Vivian Wilhoite and Tomesia Day
Early voting for the Metro Nashville-Davidson County primary election is just around the corner. The deadline to register to vote is on Feb. 5, and early voting begins Feb. 14.
The general election is Aug. 1, but the March 5 primary is especially important when the only candidates running for a seat are vying for the same party’s nomination. In the Davidson County assessor of property race, incumbent Vivian Wilhoite and Tomesia Day are both running for the Democratic nomination, with no Republican candidates qualified. Primary elections for school board and family court judge are also on the March ballot.
Wilhoite is fresh off an unsuccessful bid for mayor. She was first elected to the assessor’s office in 2016, beating incumbent George Rooker Jr.
Day was previously a deputy assessor in Metro for nearly eight years.
Both candidates answered questions from Scene sister publication Nashville Post about their campaigns.
Why are you running to be the assessor of property?
Day: I have a passion to serve. Most importantly, I've had the unique opportunity to work in this actual office under two different administrations and obtained a Tennessee Master Assessor certification, the highest distinction in Tennessee. My hands-on knowledge, experience and education propelled me to run for this office. I always tell others to be the change you seek, and now I'm running to be the change I want to see. I want the job, and my mission is to provide fair and equitable assessments while demonstrating professionalism, integrity and transparency to the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County.
Wilhoite: Continue a Legacy. Over the last eight years, I have built a proactive approach, and I want to continue the legacy of work of providing fair and equitable valuation to the property owners of Nashville and Davidson County, promoting an amazing staff who is committed to our mission, and continue to give energetically, informative leadership to property owners and the residents of Davidson County, Tennessee.
Why should voters elect you?
Day: The opportunity that I've had to work in this office under two different administrations, along with experience gained throughout my career positions me to lead this office. The perspective and lessons gained from my previous employment at the Metro Nashville Police Department, Tennessee Education Lottery and Tennessee Department of Human Services have prepared me for this moment.
This is my first time running for office. I don't see myself as a career politician, but as a person dedicated to serve others — that just so happens to be uniquely qualified for this position. I am not using this position as a springboard to something else. Entering this race gives people another choice and a viable option and not just the status quo. Furthermore, when people have a choice, it brings awareness and helps to educate the community. Information is power, and I feel that when the right information is available, it helps voters make an informed decision.
Wilhoite: Experience counts. Before being elected as the assessor of property in 2016, I had compiled eight years of experience as an appraiser in the mass appraisal arena for ad valorem tax purposes at the state level. After successfully serving eight years at the local level as the assessor of property, I have a combined 16 years of experience in the mass appraisal and ad valorem arena, and that experience is one of the reasons why Davidson County voters should vote to keep me.
Davidson County voters should vote to keep me because of the commitment to building an amazing diverse staff of professional and credentialed employees who are committed to the mission of fair and equitable valuation. Voters should keep me because of the more than 250 outreach presentations completed over the years to help property owners and non-property owners be informed of the reappraisal process, their right to appeal, the availability of the tax freeze, tax relief and tax deferral programs that the Office of the Trustee administers, and the tax assistance program that Metro Social Services administers to benefit property owners.
Why should voters pay attention to this race?
Day: I am a Nashville native and want everyone to know that every race is important and to exercise their right to vote. This office and in particular this race is often overshadowed by the presidential race on the ballot. We all should be focused on this race because this office impacts us all directly — not just homeowners, landowners or business owners. A little-known fact is that property tax is an ad valorem tax, which is a tax that is imposed on the proportional value of the underlying asset. Taxes generated from the assessment process help to fund/support the essential services that our local government provides.
There is a lot of misinformation in regards to what this office does and the role of the assessor. The role of the assessor is to discover, list, classify and value all taxable property in their jurisdiction. Assessment should be done in a manner that is fair and equitable for everyone. Many people just don't know, and it goes back to transparency and educating the public.
Wilhoite: A home or business may be one of the biggest purchases in one’s lifetime, and the assessor and staff play a critical and crucial role in determining values for ad valorem purposes.
It starts with a value. Davidson County voters should pay attention to the assessor of property’s race because the payment of taxes in Davidson County — that’s 52 percent of the budget — is one of the most stable revenue streams of any county. Additionally, I believe that Davidson County voters have learned more from the Office of the Assessor of Property about appeals and valuation under my leadership since elected in 2016.
Voters should pay attention to this race because the state of Tennessee legislators are considering a change to the frequency and the process of a county’s reappraisal. To keep me means that [voters] have someone who has 12 years of experience in working with state legislators to address questions and comments. To reelect Vivian Wilhoite means that you will keep a person who ... completed two reappraisals, years 2017 and 2021, with the next reappraisal to be conducted in year 2025.
What are the key parts of your platform for this race?
Day: Transparency is a core principle of good governance. It requires honesty and open access to records and information. I will facilitate the disclosure of information as it relates to office operations and the assessment process. This position has a job to serve the citizens and make information readily available. Transparency is imperative to promote confidence and build trust in our government offices and processes. I stand by this as a core value for myself, along with integrity and professionalism.
Integrity is the quality of a person being sincere, faithful and truthful in appearance, speech and action. Integrity is key, and I will hold myself and the organization accountable to high morals and ethical principles. Professionalism means conducting and holding yourself to high standards. The high standards guide your words, thoughts and actions. This ultimately reflects in the work you do, the way you conduct yourself and the example you set for the organization — which leads to better customer service.
Wilhoite: Experience Matters.
What changes, if any, do you plan to make with four years in the position?
Day: My experience under the different leaders [in this office] helped to mold and shape me to who I am today. As a leader, you have to know where you have been in order to know where you are going. Sometimes you have to step away to reflect and analyze. You examine what was successful and what could be better, and it helps direct your path. An organization is only as good as its employees, and there are some good ones in this office. I believe there is an opportunity to make this office more diverse and be a true reflection of the community we serve. Sometimes change is good. A fresh approach, new ideas and a different perspective can go a long way. A new direction of leadership, along with the application of these values, is contagious. There is an opportunity to change the culture inside and outside of this organization. It will truly be a new Day!
Wilhoite: I cannot say I would change the plans that I have started and implemented. I will say, though, that I will work on the plan to continue to build on the achievements and successes of providing fair and equitable valuations, transparency and proactive, informative leadership to the people of Davidson County. I, along with my amazing staff, will successfully implement the Computerized Assistance Mass Appraisal System that will benefit Davidson County citizens. I will continue the plan of supporting my amazing staff’s professional development and continue the plan of working to ensure that my staff is competitively paid at every level.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
