Polk County GOP forum centers on roads, budgets and whether voters should decide tax increases

Polk County Republican candidates for county commission and county executive outlined competing priorities and repeatedly flagged infrastructure, road maintenance and limited budgets as the top challenges confronting local government.

At the forum moderated by Bill Russell, county commission hopefuls — including incumbent Debbie Davis and candidates Christy Harden, James Woody and Tim Jones — described hands-on experience and differing approaches to county needs. “My education come in real life,” Debbie Davis said, introducing herself as a two-term incumbent and a local farmer. Tim Jones, a first-time candidate, summarized his pitch this way: “I work for you. I don't work for nobody else.”

Why it matters: Polk County officials said they have lost local employers and face a tight budget that limits road and bridge work. Candidates described grant-seeking, modest one-time property-tax contributions and tighter procurement rules as tools to stretch county dollars while acknowledging limited revenue.

During a round of questions on roads and bridges, James Woody recommended pursuing state grants and working with the county's state representatives; Davis and Harden said they would prioritize school and public-safety needs while finding targeted ways to support road projects. Tim Jones said he did not yet have a specific plan but emphasized the need to write and follow a prioritized spending list.

Budget and taxes were central themes. Asked whether they would consider a property tax increase or a wheel tax, several candidates — including Jones and Harden — said they would prefer not to raise taxes and instead look for efficiencies. Woody said such a decision would require “due diligence.” Multiple candidates said they would favor placing any proposed tax increase before voters rather than approving it directly as commissioners.

County executive candidates Stan Howard and Robbie Hatcher focused on managed growth and infrastructure. Howard said a businesslike approach and certification for the county executive position should guide budgeting and grants; Hatcher highlighted his experience with utilities and wastewater work and said he would “work my tail off” to bring outside funding into the county.

Both executive candidates pledged to address long-standing audit findings from the state comptroller’s office. The candidates described prior efforts to centralize financial controls and said they would cooperate with auditors to reach compliance, though Howard warned centralization may carry costs for taxpayers.

Other topics included whether Polk County should join the Thrive Regional Partnership (both candidates said they would consider it), concerns about nepotism (both candidates denied hiring family members while in office) and strategies to bridge east-west county divisions (both favored mediation and collaboration over legal action).

The forum also included a lengthy appearance by state Rep. Lonnie Fritz, who urged decentralizing state decision-making in Nashville and proposed changes to state tax policy, and brief remarks from regional and campaign representatives and county officials about recordation taxes and title-fraud notification services.

The forum offered voters a side-by-side look at local candidates' priorities: infrastructure and roads, constrained budgets, and differing judgments about how far county government should go — and whether residents should decide tax increases at the ballot box. The forum closed with one-minute candidate remarks and a group photograph; no formal votes or endorsements were taken.