Another Sumner County resident has decided to run for the County Commission.
Cliff Bales of Oxford filed for the third district seat on Friday, a position currently held by County Commissioner Eldon Gracy. Stan Burdett of Caldwell has also filed for the third district.
“To make a difference you have to serve and to serve by definition is to lead and I think we’ve missed some real opportunities in the County we should have captured and I think maybe we can do some things to close the deal,” said Bales, who is running for public office for the first time.
His biggest concern, he said, was the high amount of taxes residents in Sumner County have to pay.
“I’m a real estate investor and I look at the taxation situation in the County and my job takes me out to meet people and speak with people and interact with people and I don’t think that our taxation situation is sustainable. You can’t keep getting more and more from fewer and fewer,” he said. “Something has to change or people will be unable to retire in our County.”
Tax relief and additional revenue are what Bales would like to see change in the County.
“It seems to be unsustainable the way it is,” Bales said. “The jobs and the revenue to do what it takes just aren’t there.”
Bales said by re-evaluating how the County spends money and what they spend it for could lower the amount of taxes.
“It’s a weighing if you will between services and taxes at your house and mine...I suppose when times get tough and the pinch is on we go from one car instead of two or three, we go to hamburgers instead of steak, somebody may give up a cell phone, things like that.”
Bales considers himself a fiscal conservative, saying he has run four different successful businesses debt free and claims to have lived debt free since 1981.
The Oxford man is currently employed with the county as a field technician for Planning and Zoning and Environmental Health for 9 years. He says this gives him insight into the regulation that has been going on in the County — namely the proposed casino project.
Bales says though getting the casino is important, bringing other economic sources to Sumner County is vital for residents to survive.
“I’ve seen Economic Development directors come and go and I don’t know how many deals they have looked at, how many businesses they have spoke with that might have come to our county. We seem to be unable to close the sale. Having been in been in business for myself successfully four times, I know the processes ... as you interact between the parties you look at things they want and require and so forth, then you ask yourself, ‘Is this a hurdle I need to jump or is this a reason not to do this deal?’ and apparently they have found those to be reasons not to do the deal. We need to feel like there are some of those hurdles that can be removed and become reasons to do the deal here,” Bales said.
The Oxford man says the County needs a “spark plug” of new ideas.
“You cannot change what you will not confront and I have been the spark plug a lot of times and I don’t mind being the spark plug,” said Bales.
Those interested in running for either seat must file with the Sumner County Clerk by noon, Thursday, June 10 either by petition or with a filing fee. Filing fees are one percent of the candidate’s annual salary as well as a $35 registration fee to be paid to the state. A filing by petition must consist of three percent of the registered voters by party in the Commissioner district.
For more information on how to file for a County Commissioner seat, call the Sumner County Clerk at 620-326-3395.
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Another Sumner County resident has decided to run for the County Commission.
Cliff Bales of Oxford filed for the third district seat on Friday, a position currently held by County Commissioner Eldon Gracy. Stan Burdett of Caldwell has also filed for the third district.
“To make a difference you have to serve and to serve by definition is to lead and I think we’ve missed some real opportunities in the County we should have captured and I think maybe we can do some things to close the deal,” said Bales, who is running for public office for the first time.
His biggest concern, he said, was the high amount of taxes residents in Sumner County have to pay.
“I’m a real estate investor and I look at the taxation situation in the County and my job takes me out to meet people and speak with people and interact with people and I don’t think that our taxation situation is sustainable. You can’t keep getting more and more from fewer and fewer,” he said. “Something has to change or people will be unable to retire in our County.”
Tax relief and additional revenue are what Bales would like to see change in the County.
“It seems to be unsustainable the way it is,” Bales said. “The jobs and the revenue to do what it takes just aren’t there.”
Bales said by re-evaluating how the County spends money and what they spend it for could lower the amount of taxes.
“It’s a weighing if you will between services and taxes at your house and mine...I suppose when times get tough and the pinch is on we go from one car instead of two or three, we go to hamburgers instead of steak, somebody may give up a cell phone, things like that.”
Bales considers himself a fiscal conservative, saying he has run four different successful businesses debt free and claims to have lived debt free since 1981.
The Oxford man is currently employed with the county as a field technician for Planning and Zoning and Environmental Health for 9 years. He says this gives him insight into the regulation that has been going on in the County — namely the proposed casino project.
Bales says though getting the casino is important, bringing other economic sources to Sumner County is vital for residents to survive.
“I’ve seen Economic Development directors come and go and I don’t know how many deals they have looked at, how many businesses they have spoke with that might have come to our county. We seem to be unable to close the sale. Having been in been in business for myself successfully four times, I know the processes ... as you interact between the parties you look at things they want and require and so forth, then you ask yourself, ‘Is this a hurdle I need to jump or is this a reason not to do this deal?’ and apparently they have found those to be reasons not to do the deal. We need to feel like there are some of those hurdles that can be removed and become reasons to do the deal here,” Bales said.
The Oxford man says the County needs a “spark plug” of new ideas.
“You cannot change what you will not confront and I have been the spark plug a lot of times and I don’t mind being the spark plug,” said Bales.
Those interested in running for either seat must file with the Sumner County Clerk by noon, Thursday, June 10 either by petition or with a filing fee. Filing fees are one percent of the candidate’s annual salary as well as a $35 registration fee to be paid to the state. A filing by petition must consist of three percent of the registered voters by party in the Commissioner district.
For more information on how to file for a County Commissioner seat, call the Sumner County Clerk at 620-326-3395.
