearly a year of research, we are beyond excited to release our first-ever City Freedom Index,” stated the organization in a press release.’
“... We believe that by shining a light on the various policies of Tennessee’s cities, citizens and policymakers will finally have the knowledge needed to vote with their feet, or better yet, enact real change and make their city more prosperous and free,” the release further stated.
The report, released earlier in July in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday, ranks cities on 25 metrics spanning
four categories: free enterprise, private property rights, individual liberty and cost of
government.
Coming in at No. 9, Farragut was described in the report as “the only city on our list that does not have a property tax.
“Farragut continues to impress by holding no direct debt and is the best city in the state for business licensing,” the Beacon Center release further stated. “As one of the few cities to ban short-term rentals outright and regulate yard sales with a permit, Farragut lagged in the Private Property category, but its notable scores in the other three categories helped it snag the number 9 overall spot.”
“I think what we can see from the report is that Farragut is a state leader in efficient, low-cost government, as well as a great place to do business,” Town Mayor Ron Williams said.
The city of La Vergne topped the index, while fellow Middle Tennessee cities Brentwood and Hendersonville ranked second and third respectively. Morristown, which ranked fourth, was the highest-ranking city in East Tennessee, while Chattanooga finished 23rd and Knoxville 28th.
