Candidates to Watch

At last night’s Midtown Republican Club meeting, a candidate for property assessor and one for County Commission introduced themselves.

John Bogan currently works in the Assessor’s office and has his eye on replacing boss Cheyenne Johnson as Assessor of Property. Aside from twenty years in that office he has also been in the military and in residential and commercial sales.

The slogan on his card reads “Fair Assessment in Times of Changing Values.” In other words, he realizes that home prices have dropped, but the property assessment doesn’t recognize that. It’s something he would like to change. Amen.

Steve Basar is running to replace Mike Carpenter in the seat he has left on the County Commission, District 1, Position 3. He describes himself as fiscally conservative. Basar works for Merck and has extensive experience in customer service. When asked how he would have voted on the bonuses given to Shelby County workers for Christmas, Basar said he would have voted against it.

In his opinion a bonus is something earned by an employee for doing his job well, not just doing his job. That seems like an attitude our local and federal government have forgotten.

Both candidates will be on the March ballot, along with Amy Weirich’s position as District Attorney General and General Sessions Court Clerk. Republican Rick Rout is running for that position.

Of course, the presidential primary preference is on it, too.