Ten years ago, the voters of District 27 trusted a successful businesswoman to represent this district, a role she would continue to fulfill for a total of 10 years.
Rep. Hazlewood quickly impressed her colleagues with her business-oriented mindset and knowledge surrounding finances and the budget, which earned her the position of chair of the powerful House Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
Under her leadership, the state became a shining star for small businesses and economic opportunity. Our state took pride in its financial standing because of Rep. Hazlewood’s leadership.
In this role, Rep. Hazlewood brought many economic advantages to our area as she worked tirelessly to ensure equal opportunities for our smaller municipalities. I see this firsthand as a Soddy Daisy resident; she has always taken care of our local history museum, fire halls, police department, recreational areas, and more. This did not come easily, as she was a constant fighter who had amassed the right tools to help her succeed.
Rep. Hazlewood understood the necessity of federal funding but also protecting our state’s independence from the national level. She helped oversee the allocation of federal funds to ensure as many tax dollars as possible went back into the communities that provided them, keeping tax rates low.
I can’t go without noting that Rep. Hazlewood made gains in various fields, including education, where minimum teacher pay was raised; supporting our police and communities by working to end the revolving door of repeat offenders through the “Chris Wright Act,” which targets habitual criminal offenders; and addressing illegal immigration at the state level, despite it being more of a federal issue. Rep. Hazlewood was a strong advocate for considering citizenship status in criminal sentencing, setting the standard that if you are here illegally, you should receive a harsher sentence. This is a brief snapshot of how Patsy votes in Nashville.
Because of Rep. Hazlewood, our area was, in a sense, spoiled by her charm, work ethic, and knowledge. She provided us with many relationships that others would struggle to foster.
The list could go on, but for now, thank you. You’ve raised the bar high.
Thank you from me and many, many more.
Ryan Jenkins