Economic Development
Economic development is an important part of building a healthy and thriving Hamilton County—but it must be responsible development, not just rapid growth for growth’s sake. As your County Commissioner, I do not support unfettered development that continues to place pressure on our already strained infrastructure, roads, schools, and public services.
Bringing jobs to Hamilton County is important, but job growth must be accompanied by the right planning, adequate infrastructure, and long-term community benefit. Otherwise, we risk overwhelming our existing systems and putting residents at a disadvantage.
Balancing Growth with Infrastructure
We’ve all seen how new developments—whether residential, commercial, or industrial—can impact daily life. Increased traffic, sewer capacity issues, stormwater problems, and school crowding are all part of the picture if we don’t plan carefully. That’s why I remain committed to smart, well-managed development that doesn’t outpace our roads, utilities, and public services.
Economic development cannot happen in a vacuum. We must align it with infrastructure planning, environmental stewardship, and quality-of-life protections for the people who already live and work here.
Partnering with Experts
Hamilton County partners with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce to help attract, retain, and grow businesses in our region. Their expertise in workforce development, site selection, and business recruitment plays an important role in helping us compete for good jobs. However, as your Commissioner, my responsibility is to ensure that economic development never comes at the expense of our communities or our values.
Understanding Incentive Tools: PILOT and TIF
While tools like PILOT and TIF are used in economic development efforts, I believe it’s essential to be thoughtful, transparent, and cautious when considering these programs. I have a track record of asking the tough questions and pushing back when proposals don’t clearly demonstrate a benefit to Hamilton County taxpayers.
What is a PILOT?
PILOT stands for Payment In Lieu of Taxes. It’s a tax incentive where a company or developer agrees to pay a set amount to the county instead of paying full property taxes, usually to reduce costs in the early years of a project. These agreements are sometimes used to attract businesses or encourage redevelopment.
I’ve consistently challenged PILOT agreements to ensure they truly provide long-term value, not just short-term giveaways.
What is a TIF?
TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing. This tool allows a city or county to use the increased property tax revenue from a redeveloped area (called a TIF district) to fund public improvements or incentives in that same area.
Like with PILOTs, I scrutinize every TIF proposal carefully to make sure it’s fair, justified, and provides a real return on investment for the public. These tools can work in the right context—but they must be used sparingly and transparently.
A Record of Accountability
During my time in public office, I have built a reputation for asking hard questions and standing up for taxpayers. I don’t rubber-stamp incentive packages. I expect clear answers, firm data, and measurable community benefits before supporting any deal involving public dollars.
And I always make sure that our schools never lose funding—school taxes are protected in every incentive agreement I review.
My Economic Development Priorities
Economic development must work for the people of Hamilton County—not just for developers. As your Commissioner, I’ll continue to advocate for responsible growth that improves lives, protects neighborhoods, and preserves the strength of our public infrastructure.
Bringing jobs to Hamilton County is important, but job growth must be accompanied by the right planning, adequate infrastructure, and long-term community benefit. Otherwise, we risk overwhelming our existing systems and putting residents at a disadvantage.
Balancing Growth with Infrastructure
We’ve all seen how new developments—whether residential, commercial, or industrial—can impact daily life. Increased traffic, sewer capacity issues, stormwater problems, and school crowding are all part of the picture if we don’t plan carefully. That’s why I remain committed to smart, well-managed development that doesn’t outpace our roads, utilities, and public services.
Economic development cannot happen in a vacuum. We must align it with infrastructure planning, environmental stewardship, and quality-of-life protections for the people who already live and work here.
Partnering with Experts
Hamilton County partners with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce to help attract, retain, and grow businesses in our region. Their expertise in workforce development, site selection, and business recruitment plays an important role in helping us compete for good jobs. However, as your Commissioner, my responsibility is to ensure that economic development never comes at the expense of our communities or our values.
Understanding Incentive Tools: PILOT and TIF
While tools like PILOT and TIF are used in economic development efforts, I believe it’s essential to be thoughtful, transparent, and cautious when considering these programs. I have a track record of asking the tough questions and pushing back when proposals don’t clearly demonstrate a benefit to Hamilton County taxpayers.
What is a PILOT?
PILOT stands for Payment In Lieu of Taxes. It’s a tax incentive where a company or developer agrees to pay a set amount to the county instead of paying full property taxes, usually to reduce costs in the early years of a project. These agreements are sometimes used to attract businesses or encourage redevelopment.
- Purpose: Reduce the upfront financial burden of new development
- How it works: Companies pay a negotiated amount, often on a sliding scale, instead of standard property taxes
- Important note: The school portion of property taxes is never reduced through a PILOT—those funds always continue to support our public schools
- Used for: Industrial recruitment, affordable housing, and redevelopment projects
I’ve consistently challenged PILOT agreements to ensure they truly provide long-term value, not just short-term giveaways.
What is a TIF?
TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing. This tool allows a city or county to use the increased property tax revenue from a redeveloped area (called a TIF district) to fund public improvements or incentives in that same area.
- How it works:
- The area is designated with a “base” property value
- As property values rise from new development, the increase (the “increment”) is used to pay for public improvements like roads, sewers, or environmental cleanup
- Purpose: Encourage private investment in underdeveloped or blighted areas
- Common uses: Revitalizing downtowns, affordable housing, or environmental remediation
Like with PILOTs, I scrutinize every TIF proposal carefully to make sure it’s fair, justified, and provides a real return on investment for the public. These tools can work in the right context—but they must be used sparingly and transparently.
A Record of Accountability
During my time in public office, I have built a reputation for asking hard questions and standing up for taxpayers. I don’t rubber-stamp incentive packages. I expect clear answers, firm data, and measurable community benefits before supporting any deal involving public dollars.
And I always make sure that our schools never lose funding—school taxes are protected in every incentive agreement I review.
My Economic Development Priorities
- Prioritize infrastructure readiness before approving major development
- Protect school funding and ensure public benefit from every incentive
- Oppose overdevelopment that strains roads, utilities, and public services
- Promote job creation that matches our community’s skills and values
- Encourage development that supports long-term economic stability
Economic development must work for the people of Hamilton County—not just for developers. As your Commissioner, I’ll continue to advocate for responsible growth that improves lives, protects neighborhoods, and preserves the strength of our public infrastructure.