From the Jefferson County Preservation Society to Supporters
Subject: Action Needed: Support the Mining Mineral Severance Waste Byproducts Study resolution (Monday, October 19, 2026)
Body:
Dear Supporter,
Our county is facing a critical moment. Working families and senior citizens living on fixed incomes shouldn’t be forced to shoulder (by themselves) the tax burden incurred in maintaining our roads, while local mining operations profit from extracting our resources without paying their fair share of taxes!
Currently, our local infrastructure (roads) incur significant damage, due to mining companies transporting mining materials (and the resulting waste by products) to their destination. We need alternative revenue streams to supplement (or replace) our existing highway department budget.
That is why Commissioners Jim Lance, Mike Parker, Taylor Reed and Jim Snodgrass are sponsoring Resolution 2026-55 to establish a Mining Severance / Waste Byproduct Feasibility Working Group. This group will conduct a vital study to gather the data needed to possibly implement a Mining Mineral Severance Waste By-Product Tax in 2027. Seventy-two (72) of Tennessee’s ninety-five (95) counties have already adopted their own version of the state-sanctioned Mineral Severance Tax. Seventy-one (71) of these counties utilize this funding stream to maintain their respective county roads
We need an immediate wave of citizen action to ensure this resolution passes!
Please take these two critical steps right now:
- CONTACT YOUR COMMISSIONER BEFORE MONDAY: Call or email your county representative today. Urge them to vote YES on Resolution 2026-55 to establish the Feasibility Working Group. You can look up your commissioner’s direct contact info on the Jefferson County Government Directory.
- SHOW UP ON MONDAY NIGHT: Attend the commission meeting on Monday, October 19th, at 6:30 PM at the Jefferson County Courthouse in downtown Dandridge. If you are willing, please consider standing up to speak in favor during the Citizen Input session.
Please check out our attached campaign flyer for more details, and share it with your neighbors.
THIS IS YOUR TAX DOLLAR. YOUR COUNTY. YOUR VOICE!
Thank you for standing with us,
The Jefferson County Preservation Society
jeffcntypreservation.com