I am running for office for the reason that it is an obligation to step up as a local citizen during a time when both the tension and stakes of American politics are at an all-time high. I chose to go for the county commission position because it is important that everyone has someone out there that is willing to listen. Even having just one or two people that are able to fill this role and comment on genuine issues helps them work towards resolutions and makes them feel like they are truly representing the county.
While I lack the exact background compared to career politicians, I believe I make up for that with some of the skills I gained throughout day-to-day life. I am able to communicate with all types of people, even if they do not agree with me, along with applying myself to unfamiliar tasks and remaining resilient in the heat of the moment. Additionally, my participation in community service has helped me learn valuable skills in terms of leadership, problem solving, and compassion. I believe that as I continue to gain more experience and talk with more people every day, these strengths will only become even more notable.
I believe the core responsibility of any member elected to serve the county commission is to put their citizens first and foremost. The most effective way of achieving this is to approach them with open arms and be ready to get them involved with the voting process. Local leaders have to be willing to listen, ready to cooperate and to be proactive in implementing resolutions in order to start creating an impact. Most importantly, they must remain consistently transparent in how they are operating in their position, as running the risk of disconnecting the voters on any scale otherwise will have the public be a lot more skeptical of your true intentions as time passes.
The qualities needed to hold an office like this tie greatly into my background due to what I have picked up over the years. For one, I have an ability to reach out to other offices when necessary, and, when discussing policy, come to fair conclusions with differentiating parties without overwhelmingly compromising. I fully understand that my combined background and experience make me a much different candidate than others on the ballot, which only means I have to show off these qualities now more than ever to prove what I can bring to the table. I am ambitious, committed, open-minded, and resilient, but I would rather let my actions do the talking than my words.
The biggest issues I see present in Knox County are a lack of affordability, accountability, and accessibility. Despite all the challenges set in place, I want the county to be one where housing is both available and affordable, a county where its citizens are able to trust the local government to put them first instead of special interests or themselves, and one where citizens are free to move around Knox County the way they want to safely. While these are not all the things that should have a focus, achieving the above are crucial steps to creating a place where our current and future generations can thrive.
I want the people to understand that, like every other citizen of this county, whether you’re in Knoxville or in the surrounding rural areas, I am still somebody that sees the same faults and goes through the same struggles as everyone else does living here. While I do not have the powerful connections or the instant backing of financial loyalists, I am still someone that is willing to try to make the county a better place. In all honesty, I am always ready to learn new things by going through this process one day at a time, and that mindset is one that should occupy any seat in the local office.
