Marty Haynes, the Republican nominee for assessor of property, on Tuesday condemned "the misleading information being distributed by my Democratic opponent regarding a senior tax freeze in Hamilton County."
He referred to comments by Mark Siedlecki, the Democratic nominee, who said the County Commission should vote in a senior tax freeze approved earlier by the Legislature.
Mr. Haynes, District 3 County Commissioner, said, “This is an issue I take very seriously. I’ve been working to protect seniors in my hometown long before I took office and certainly long before my opponent moved to Chattanooga and registered to vote in Hamilton County last fall for the sole reason to run for public office.
”While an important issue for many people across the state, a senior tax freeze has only been enacted in fewer than 20 percent of all local governments in Tennessee since becoming law after July 1, 2007. According to Hamilton County Trustee Bill Hullander, 18 of the 23 counties that have implemented a senior tax freeze have also implemented a wheel tax - a tax that currently does not exist in Hamilton County.
“The fact remains Hamilton County government has not raised property taxes on seniors or anyone else for nine straight years. Unlike the city of Chattanooga, which passed a significant property tax increase in 2010 and has had no discussions regarding a senior property tax freeze, the County Commission has said repeatedly that we will vote on this issue if and when we vote for a property tax increase.
”Based on data from the Trustee’s Office, the vast majority of seniors who would qualify for a senior tax property tax freeze have seen their county property taxes remain the same or decrease since July 2007. The same data shows nearly 80 percent of low-income seniors in Hamilton County are already receiving property tax relief.
“My Democratic opponent continues to misrepresent what the assessor can and cannot do. According to state laws, the assessor of property has no authority or jurisdiction to implement a senior property tax freeze. The assessor’s office should not be an activist position. The assessor is someone we trust with ensuring the assessments for your biggest investment – your property – are fair and accurate.
”I suggest that my opponent consider running for the Chattanooga City Council where a refusal to enact a senior tax freeze is evident with the city’s consistent history of raising property taxes and stormwater fees that are truly the burden of low-income seniors. Through public records, this point is proven by examining the latest tax bill for the Democratic nominee for assessor, which shows his county taxes in 2015 are $80 less than they were in 2008 compared to his Chattanooga city tax bill that have increased $160 since 2008.
“If my opponent is truly an advocate for seniors, he should first address his concerns with his very own campaign manager, City Councilman Chris Anderson, due to his failure to address the burden of Chattanooga city taxes on low-income seniors. My opponent will cast only his second ballot in a Hamilton County race this August and clearly does not understand how local government works, but he is very effective with the scare tactics of Democratic politics.”