Tennessee Code Title 9. Public Finances § 9-11-115

Immediately after the passage of the appropriation ordinance or resolution, the governing body shall pass an ordinance or resolution levying upon all property subject to taxation within the unit and basing such levy upon the current tax collection experience of the preceding fiscal year, such rate of tax as may be required to produce the sum necessary to balance the budget upon a cash basis. The sum necessary to balance the budget shall be ascertained by deducting from the total cash appropriations made under § 9-11-113(1), (2) and (3), such cash receipts applicable to such cash appropriations as may be estimated under the limitations of § 9-11-113(4)(A)-(D). In order that the current tax levy so made shall be truly based upon the current tax collection experience of the preceding year, such current tax levy shall be determined by dividing the sum necessary to be raised in order to balance the budget by a percentage which does not exceed the percentage obtained by dividing the amount of current taxes collected in cash in the preceding fiscal year by the amount of the taxes levied and payable in such preceding fiscal year.