Jack Martin wants to make a bold claim as he discusses running for Hamilton County Commission, so he leans over the table and lifts his eyebrows above his glasses.
“I’m going to be different than any politician that has run for office,” he said. “I am totally devoted to the property owners and the businessmen.”
A former Tennessee Valley Authority engineer who says he has “very little patience” for government spending, Mr. Martin will oppose any property tax increase “no matter what” and wants to freeze the current property tax rate for senior citizens.
Taking his conservative approach a step further, Mr. Martin said he wants to create a county ordinance that would prohibit all property tax increases unless voters approved them through referendum.
When pressed on the idea that people might feel negatively about taxing themselves, Mr. Martin remained adamant that governments must stop “prying” into private bank accounts through tax increases.