Candidate Survey - Tony Mills

Profile. Tell us about yourself, who you are, what your background is and why you are running for office.

I am Tony Mills, son of Omis Mills & Ida & Rick Hammons.  My wife is Becky Mills, daughter of Eugene & Virginia Brown.  I have always been a Knox County resident living on Stinking Creek.  I am a Christian, family man and a small business owner who believes in hard work and being held accountable.  I am employed by the Knox County Road Department and manage my own small excavating company.  I understand the challenges working families face.  I want to be your Magistrate to bring practical, common-sense leadership to this office.   I’m not a politician but I want to make sure we work towards making Knox County and my district better.

Economic Development. Knox County’s poverty rate remains well above the state average. Beyond general statements about attracting business, what specific industries or economic sectors do you believe are realistic targets for Knox County, and what concrete steps would you take to recruit them?

The Fiscal Court needs to target industries that work for Knox County such as small manufacturing companies, locally owned small business, tourism, as well as promoting Education and vocational training.

Workforce & Jobs. Many Knox County residents leave the area for work. What would you do to create conditions that keep working-age residents employed locally, and how would you address the skills gap between available workers and available jobs?

Local people need local jobs.  There are jobs here but we need to work towards getting better paying jobs and help our people to prepare for them.  Working parents need Childcare until their work day ends which can be another obstacle. 

Roads & Infrastructure. Poor road conditions are a persistent complaint among Knox County residents. How would you prioritize which infrastructure projects get addressed first, and what funding mechanisms — local, state, or federal — would you pursue?

I feel like the roads with the biggest safety issues for school buses and citizens should be taken care of first.  This is common sense.  A lot of the roads in my district have been neglected for a while.  I will work for a plan and let residents know what is being fixed and when.  The Fiscal Court should push for more federal and state funding to help with the Infrastructure which would help with the push for jobs and economic growth.

Fiscal Management. What is your position on the county’s current budget priorities? Are there areas of spending you would redirect, reduce, or increase — and how would you make those decisions while keeping taxes manageable for residents?

I have not had the opportunity to review the county’s budget.  But we should review the budget line by line and see where the money is going to cut out wasteful spending and redirect the funds to where they are needed the most.

Accountability & Transparency. What steps would you take to ensure that public funds are spent efficiently and that residents have clear visibility into how decisions are made in your office?

I will work to keep my district informed of decisions being made by the fiscal court.   Meetings are open to the public so anyone can attend.  I will always be available to the people I serve. 

Measuring Success. At the end of your term, how should voters judge whether you succeeded? Name two or three specific, measurable outcomes you are committing to achieve.

Success is only reached when progress is moving forward.  I can only do what the Fiscal Court will allow as far as road conditions are concerned but I will fight for them daily.  The people of my district will know that I have stood up for what is right.