Bradley Co. Mayor to not veto budget with tax hike

Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis has decided NOT to veto the budget with a tax hike.

Davis originally proposed a budget with no tax hike.

But the county commission decided to raise taxes two weeks ago to increase the pay for firefighters.

Mayor Davis says he has gotten hundreds of texts and emails urging him to veto it.

But he says the debate has become too divided.

He believes since the vote was not close, a veto would be pointless.

The commission can override his veto with a simple majority.

His statement reads as follows:

“After careful consideration, I have decided that I will not veto the budget and tax rate resolution approved by the county commission on June 26.

This has not been an easy decision, and I want to be clear from the beginning: my position on the budget has not changed.

I believe the budget I originally presented was the better, more responsible path for Bradley County. It was balanced. It included everything that department heads and elected officials requested in terms of equipment, vehicles, and supplies. It made progress on employee pay. It included targeted increases for first responders. It respected the taxpayers. And it did so without raising taxes.

That budget was not just thrown together. I spent three months working on it, including nights and weekends at my kitchen table, going line by line and department by department to build a budget that addressed real needs while living within our means.

Months ago, before the election, I asked the commission directly if they intended to raise taxes. I was not given any direction. So, I built the budget I believed was right: a balanced budget that made progress without asking more from the taxpayers.

That remains the budget I believe was best for Bradley County.

At the same time, the county commission has now spoken clearly through its 9-5 vote. While I have the authority to veto this action, the commission also has the authority to override that veto with a simple majority based on the vote taken; it is clear to me that an override would most likely occur.

In 2019, I vetoed a tax increase, and the commission overrode that veto. That is part of the process, and I respect it. But I also understand the practical reality of where we are today.

I have received hundreds of texts, emails, and calls asking me to veto. I understand there are people who believe I should veto this on principle alone. I have considered that carefully, and I understand that argument. But leadership is not just about making a point; it is also about knowing when the point has already been made. My position on this budget has been clear from the beginning. I presented a balanced alternative, I defended it publicly, and I still believe it was the better path. But a veto at this point would not change the outcome. It would only extend the process, prolong the division, and keep this community in conflict when the final result has already been determined.

The conversation around this budget has become too divided. It has been framed by some as taxpayers versus county employees, or taxpayers versus first responders. That is wrong. Taxpayers are not the enemy of public servants, and public servants are not the enemy of taxpayers. They are the same community. They worship together, shop together, raise families together, and depend on one another every day.

Our county employees and first responders are taxpayers too. And taxpayers who are concerned about this increase are not anti-employee or anti-first responder. They are families, seniors, small business owners, and working people who are already dealing with higher costs in their own lives.

Many of the people being asked to pay this tax increase have not received a 15% raise. Many are already struggling with higher costs for groceries, utilities, housing, insurance, and basic necessities. They are making hard decisions in their own households and businesses every day. County government should be expected to do the same.

So while I continue to disagree with the decision to raise taxes, I will not use the veto simply to make a point. I believe the better decision is to acknowledge the will of the commission, respect the process, and allow the county to move forward.

That does not mean I am walking away from fiscal responsibility. It does not mean I am abandoning the taxpayers who have asked county government to live within its means. And it does not mean I have changed my belief that we must be disciplined, careful, and thoughtful with the people’s money.

It means I am choosing not to add another round of division to an issue that has already divided enough people.

Moving forward, my focus will remain on making sure this budget is implemented responsibly, that county dollars are managed carefully, and that we continue to have honest conversations about spending, priorities, employee pay, and the long-term financial health of Bradley County.

I support our county employees. I support our first responders. I also support the taxpayers who fund county government. Those positions are not in conflict, and we should stop treating them as if they are.

Bradley County is one community. We have to move forward as one community.

For that reason, although I continue to believe my original budget proposal was the better and more responsible path, I will not veto the budget and tax rate resolution approved by the county commission on June 26.

D. Gary Davis, Bradley County Mayor”