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Education
Liberty University: BS in Government, Minor in Criminal Justice
Family
Married to Hannah since 2014
Other Social Media
www.instagram.com/councilmanjakeholmes
The landfill has become the largest financial burden on our city. It’s not a glamorous thing to say but it’s the truth. We cannot not pay for the work being done there and we cannot halfway do it either. That’s where our bulk of any new funding goes. Additionally, we’ve had to cover some new equipment and pay for some employee raises so we remain competitive - if we lose employees elsewhere then we can’t provide basic services. The taxes come from the citizens and every cent is hard earned by them - we must make sure it is not wasted and is spent with the utmost care. Taxes are high and we must work to lower them - that’s why I’ve worked with state leaders on state assistance and why we’ve worked to get an economic development director.
Unfortunately, this is not just a Bristol issue, but we must absolutely address it here. We’ve increased our officer patrols and have hired more. This has helped tremendously and we’ve heard from numerous people about the improvements across the city. We must continue to work on this going forward. Additionally, all our officers have been given resource cards to hand out to those in need that include resources for mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse, housing, and many more areas. Our police department has taken a very active approach to addressing this but we know arresting and charging is not the sole path forward.
We must enforce the laws already on the books. Our police department has worked incredibly hard to do that already. As you have already seen on the news, there have been multiple investigations into various shops that have not followed the laws. We have an over abundance of these businesses, and they are way too close to legitimate businesses, schools, churches, and other facilities where they should not be. I fully support the work our law enforcement officers have done and I encourage businesses to comply with the laws that the state and federal governments have in place. At the local level, we’ve taken measures to restrict where “substance shops” can locate to better plan the location and number of future shops.
Priories should be continuing the progress on the landfill, public safety, promoting tourism, economic development, and providing educational opportunities to our students. We’ve went from over 1,800 complaints on the landfill in 2021 to only two so far in 2026, so that shows our efforts are working incredibly well. We must continue on that path - we are not done yet. We have to work with our state partners on getting outside assistance. I’ve made numerous trips to Richmond to meet with legislators of both parties to seek help. So far, our city has received $28.5 million in assistance from the state to alleviate the burden of the landfill that would have otherwise been placed on our citizens. I will continue that work.
Additionally, we must continue to invest in our public safety departments to ensure they are properly equipped and staffed. Last year we were able to put 3/4 of a million dollars into fire department salaries and this year we hired new police officers. Also, we need to bring in tourists to capture to outside tax money to relieve the burden on our citizens, and we must grow our economy for the same reason. With our new economic development director, I’m hopeful we’ll be able to really make some progress. And we must work to expand opportunities for our next generation - investing in our Bearcats is an absolute must and we have to be creative. Our city will die on the vine if we don’t provide resources and avenues for them to succeed.
“When Bristol brings in more money from growth, that extra revenue shouldn’t be wasted. We should use it to:
Give taxpayers a break where we can,
Help our small, local businesses stay strong,
And invest in long-term projects that keep Bristol thriving for years to come.”
Taxpayer relief:
Small, targeted breaks: Focus on modest reductions or credits for homeowners and seniors on fixed incomes.
Visible benefits: Tie any relief to clear outcomes—like a “Bristol Homeowner Credit” when revenues exceed projections.
Support for small businesses.
“We need to keep Bristol safe not just on paper, but on the street corner. That means working with store owners, police, and service providers so convenience stores are places families feel comfortable, not hotspots for trouble.”
Assign officers to build relationships with store owners and neighbors, not just respond to calls.
Store safety standards: Encourage or require better lighting, cameras, and clear “no loitering” policies.
Business support: Offer small grants or tax credits to stores that invest in safety improvements.
Enforce trespassing and public nuisance laws consistently, while still treating people with dignity.
Right now, Bristol is seeing a wave of “recreational substance” businesses, and the state and federal rules are still shifting. The new Bristol, Virginia ordinance on recreational‑substance businesses is essentially a zoning and distance‑restriction law — not a law about personal drug possession, but about where stores are located,
“Until Richmond and Washington finish their work, Bristol has to protect our neighborhoods and kids while respecting legal businesses. That means clear rules about where these shops go, how they operate, and how many we really need.”
