Greg Mullins - Candidate Questionnaire

Name:  Greg Mullins

Age:  60

Occupation:  Consultant

Family:  Separated with three children.

Education:  Bachelor of Science in Geography from East Tennessee State University.

Military:  None.  Reserve Officer Training Corps/ETSU

Religion:  Christian

Past political office held:  Director of the Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District.  Territories included Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise Counties.

Qualifications for office:  United States Citizen and long time resident of Washington County, Virginia.  Great, -Great Grandson of William Franklin Grizzle’ the first Treasurer of Dickenson County, VA.  A fiscal conservative who, believes in a strong military, with an objective of lowering taxes and staunch supporter of the Second Amendment.

Your Campaign message in a nutshell:  To paraphrase a former president, my focus is on what I can do for the people, as opposed to vice versa.  It is long overdue for a changing of the guard.

Why are you running?  I am running to give the people of Washington County an alternative, a stronger voice in their government, and an opportunity for new ideas.  I also am confident in my ability to better serve the citizens of Washington County than my soon-to-be predecessor.

What are the most significant issues facing Washington County related to the office you are seeking, and how would you help to address them if elected? 

The local Treasurer’s primary functions may be grouped into three major categories:  the receipt and collection of revenues; the safekeeping of those revenues; and the appropriate accounting for, and disbursement of such revenues.  The range of potential functions within these categories is expansive, and open to a certain amount creativity, while the legislatively mandated functions are limited and somewhat vague.  Local sources of funds most commonly associated with the Treasurer are real estate taxes, personal property taxes, machinery and tools taxes, and merchant’s capital taxes.  There are numerous other taxes, assessed by the local governing body used to finance directly the functions of local government.

What in your background uniquely qualifies you to serve in the office you’re seeking? 

I am the owner of the property consulting firm G. L. Mullins & Associates.  I have been self-employed for the past twenty-eight years.  I have witnessed the highs and the lows of the local as well as the national economy.  I have spent enough time in the trenches experience the lows of being unable adequately support one’s family, or feed clothe and shelter them, pay for education at the various levels, and support them in their activities.  No child should ever be denied a warm cooked meal at a public school or the proper nutrition at home.  Sadly, this occurs far too often even right here in Washington County.  Not everyone can amass wealth, or can everyone pay their taxes.  Nevertheless everyone should be entitled to food, clothing and shelter and Public School.  I understand how the misfortunes of divorces and somewhat uncontrollable factors such as a poor economy may negatively impact people and their finances, and I would be empathetic with citizens who fall behind on their taxes and formulate affordable payment plans to assist such individuals in satisfying their tax burden.  That may necessitate an overhaul of the existing structure, but change is why I am running.

What specific things would you do if elected to improve the service citizens receive from your office? 

I will be available to discuss their problems experienced by my constituents, to hear their concerns and to investigate avenues available or through changes to alleviate the burdens faced by them.  I would treat them as my neighbors, not simply as revenue generators for the county.  Yes they are individuals, but we are a people as a whole, a people of Washington County, Virginia.  We together can help the needy, feed the hungry and clothe the cold.  I envision us bonding together, not as individuals, but as a team striving to make Washington County, the best place in the United States to live.  The sign says in Bristol calls the city, “A Good Place to Live”.  We want to make Washington County more than just a good place to live, but rather a “Great Place to Live” and raise families.  I want the responsibility to lead the way and believe that everyone in Washington County assist me in making Washington County the “Greatest Place to Live” not just in Virginia, but also in the United States.  I invite the voters to follow me on this trip of change.

What will be your main goal if elected?  My main goal will be to work to eliminate the DMV stops, which block transactions with the Division of Motor Vehicles for unpaid personal property taxes and vehicle license fees for vehicle(s) not presently in use.  While I think the DMV stop could be useful for vehicles in use, I cannot agree with the practice of preventing a resident of Washington County from having available a vehicle to drive to and from their work in providing for their families.  I would study ways to collect delinquent taxes by working out payment plans with the people, thereby affording them an opportunity to become compliant with their obligations.  I would like to eliminate the penalties imposed on late payers in hardship cases, where the payment of the taxes themselves is a burden.

Why should voters choose you over your opponent? 

I will be personally available to the people upon their request and will not slough all the responsibilities of working with the taxpayers onto my staff.  I have been a business for the last twenty-eight years compared to my opponent’s life-long career as a government employee who has never had to run an actual business.  Voters should choose me because it is time for new ideas that someone with my business background can provide.  The time for change is long overdue.

Do you have a campaign website?  No, I could not justify the use of funds for such an extravagant expenditure.  I understand that the website of my opponent was paid for with taxpayer money.