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Edna Greene says her decision to run again for the Hamblen County Commission comes from a concern she believes many residents share: the need for greater transparency in county government.

Greene has been outspoken about what she describes as a lack of openness surrounding financial decisions and internal actions within county offices.

Her campaign centers on the idea that taxpayers deserve clearer information about how their money is spent and how decisions are made.

“I’m running again because we have to have more transparency,” Greene said.

According to Greene, several issues over the past few years have raised questions for her about how county business is conducted.

She said residents often remain unaware of disputes, legal matters, or financial decisions that ultimately affect taxpayers.

“The citizens don’t know,” Greene said.

One example she points to involves concerns she has raised regarding payments to county officials. Greene said she believes the county attorney improperly received funds and that road commissioners were paid for meetings they did not attend or meetings that were later canceled.

“Our county attorney took thousands of dollars illegally,” Greene said. “Road commissioners got money for meetings they didn’t attend or canceled and didn’t return the money.”

Greene said she attempted to raise these concerns through official channels for several years before legal action was eventually taken.

“I asked about it in 2018, 2019, and 2020,” she said. “Then finally a lawsuit was filed in 2021.”

She also said she has struggled at times to get information placed on official meeting agendas.

“The chairman won’t put things on the agenda that are asked for,” Greene said.

Her concerns about transparency extend to legal matters involving the county as well. Greene said the county recently lost a lawsuit that will require a substantial payment.

“They just lost a lawsuit and are on the hook for $509,000,” Greene said.

According to Greene, the county’s risk management insurance will not cover that amount, meaning the cost will ultimately be borne by taxpayers.

“The taxpayers are going to have to pay it,” she said.

Greene also raised questions about legal billing practices involving the county attorney, saying she believes citizens were charged significant legal fees.

“Our county attorney billed citizens $14,900,” she said.

Another issue Greene highlighted involves work being done by a former county mayor related to grant applications. She said she sought documentation about that work but encountered difficulty obtaining the records.

“I couldn’t get the records,” Greene said. “I finally spent my own money to get them through the Freedom of Information Act.”

For Greene, these experiences reinforce her belief that stronger oversight and transparency are needed.

“I need to get to the bottom of this lack of transparency,” she said.

Tax policy is another area where Greene has taken a clear position. She said she opposed both the recent property tax increase and the wheel tax increase approved by the county commission.

“I didn’t vote for the wheel tax increase or the property tax increase,” Greene said.

Instead, she believes the county should consider implementing a modest local sales tax. Because Morristown serves as a regional center where people from surrounding counties shop, work, and use services, Greene believes a sales tax could help spread the cost of services beyond local residents.

“We need a small sales tax,” she said.

Greene also believes the county must be more careful about how funds are spent.

“We need to spend money wisely,” she said.

Her concerns about budgeting are tied closely to what she sees as the long term financial future of the county. Greene said she worries about how rising taxes could affect the ability of future generations to remain in the community.

“I want my children and grandchildren to retire here,” she said. “But they won’t be able to with the way our property taxes are.”

Throughout her campaign, Greene has repeatedly returned to the idea that local government should operate with a strong sense of accountability to taxpayers.

“We need common sense spending and to learn how to budget properly,” she said.

As voters prepare to choose their representatives on the county commission, Greene says she hopes to continue raising questions about financial decisions and advocating for what she believes is greater openness in county government.