Governor Bill Haslam was the featured guest at the July 20 “A Midsummer’s Night Gala” fund raising event “for the Re-election of Anthony Holt, County Executive,” a fervent supporter of the governor’s gas-tax increasing IMPROVE Act and host of a Sumner County town hall on the topic February 22.
Holt was an early promoter of what would eventually become the controversial IMPROVE Act, when he brought to the county Legislative Committee “A Resolution of Support for Enhanced, Sustainable Funding for Transportation Needs for the State of Tennessee and for Local Communities” back in April 2016.
Holt reported to the Legislative Committee that the resolution had been developed by the MPO – Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization – of which Holt is a member. According to its website, the MPO was established through federal legislation and “facilitates strategic planning for the region’s multi-modal transportation system.”
At the time, the state had more than a half-billion dollar budget surplus, yet the transportation resolution urged the Tennessee General Assembly to provide funding other than the over-collected taxes that would account for inflation and allow cities and counties the option to tax for transportation needs, including transit options.
The IMPROVE Act increased the gas, diesel and propane taxes, raised motor vehicle registration fees by $5 for passenger vehicles and higher for commercial vehicles and $100 for electric cars. It also allowed for city and county governments to increase six different taxes to fund mass transit — the sales tax, business tax, motor vehicle tax, local rental car tax, tourist accommodation/hotel occupancy tax and the residential development tax.
Notably, none of the taxes approved for increases to fund mass transit meet the “user fee” standard required by Governor Haslam and other gas tax proponents when it came to funding roads.
In the 2018 Republican primary, Holt will face declared challenger and property tax increase opponent, County Commissioner Jim Vaughn (District 6). Voters, still disenchanted over the 2014 property tax increase of over 20 percent, will have at least one option to Holt, who took full responsibility for the tax increase when he told the Sumner County Republican Women, “I want you to know today, you can hold me responsible – hold me personally responsible. I do not want to shirk my responsibility.”
Holt is also responsible for the $20 million industrial park proposal which contributed to the 2014 property tax increase, although it went nowhere at that time. In 2016, Holt and Jimmy Johnston of Forward Sumner, the county’s economic development service provider, revisited the controversial topic which includes the purchase of approximately 1,000 acres of bucolic agriculturally-zoned land north of Gallatin city limits.
The proposal activated a group of concerned citizens, Preserve Sumner County, in opposition to the project, which by then had been named Sumner Enterprise Park. The project, once again, did not advance following several months of review by a specially-formed ad hoc committee of the County Commission, headed by Commissioner Kevin Pomeroy (District 6), who was a named sponsor of Holt’s gala event.
At least two of about one hundred platinum, gold, silver and bronze sponsors of Holt’s gala event outright own or are linked to approximately one quarter of the proposed 1,000-acre industrial park land, which will likely aggravate concerns of the Sumner Enterprise Park opposition. Among others, sponsors also included political figures, local developers and Holt appointees to various county boards.
Other attendees not listed on the invitation included anticipated gubernatorial candidate U.S. Congresswoman Diane Black (TN-06) and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
[…] Anthony Holt in the 2018 election cycle to “bring transparency to the office and stop the crony capitalism that plagues the […]
Well, I doubt these two individuals know much about politics. If they understand them at all. Must we have another womanizer representing the political agenda of our town, which directly contributes to the decision making of our community? Don’t we have enough men like this running our county, state and country? And clearly this woman lacks high standards. I wouldn’t want my wife socializing with a woman who thinks so little of herself. And who are these people anyway? They act as if they are people of importance. Can we leave the politics to the big boys? You know, men of honor. Aren’t these people too old to be worrying about image ? This man looks to be 70. Doesn’t he have better things to do? This seems to be hitting a nerve with a lot of people. We need REAL people representing Sumner County.
He is 70-75. Lacks character and thinks he is a stud.
She is 60 or late 50’s with a lot of work.From what I have heard she is gonna help straighten out Sumner
County with his help, brains, and money.
Yes , it is upsetting a lot of people. Especially the people on limited incomes . I have lived in this county for 30 years, I am ashamed.
I agree with all the comments. In Nashville and Sumner County it’s hard to find affordable housing and a job that pays well enough to match housing expenditures. Our community in Sumner County gets its roots from hard work and dedication. The people here care about their neighbor. We need great leaders with depth and values. With that said, it costs money to elect good leaders. Mr. Holt, if you need names of wealthy individuals who chase after God’s own heart – who know they are blessed and yet are willing to help – I can give you those names. I agree with Harrison, I am not impressed with Mr. Harrington or Ms. Mangrum. Mr. Harrington, please keep your personal agenda to yourself. We are an amazing community of wonderful residents. Please don’t muddy those waters with public displays of childish behavior and disrespect. I love our community and I will stand up for its values. And I know a ton of people that will as well. Let us walk away from expensive galas with ulterior motives, and come together and help each other. Mr. Holt, we will do this with or without your assistance. Our lives are not a joke for disrespectful rich men to play with.
I hope all comments get to Mr.Harrington and Ms.Mangum and Mr. Holt.
