Affordable living should be accessible to everyone in Putnam County, yet our housing situation is dire need of repair, both in the short term and the long. In the short term, we will address affordable housing and lower costs by developing and supporting affordable housing initiatives. In the long term, property tax credits for developers and landlords who offer residences that Putnam County residents can actually afford will help ensure our citizens can afford to live.

Putnam County faces a rising homeless population, and solutions based in law enforcement are not working. Incarcerating our poorest citizens is just a more expensive form of housing that does nothing to help them out of their situation. Instead we will address poverty and homelessness by developing year round temporary housing facilities with mental health and social services available on site to assist in transition to permanent housing.

We believe that in the richest country in the world, healthcare should be a right to all people, and the path to making that change starts locally. We pledge to invest in public safety. We will fight the opioid epidemic with innovative and evidence-based therapies. We pledge to support local public health boards, community mental health centers, community hospitals and day care centers. We pledge to use every opportunity to pressure the State of Tennessee to expand the TennCare program to lower health care costs and ensure more Putnam County residents have access to the health care they need.

We pledge to promote good governance by strengthening transparency and accountability in local government.  We need to advance equity and address systemic injustices within the county.  We need to promote ethical practices for county officials, such as avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring transparency in decision-making through the use of modern technology, so that every citizen of Putnam County understands how they are being governed. We need to minimize the influence of special interest in local decision-making and ensure decisions are made to benefit all the residents of Putnam County and not just a few.

Our future depends on keeping talent here in the Upper Cumberland. We are committed to partnerships with Tennessee Tech and local schools to create a workforce pipeline designed to stay here. Housing incentives, career ladders, and community amenities will help retain young professionals. Trade programs, adult education, and lifelong learning opportunities will expand so that every resident has a path forward.

Putnam County citizens pay a lot of money for their police force, and in return they have received a law enforcement branch that is increasingly politicized and militarized. We believe law enforcement should protect citizens and follow all the same laws they are responsible for enforcing, without political agenda. The platform commits to fair and effective policing and increased transparency into the justice system so that it protects and serves every Putnam County resident.

A strong community takes care of its people and enriches their lives. We will invest in public libraries, parks, veterans services, cultural programs, and public transit. We will support our public libraries,  enhance park and recreation facilities. We will prioritize expanding bike lanes and sidewalks in our urban areas, and we will expand the reach of our public services to rural corners of the county so no one is left behind.