Knight to run for Tax Comm.

My name is Jesse Lee Knight and I would like to take this opportunity to announce my candidacy for Union County Tax Commissioner and to ask for your support in the 2008 election.

I was born in April of 1958 to Jesse O. Knight and Marie Collins Knight. My home is in the Choestoe community of Union County, where my mother's family first settled nearly 200 years ago. I graduated from Union County High School in 1976 and while in high school, I worked construction in the summers and at my father's Ford dealership here in Blairsville.

After high school, my education continued in business administration and civil engineering at Truett McConnell College, North Georgia College, and Southern Polytechnic College in Marietta. I consider my experience as a self-employed businessman for the past 22 years as additional education.

I currently work as a sales representative in the auto parts industry, covering a sales territory throughout North Georgia and Metro Atlanta. For more than 20 years, I have sold auto parts to General Motors dealerships and worked with them to develop profitable strategies. This is a fast-paced and competitive business that requires excellent people skills and a high level of self-motivation. Locally, I have been involved in residential development and construction, as well as raising cattle.

My wife, Carol Roberts Knight, is a teacher at Union County High School. Carol was raised in Suches and graduated from Woody Gap School before earning her Masters Degree in Education from Emory University in Atlanta. We have two wonderful children that attend Union County Middle School. We are active members of Antioch Baptist Church.

I would like to serve Union County as your next Tax Commissioner. I believe that because of my personal and professional background, I am well prepared. I am a people person who is proud of our community and would feel honored to serve as your tax commissioner.

The tax commissioner's job is to manage a budget of approximately $280,000, to oversee the duties and staff of the office, and to make sure that the county tax revenue is disbursed in a timely manner to the appropriate departments. I will see that this is done efficiently and that a complete accounting will be available to all. I will be a visible presence in the office, working hard to ensure that you are able to get the service you need from your tax commissioner's office and that you are served in a friendly, professional, and courteous manner.

I am running for this position as a Republican candidate, but once elected I will serve each individual with the same commitment to fairness and professionalism, regardless of any party affiliation. The tax commissioner should serve the needs of all taxpayers and carry out his duties according to the standards and policies set forth in Georgia's state guidelines for this important office. I will work hard for you and all citizens of Union County. I promise that as your tax commissioner, I will always be dedicated to the smart use of our tax dollars. I will also be an advocate for all taxpayers and will work closely with those who share in my dedication to improve our community and keep Union County a great place to live and raise a family.

I am proud to be from Georgia and I am especially proud of my family heritage and being able to live in Blairsville and raise my own family here. I would like to thank you for your time and ask you for your vote for Union County Tax Commissioner. I will need your support as well as your prayers to be elected to this important post. Any thoughts or questions you may have are important to me and would be greatly appreciated.

Lee Knight, 6700 Scenic Estates Dr., Blairsville, GA 30512; www.KnightforTaxCommissioner.com; Lee@KnightforTaxCommissioner.com; Home: (706) 745-7763; Cell: (706) 897-8336.