Monitor police calls, code violations, and community complaints tied to these businesses: Make it clear to residents what is legal, what is not, and how the city is responding.
1. Safe, livable neighborhoods
Reduce petty crime and nuisance behavior.
Improve lighting, sidewalks, and public spaces.
2. Balanced economic growth
Support small, local businesses.
Manage “recreational substance” and similar industries responsibly.
Use new revenue to benefit residents directly.
3. Affordable, stable housing
Protect homeowners from being priced out.
Encourage quality, affordable rentals and infill development.
4. Infrastructure and quality of life
Streets, drainage, broadband, parks, and recreation.
Make Bristol attractive to families and employers.
5. Transparent, accountable government
Clear communication about budgets, taxes, and major decisions.
Regular listening sessions in neighborhoods, not just City Hall.
Neighborhood safety plans:
Work with each major neighborhood to identify top concerns and set a simple action plan.
Targeted investments:
Prioritize lighting, sidewalks, and cleanup in areas with higher call volumes.
Youth engagement:
After-school support, mentoring, and summer programs to keep kids busy and connected.
Aggressively pursue state and federal grants to stretch local dollars.
Plain language budget summaries:
Release a “Bristol Budget in Brief” each year showing where money comes from and where it goes.
Regular town halls:
Commit to quarterly community meetings in different parts of the city.
Performance dashboards:
Track key metrics, crime, business growth, infrastructure projects, and share them publicly.
Education
John S. Battle High School, Virginia Highlands Community College
Experience
Two terms in office, two years as mayor, two years as vice mayor. Development coordinator for United Way of SWVA, background in education and sales.
Family
One teenage daughter
The city has been fortunate to see some growth in meals and lodging tax, but a top priority for me is reclaiming more of our gaming tax generated by the casino. I’d like to see this revenue targeted toward shoring up our public safety and education line items, as well as using it to more proactively patch potholes and improve our city infrastructure like roads and sidewalks. A city that’s more walkable and more drivable is a better city for all our residents. In addition to that, we can’t let off the gas on attracting new businesses to continue to grow our tax revenue.
The city has taken steps to increase police presence and patrols downtown and we’ve seen a lot of positive results. We’ve installed signs at intersections to discourage panhandling and we’ve passed ordinances against blocking public sidewalks. But until we address the root causes, the issues will persist. That’s why all of our police officers now carry resource lists to try and help folks get the assistance they need to lift them up and get to a better place in life. I favor finding solutions that make our city safer without losing the kindness that makes our city such a wonderful place to live.
The city council has passed stricter zoning ordinances to limit where marijuana and CBD shops can locate and the city is currently enforcing the laws we have on the books. The eventual legalization of marijuana will make the market safer and better regulated, and keep these products out of the hands of kids, but in the meantime, we have directed the police to be proactive in enforcing the law and making sure our residents are safe.
I have five main priorities for this upcoming term.
1-Housing: We have a housing shortage but we can only either build in, build up, or rehab what we have.
2-Infrastructure: The city needs to do a better job repairing potholes and maintaining neighborhood streets.
3-Public Safety: We’ve done a good job with funding police and fire and giving them the proper equipment, but we need to increase firefighter staffing.
4-Education: I led the efforts to build our new school, and we need to continue supporting our school system to make sure it remains a top learning environment.
5-Economic Development: I want to continue to attract new and diverse business to our city to grow our tax base.
1-Housing: I have a three part plan on my Facebook that involves tax abatement for rehabbing homes, making zoning easier for multi-family homes near downtown, and offering vacant lots via RFP to developers willing to maintain affordable rent.
2-Infrastructure: Every year since 2021 I’ve fought for increased budget funding for road repairs and I want to double down on that.
3-Public Safety: We need to hire more firefighters to meet national standards.
4-Education: I support the school board’s actions for paying employees better as well as looking at all options to keep our buildings in great shape.
5-Economic Development: We’ve just hired a new EconDev Director and we’re ready to formulate a plan to make the city attractive to businesses.
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