“I understand why the town does not want a bigger sewer bill but the comptroller’s office feels differently about that. I understand it but I’m just telling you, the state always wins, and it’s not always pretty,” replied Alderman Fischer. The town was ordered to do the study by the Tennessee Board of Utility Regulators and then follow the recommendation. Last month after the town failed to act on the sewer rate increase, the state comptroller’s office sent a warning to the town. Either raise the sewer rates, or the state would refuse to approve the 2026-27 city budget and take the town to Chancery Court to seek enforcement.