Barry Hawkins, Candidate for Knox County Trustee issued a press release today. The press release addresses the conflict that Interim Trustee Leuthold created last night in publicly criticizing Hawkins facts.
Additionally, county tax payers received reminders of the property tax that is due by 2/28/2014. The envelopes had the Interim (County Commission appointed) Trustee’s name all over them.
Every person in Knoxville/Knox County expects and deserves to have their elected office holders operate his/her office as efficiently as possible in regards to staffing, pay, and services. As a candidate, I promise to make the Trustee’s office of Knox County comparable to Hamilton County (Chattanooga) and Davidson County(Nashville Metro).
Staff size: Collections per employee
Knox: 40 ~6 million
Hamilton: 16~16 million
Davidson: 22~34 millionA savings from a reduction in staff would save millions of dollars for Knox County that could be better used for schools for public safety or for our seniors instead of an overstaffed office.
Many people have questioned whether the office was operating efficiently. The answer is absolutely not. When you compare the Knox County with Davidson and Hamilton counties you quickly see that Knox County is being mismanaged. It is being mismanaged by a historic degree. It makes you wonder if the office holder is managing the office or if he is using it to further a political career.
This week another example of mismanagement showed its ugly head. The current trustee reissued tax bills for property taxes, the same tax bills that were issued in October. Most people pay their taxes the same time every year, (we are creatures of habits). Does the Trustee really need to use taxpayer dollars to keep his name in front of the public? Once again, this is money being spent that should have been used for schools or public safety or our senior citizens.
