John Isbell, the four times elected and internationally recognized Property Assessor of Sumner County, announced Monday that he is running for County Executive against incumbent Anthony Holt in the 2018 election cycle to “bring transparency to the office and stop the crony capitalism that plagues the administration.”
First elected as Sumner County Property Assessor in 2004, Isbell has served in numerous positions in both the state and the 7,000-member global association of assessing officers and is pursuing his Ph.D. in public policy.
In his campaign platform, Isbell is focused on integrity, transparency and accountability in leadership.
“The citizens of Sumner County deserve an honest government and they know I defeated Anthony Holt’s plan to unconstitutionally railroad a tax increase on the property owners in Sumner County,” states Isbell’s press release, which continues,
I believe in transparency and plan to bring to light Holt’s policy initiatives while in office. My reputation for honesty is the reason why I have received more votes than Anthony Holt in the past three elections.
The unconstitutional tax increase Isbell refers to relates to a 2014 contention by Holt and Sumner County Schools Director Del Phillips that Isbell needed to raise property values following the housing market crash in 2009. Holt orchestrated a complaint to and subsequent hearing against Isbell by the State Board of Equalization to review the issue. The Board, which includes State Comptroller Justin Wilson, found that there was no wrongdoing by Isbell.
Later in 2014, Holt took responsibility for the 20 percent property tax increase passed at special called meetings of the Sumner County Budget Committee and Board of County Commissioners. From bonds to be obtained with the increased property tax revenues, Holt pushed for $20 million to be used for a tax-payer funded industrial park to be located on agriculturally zoned land.
When the park wasn’t approved at that time, Holt made another attempt in 2016. The second attempt was met with significant community resistance which organized under the name of Preserve Sumner County.
In 2016, Holt brought a Resolution before the County Commission to encourage the Governor and State Legislature to increase revenues for roads and mass transit in what would eventually become the IMPROVE Act, and then stood beside Governor Haslam as he introduced the IMPROVE Act on January 18, 2017.
According to Isbell, “Citizens deserve an honest and courageous leader to address the current issues important to the future of Sumner County, and many have asked me to help achieve that goal by bringing integrity back to the office of County Executive.”
A guiding principle displayed in Isbell’s office, “We are elected to serve as leaders and we must lead as servants,” was also included in the press release.
The full text of the press release can be read here:
Assessor of property John C. Isbell today announced his intentions to run for County Executive to bring transparency to the office and stop the crony capitalism that plagues the administration.
“Citizens deserve an honest and courageous leader to address the current issues important to the future of Sumner County, and many have asked me to help achieve that goal by bringing integrity back to the office of County Executive. We are elected to serve as leaders and we must lead as servants.”
Isbell has received numerous accolades by his peers, both at the state and international level, for his work in promoting best practices in property valuation. He has served on the Executive Board of both the state and international organizations setting policy initiatives to guide the industry. John continues to promote innovation and efficiency in operations resulting in a transparent office accountable to the citizens.
Isbell said he appreciated the opportunity to stand up to Holt’s attempts to unseat him in 2016 with his hand picked opposition because it helped solidify his reputation as “a straight-shooting constitutional conservative with a backbone that will not bend to the cronyism of the establishment.” Isbell easily won reelection with 65% of the vote.
John is willing to accept the challenge to provide accountability and restore confidence in our government. “The citizens of Sumner County deserve an honest government and they know I defeated Anthony Holt’s plan to unconstitutionally railroad a tax increase on the property owners in Sumner County. I believe in transparency and plan to bring to light Holt’s policy initiatives while in office. My reputation for honesty is the reason why I have received more votes than Anthony Holt in the past three elections,” said Isbell.
To learn more about John C. Isbell’s candidacy for Sumner County Executive, please visit isbellforsumner.com
[…] Anthony Holt, along with the Director of Schools, attempted to coerce the County Property Assessor to artificially and illegitimately inflate property values in an attempt to gain more county revenue from property taxes. The county assessor stood firm against Holt, which initiated a malicious (ongoing) attack against the assessor and his office. https://tennesseestar.com/2017/10/18/sumner-county-property-assessor-john-isbell-will-run-against-co… […]
I am sure glad to see that Mr. Holt is being challenged by a more conservative candidate. Mr. Holt is looking more like a Davidson County tax and spend liberal every year.