Hamilton County Assessor of Property Marty Haynes on Monday adamantly denied a campaign allegation that House District 30 Republican candidate Esther Helton got a property tax break because the two are close.
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Marty HaynesHaynes called the allegation "a blatant lie" and warned he is seeking legal advice "including libel, slander, defamation and any felonious charges."
The mailer from the Committee to Elect Jonathan Mason, Helton's opponent in the Aug. 2 primary, hit between 3,000 and 5,000 District 30 households Saturday.
It shows a photo of Haynes and Helton, dressed for a party, with him kissing her on the cheek. The copy says, "While tax assessor Marty Haynes and Esther Helton were an item our taxes were increased across the district and hers were lowered. It is time to say no to political cronyism."
Mason on Monday denied the mailer suggests Haynes did something improper or illegal. Asked whether impropriety is implied, he said, "If someone wants to make that implication, they can make that implication, but we are stating facts on the mailer."
Hamilton County property records show the assessment of the home on Harris Lane in East Ridge fell by just over 3 percent after the 2017 property reappraisal overseen by Haynes. Four neighboring homes' values all rose by an average of 5.6 percent.
Helton's campaign said Esther Helton wasn't the owner. The deed is solely in the name of John Chris Helton, Esther Helton's ex-husband.
Donnie Bell, a residential appraiser in the assessor's office, told the Times Free Press on Monday the home was overvalued compared to others in the neighborhood. Its value was reduced about $1,500 in the reappraisal, he said.
Haynes said the $467,000 house sold earlier this year for $345,000. And he defended himself and his office staff.
"At no time as assessor of property have I personally changed any property values for anyone. Nor have I instructed anyone in this office to change a value for a political friend or foe," he said. He added that the assessor's office must follow rules set by the state and that the quadrennial reappraisals must be approved by the State Board of Equalization in Nashville.
"I challenge Jonathan Mason and his campaign team to produce any material evidence that substantiates these charges," Haynes said. "The truth is they can't because it doesn't exist."
In a truly meta moment, Haynes quoted nearly word for word a line of dialogue in the 1995 film "The American President," when fictional president Andrew Shepherd defends his girlfriend from a campaign opponent's attacks.
"If he wants to engage in a character debate, he better stick with me - Esther Helton is way out of his league," Haynes said.
Mason stood by the mailer, saying, "It's vital that we have fair elections, and it's vital that we have decisions made in government not based on who you or who your friends are but based on the actual facts."
A campaign mailer that hit Saturday in the district shows a photo of Haynes and Helton, dressed for a party, with him kissing her on the cheek.Political observers countywide are calling the District 30 campaign the ugliest in quite a while.
Mason pointed to a mailer supporting Helton that showed him with darkened skin and enormous, gorilla-like hands. It was sent by a political action committee for state Rep. Glen Casada, R-Thompson Station.
It slammed Mason, who works for Chattanooga-based insurer Unum, charging he is "Literally In The Pocket of Big Insurance Companies. His Interests Are Their Interests - Not Yours!"
Helton, a nurse, has portrayed herself as running a positive campaign.
But, Mason said, "My opponent has allowed a Nashville politician's political action committee to attack me on her behalf. She even included his picture and endorsement on her recent mailer, and that says to me she's condoning that behavior from Glen Casada.
"Those questioned my integrity as far as my employer and the decisions that I make and my character and implying, by saying that she won't be in the pocket of big insurance companies, that I will," he said.
The Helton campaign said it has no connection to Casada and can't tell a PAC what to do.
Esther Helton, 56, is seeking District 30 GOP primary nominationFor his part, Mason has said in statements and on campaign signs that Helton voted for President Barack Obama twice - an unproveable allegation given that she picked up Democratic ballots in two presidential and two state primaries. Helton supporters have put up signs right next to Mason's saying Helton did not vote for Obama.
Mason touted his endorsement from Tennessee Right to Life and said Helton couldn't get one. She defended herself by saying she had no chance to talk to the organization, and said her pro-life bona fides were proven when she became a teen mom.
State Rep. Marc Gravitt, whose departure from the position set up a sizzling campaign to replace him, endorsed Helton last week. He said he tried to stay neutral but changed his mind after Mason supporters on the Hamilton County Commission blocked him from making an unscheduled presentation honoring a recently deceased World War II hero.
The winner of Thursday's GOP primary will face Democrat Joda Thongnopnua in the Nov. 6 general election.
Contact staff writer Judy Walton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.