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COMMUNITY FIRST
Hello,
My name is Sam Matthews, and I want to serve our community as alderman in
Ward 1. I am an 8th generation Tennessean and 40+ year resident of White House.
With unprecedented growth in Middle Tennessee and White House, it is important to have competent and honest elected officials navigate our city through the many challenges ahead.
I have extensive decision-making experience working with teams to solve complex problems. I have also spent time in board rooms advising corporate CEOs. But more importantly, I have spent many hours in our community listening to the wishes and needs of my fellow citizen.
Who we elect determines the future of our community. If you are concerned about irresponsible development in our city, then I believe I can help.
I would appreciate your support.
Sam
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SAM'S PRIORITIES
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
Poor planning and irresponsible rezoning of land have placed us in our current condition. With about 4,000 residencies approved and still to be built in our city, we have many challenges ahead. It is extremely important we grow at a pace that infrastructure can keep pace.
COMMUNITY FIRST
I will put the well-being and best interests of our citizens first, not developers and business associates - PERIOD. I need your help in protecting our city from being taken advantage of by individuals whose primary focus is their personal economic gain and not the best interests of the hardworking taxpayers of our community.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Our city currently has over 70 million dollars in debt (principal plus interest). That is $5,392 for each citizen in our city. This is a very high per capita debt ratio and must be managed carefully.
LOW TAXES
We have enjoyed relatively low taxes. If we continue to take on large amounts of debt and allow large-scale residential development without adequate development fees, it is inevitable our property taxes will dramatically increase.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Responsible development aligned with adequate infrastructure and first-class planning will make our city more attractive to high-paying employers. Commercial property generates significant revenue from property taxes since it is assessed at a higher rate, while residential property net budget impact is typically negative. Rezoning land for commercial and industrial development must include a thorough evaluation of infrastructure and be done in a way to respect surrounding landowners.
NEIGHBORHOODS
While we have issued tens of millions of dollars in debt to focus on building a "campus" in our city center, our legacy neighborhoods have been left behind. Loud illegally modified exhaust noise, speeding vehicles, thumping speakers, sewage odor, and furniture left on the roadside is the norm. Our neighborhoods have taken a swift path to chaos. We need to focus on returning our neighborhoods to a quiet and safe environment, not traffic bypasses to account for poor planning. It can be done; it just takes the right leadership.
ABOUT SAM
I was born into a military family. My father served 24 years in the U.S. Navy in the United States Construction Battalions, better known as SEABEES. They are responsible for building much of the temporary and permanent infrastructure at U.S. military locations around the world. He retired in 1981 and we moved back to his home state of Tennessee.
I am a 1994 graduate of White House High School where I played baseball and basketball. I also served as president of the National Honor Society. Upon graduation I attended college on academic scholarship graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1998.
I now have 20 years of executive and management experience including 14 years as principal of a life sciences consulting firm. I have extensive international and domestic business experience. I have also served on the Board of Examiners for Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence. In addition, I am well-versed in the City of White House's municipal operations.