WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
My name is Eddie J. Fair, a candidate for re-election.
IN 250 WORDS OR LESS, PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU ARE SEEKING PUBLIC OFFICE?
As the Bible distinctly expresses in Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
I constantly ask for guidance as I seek to find better ways to service Hinds County taxpayers with sensitivity, create more opportunities for Hinds County residents to become taxpayers, and educate young people on the role taxes play in improving their quality of life. And, I, along with my dedicated staff, will continue to knock on opportunity’s door to ensure all Hinds County residents receive a turn at bat to experience the joy of becoming a homeowner, a landowner, a business property owner, or an owner of a motor vehicle, which benefits Hinds County and the State of Mississippi as a whole.
As a young man growing up in the Mississippi Delta, I learned that happiness produces productivity, and productivity produces creativity, and creativity produces longevity. This is why I am so grateful to the citizens of Hinds County for entrusting me these past 20 years to listen to their concerns, and act upon them with constructive solutions and resolutions working within the state constitution.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS/ARE THE GREATEST OBSTACLE(S) TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN HINDS COUNTY?
The greatest obstacle to economic and community development in Hinds County is not believing time is on our side. Galatians 6:9 reads: “And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” It’s a matter of vision and foresight. As I reflect on my tenure as Hinds County Tax Collector, our entire staff has given time and thought to the possibilities of enhancing customer service, such as a separate service line for our senior population and curbside service. You just can’t beat our giving! I’m eternally thankful to be a part of the best workforce in the world!
IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE THIS/THESE OBSTACLE(S)?
The steps I and my staff will take to minimize the interference that impatience can inflict on the prosperity of our community is to continue to encourage all Hinds County residents to abide by state laws as it relates to assessed taxes on their properties, as well as educate them on the differences of the tax assessor’s office and the tax collector’s office; be a change agent by pushing for and utilizing government resources serve as an advocate for small businesses and service organizations; implement innovative strategies to improve county resources; and be visible in, and useful to, the communities we are responsible for, all while walking steadfast in the path of righteousness to serve all humanity. What our efficient and caring staff has accomplished over the past 20 years hasn’t been easy, or without sacrifice, but we’ve experienced steady progress with lots of triumphs and celebrations along the way. The Hinds County Tax Collector’s office will continue to build on what WE started. This has never been a one-man show.
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WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
My name is Timothy Lewis.
IN 250 WORDS OR LESS, PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU ARE SEEKING PUBLIC OFFICE?
My decision to run for public office has to do with my passion and desire to serve people. My campaign is focused on the issues affecting our families and businesses. I understand the primary responsibility of the Tax Collector’s Office, but I want to do more than collect taxes and issue tax bills. I firmly believe that the taxpayers need real accountability and full transparency of their tax dollars. I believe once we implement a more comprehensive system for collecting current and delinquent taxes, we can have economic growth and improve the quality of life for our senior citizens, disabled citizens, disabled veterans, and our business community.
My experience, my financial background, and leadership ability has given me the confidence I need to get things done on behalf of our citizens as Tax Collector.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS/ARE THE GREATEST OBSTACLE(S) TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN HINDS COUNTY?
I have had the opportunity to meet so many of Hinds County’s wonderful citizens since the campaign started for me back in January. I heard the issues that they are concerned about. I will identify three (3) of the pressing obstacles they believe are hurting our economic growth and community development.
High taxes – High taxes in any municipality will cause migration of three (3) groups: Individuals, Families, and Businesses. High taxes will cause a delay in community development because of the declining tax base.
Uncollected taxes – Most municipalities cannot adequately carry out its day-to-day functions if the taxes needed are not collected. This is a major obstacle that will cripple any municipality. The inability to collect tax revenue results in insufficient funding for the County to repair our poor roads and bridges; insufficient funding for our public safety units; insufficient funding needed to provide vital services to our taxpayers; and insufficient funding needed to enhance our educational system for our children.
Cost of car tags – Hinds County car tags are notoriously expensive. It is considerably higher than what drivers pay in both Madison County and Rankin County. Because of the high cost of the car tags, our citizens are going to other counties including Madison and Rankin to purchase their tag, and as a result, Hinds County is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue.
IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE THIS/THESE OBSTACLE(S)?
Step #1 – One of the ways to minimize high taxes is to make sure that we are vigilant in our efforts to collect the taxes from the assessed properties in the County. I will be looking into implementing a stronger and more comprehensive collection system that will significantly increase our ability to capture more revenue and reduce the total dollar amount of uncollected taxes. This process will also help in reducing the risk of our citizens losing their properties in the annual tax sales to out-of-state LLC companies.
Step #2 – As Tax Collector, I will be looking into implementing other optional services by which the taxpayers can pay their property taxes that will help ease the burden of them paying their taxes. Therefore, we can keep our families in Hinds County without losing them to our neighboring counties, which results in the loss of our tax base and tax revenue.
Step #3 – As Tax Collector, I will work alongside Hinds County elected officials and lawmakers to see how we can collectively find ways to lower the cost of the car tags in Hinds County. I believe the part that I would play as Tax Collector is to make sure that I am collecting the Ad Valorem taxes needed to sufficiently run Hinds County. The other players part would be to see how we can reduce the millage rate. Any small reduction in our millage rate will help keep more money in the pockets of our hard-working citizens.
