Shifting the Burden: Why Jefferson County Must Choose Foresight Over Hindsight
March 16, 2025
By Joe Malgeri, Citizen
On Thursday, March 12th, voters in Jefferson County witnessed something rare: a candidate forum that revealed not just policy differences, but a fundamental divide in how two people approach leadership itself.
The setting was simple. The moderator asked about a mineral severance tax—a 20-cent per ton fee on mining byproducts like gravel and limestone that almost 90% of Tennessee’s mining counties already collect. The question was straightforward: would the candidates support asking the mining industry to help pay for the roads they use?
Commissioner Austin Brooks answered with facts. He noted that Jefferson County has one of the finest zinc deposits in North America. He reminded the audience that the parent company recently invested billions in U.S. operations. His conclusion was confident: “They’re not going anywhere.” He committed to voting for the tax and explained that the revenue would help offset the burden on property owners.
Then came the other candidate.
He began by reciting numbers: 520 employees, $21 to $55 per hour, 40 to 45 trucks. But when it came to the tax itself, he offered no analysis—only fear. He claimed he had “no information” to study, even though the resolution has been public for weeks. He said he would be “scared” to put those jobs at risk. And then came the moment that crystallized his entire approach:
“When the people leave there, you see 10 people out there at the roadside market down there in Strawberry Plains. They’re in there buying gas, tobacco, Cokes, whatever after they get off work. We see it every day.”
Let that sink in. When asked about a tax that would cost a multinational corporation roughly $518,000 per year, his rebuttal was that miners buy Cokes at a convenience store.
This is not leadership. It is a failure of vision.
The mineral severance tax is not a job killer. It is a modest fee on byproducts that already come out of the ground. For a $1,000 load of gravel, the tax is about $4. Compare the total annual cost to the $6.6 billion the parent company recently invested in U.S. operations. Does anyone seriously believe they will shutter an integrated mine—the only primary zinc smelter in America—over $518,000?
The real issue is not jobs. The real issue is this: one candidate sees an opportunity to shift the tax burden from homeowners to the industries that use our roads. The other sees a reason to do nothing—and offers roadside gas stations as his economic development plan.
Throughout the forum, this pattern repeated. On zoning, Commissioner Brooks called for enforcement, a codes officer, and an end to spot zoning that drives away investment. The other candidate offered that he had “common sense” and that zoning is “kind of common sense”—but no plan.
On infrastructure, Commissioner Brooks proposed a board to coordinate with utility providers and a long-term strategy. The other candidate said infrastructure is “10 to 15 years behind” but offered only that revenue is “our biggest issue”—without specifying how he would generate it.
On the landfill, Commissioner Brooks had already brought in TDEC, learned that commercial companies apply for permits five to ten years in advance, and asked why Jefferson County wasn’t doing the same. The other candidate noted that Eric Large is “doing the best he can.”
On debt management, Commissioner Brooks pointed out that County commission was given only one option to refinance a $12.8 million loan—and that when only one option is presented, a private firm, not elected officials, is making decisions. The other candidate defended the deal, saying “we run the numbers every which way we can,” but offered no evidence of having sought alternatives.
Forum after forum, voters are told to choose between experience and new ideas. But what we saw Thursday was something else: a choice between foresight and hindsight.
One candidate has spent his time on commission reacting to problems after they arise, claiming he needs “more information” even when the information is public, and justifying inaction with anecdotes about Cokes at a convenience store.
The other candidate has spent his time asking why things are done the way they are, bringing in experts, demanding options, and proposing concrete steps—a codes officer, a utility board, permit applications years in advance, zoning that protects rural character while directing growth to corridors that can support it.
Jefferson County is at a crossroads. Growth is coming whether we plan for it or not. The question before voters on May 5th is simple: do we want a mayor who waits for problems to arrive and then scrambles, or one who sees them coming and prepares?
The forum gave us the answer. One candidate sees a future worth building. The other sees a roadside market and calls it a plan.
Early voting begins April 15th. Choose foresight.
Joe Malgeri, Citizen
Dandridge