Curtis Adams and April Edison say serving in the assessor of property’s office is the key qualification for their support for someone running for this elected office. In the same breath, they also cite how the last two property assessors (Bill Bennett and Claude Ramsey) have done an outstanding job leading this office for many years.
Yes, I agree Bill Bennett and Claude Ramsey did remarkable jobs in leading the Property Assessor’s office. But, neither one of them had any experience in property assessment prior to serving in this constitutional office.
What experience did they have? For one, both of them were elected to serve their respective communities on the Hamilton County Commission. Second, both of them worked in the private industry for many years prior to running for elected office. Third, they did not come from within county government as a long-time employee.
One can draw several parallels between these two respected leaders and Marty Haynes. Marty has been elected by his home district to serve on the Hamilton County Commission as did Bennett and Ramsey. He also comes from the private industry where he has worked in industrial sales for local companies for 30 years, just like Bennett and Ramsey did before they were elected to the County Commission. Plus, he is a licensed real estate agent with the Huddleston Group, a Chattanooga real estate company. And, as with Bennett and Ramsey, Marty is not a long-time government employee so he can bring a fresh perspective to this office. Basically, Marty has the same skill sets that Bennett and Ramsey had when they initially entered the property assessor’s office – meaning he is the right person to build on the best leadership traditions of the past while helping move moving the office forward.
I know and respect Marty Haynes, and I know his conservative values based on his conservative record as a Hamilton County Commissioner, a former president of the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club and someone who has been active in the Hamilton County Republican Party for years, not just at election time. Others in this race today cannot make this claim.
These and other reasons are why I’m voting for Marty Haynes as the next Hamilton County Assessor of Property, and I ask that you to do the same on March 1, 2016.
Ricki Fords
Chattanooga
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In response to your mention, I feel a sense of duty to respond.
First of all, I adore your political passion. We need a lot of more of that in local government, where the rubber meets the road. Local government has more impact on your day to day life than Washington. Hats off to you.
Secondly, the public tires of so called political service turning into six figure jobs without the benefit of tangible qualifications.
Ricki, you write verbatim,“I know and respect Marty Haynes, and I know his conservative values based on his conservative record as a Hamilton County Commissioner, a former president of the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club and someone who has been active in the Hamilton County Republican Party for years, not just at election time. Others in this race today cannot make this claim.”
Being a political party insider is not adequate cause for the public to elect your candidate into a highly skilled position. Being a good Republican, really? We are supposed to elect your candidate because he is a good Pachyderm Club and Republican Party member, funny stuff. If an attorney familiar with property tax law enters the race, Democrat or Republican, I would probably vote for them over Sterling Jetton. It all about qualifications for me.
Finally, I cannot forget your candidates voting record on massive corporate welfare in PILOTs. He ain’t never seen a PILOT, he did not love.
Keep up your passion in your political opinion. It is good for everyone.
Look for me sign waving for Sterling Jetton.
Aprile Eidson