Although, Mr. Harrington does not care what we think, maybe he has some sense of common decency.
I cannot say it any better then Jonathan B.
I agree with Sophie. Sumner County matters. We do
not need these kind of people that do not spend a dime in our town.
Dawn Mangrum and Ace Harrington are very poor
represenatives.
Not people I will associate with. I enjoy being in the
working class. Mr. Harrington, you are not impressive.
I wish someone would show all these comments to Holt and Haslam. It’s not the wealth of someone that is discredited, it’s the character and substance of the person behind the money. If Ace Harrington was a man of great character, we would be applauding him – trust me. But this is not the case. Mr. Holt please raise the bar. Dawn Mangrum has only been courting Mr. Harrington for a few months, her inclusion on the invitation is both tacky and lacks class. Why would a man publicly promote a woman when he barely knows her? And yes, she dates old men with wealth in hopes of a proposal. I know his ex-wife and this is completely disrespectful to her and their children. Ace made a public display of cheap behavior. We need great men leading our community. And they are out there!! Real men with real values. We need these men to step forward and make a difference. I’m so glad that people are coming together and speaking out about integrity. Everyone is SO tired of the fakes. Let’s get real.
All comments should be forwarded to Mr.Holt and yes, Dawn Mangrum and Ace Harrington.
Maybe Mr. Harrington and his latest toy will step out of the limelight.
I agree with all comments, they are correct.
What an embarrassment To Gallatin.
I agree with you Tom. We have to be at a place where we are ‘loud’. Life isn’t about galas and society functions. There are true issues in our community that need addressing. It’s the working class that move a community and keep it functioning. These are the real heroes, not people like Mr. Harrington. Clearly, Dawn Mangrum is for sale and Ace Harrington bought into it (which shows his lack of intelligence). She is known to date men who are past their prime, in hopes of getting a marriage proposal. These people don’t matter. It’s all of US that matter – the genuine, sincere people who keep our community going. These people mean nothing. I’m sure Ms. Mangrum is good at putting on a fashion show or coordinating an afternoon tea, but this isn’t what real life is about. Let’s get some real people to represent us. Money will never buy character or integrity. However, in Mr. Harrington’s case, it bought him fake friends and an aging “C” level actress. Not people I would want to associate with.
Dawn Mangrum is a complete fake.
Ace Harrington is a dishonest person with no integrity
He seems to think he is a good upstanding and Christian leader. Anyone that knows him, knows different.
We are not impressed.
Previous posts are correct . Mr. Holt loses my vote just my being a guest in that house.
I hate Sumner County is represented by these people.
We need people who will actually work for the citizens of Sumner County. Why is Ms. Mangrum a co-host? She lives at The Governor’s Club in Brentwood. Does she even know about local politics in our county? I doubt it. Mr. Harrington seems to have used this fundraiser to debut his dating life by using Ms. Mangrum for her socialite connections. I remember when he and his ex-wife hosted this event. Sounds like Mr. Harrington is using a community fundraiser to rub this is his ex-wife’s face. Ms. Mangrum, of course, is using him for his wealth. She has no business in Sumner County. Come on guys, let’s dig deep and help the people of this community. Both of these individuals are not helping. They just want to be ‘seen’. It’s time to call people out who lack character. We need strong people of integrity to lead and help the working class. These people are not leaders.
Yes, Mr. Ace Harrington looks down on the working class and Ms.Mangrum makes all her money from men. Look out , Ace!
Why don’t you help the people that need help and not look down on them. The only difference between me and you is your checkbook…use it for the good.
Ms. Mangrum is not Sumner County resident , until she marries him. Which is the plan.
No One is looking at you Mr. Harrington and Ms. Mangrum! Help the working class.
I am ashamed people like you represent Sumner County.
You are exactly right, we need help with the working
Class in Sumner County.
Ms.Mangrum never has been among the working class.
I am very surprised with Mr. Holt
Agreed! Ace Harrington is a complete fake and an incredibly dishonest man!!! And Dawn Mangrum? Isn’t she a democrat? HA! What a joke! Does she not know that Ace Harrington is the biggest philanderer in Sumner County? I really thought Governor Haslam and Anthony Holt had higher standards. They are really hanging around trailer trash.
You are so right Tom
You are so right Tom
Figures Ms.Mangrum has meet her match
The wealthy rhinos gather together to celebrate one of their very special candidates running for office on the “Raise taxes even higher” platform.
And why not raise those taxes higher? Tennessee needs more jobs, more people, more traffic, more commutes, more illegal aliens. We need to Act to Improve middle Tennessee so that we grow up to be a big city, like Atlanta, or Dallas or LA, right?
Us little people who have to budget and take in our belts another notch and find a decent place to live within an hour commute haven’t seemed to notice the big scam yet. Wake up, y’all.
Good luck to the Preserve Sumner County group. You’ll need all the luck you can get as you go up against these Goliath rhinos who put $$$ before the quality of our life.
What fakes!!!
Ace Hartington is one of the most dishonest people in Sumner County
Executive Holt bring Nashville values to Sumner County. It is time to replace him.