JT's platform isn't a wish list — it's a practical framework for making Nelson County government work better for the people who live here. Click each pillar to read the details.
The single biggest idea in JT's platform is the "open gradebook." Right now, understanding how Nelson County spends money requires showing up to fiscal court meetings, digging through PDFs, or filing open records requests. That's not transparency — that's obstacle. JT wants to build a digital, public system where any citizen can see exactly how and where county money is being spent, in real time, from their phone.
He calls it an "open gradebook" because that's the analogy that makes sense to him as a teacher. Students and parents can see grades online anytime. Why shouldn't citizens be able to see county finances the same way? The technology exists. The only thing missing is the will to use it.
Infrastructure is the unglamorous work of local government, and it's exactly the work that gets neglected when no one's paying attention. JT wants to prioritize high-traffic road repairs — the roads people actually use every day, the ones with potholes that damage cars and intersections that everyone knows are dangerous. No more waiting until something becomes a crisis.
And then there's broadband. JT sees high-speed internet as essential infrastructure, the same way we see roads and water. He points to two concrete examples: students who don't have internet at home get left behind on snow days and can't do homework, and farmers need reliable internet to run modern agricultural operations. In 2026, not having broadband isn't an inconvenience — it's a barrier to education and economic opportunity.
Nelson County can grow and thrive without losing the things that make it special. JT's vision for smart growth is built on stronger partnerships between local industries and schools, so that graduates have real career paths right here in Nelson County instead of feeling like they have to leave to find opportunity. But he's equally clear about what he won't sacrifice.
He doesn't want to give up farmland. He doesn't want industrial sprawl eating into the agricultural community that's been the backbone of the county for generations. His approach: concentrate industrial parks in designated areas rather than letting development scatter across the county, and require companies to foot the bill for the infrastructure they need instead of passing that cost to taxpayers. Growth should benefit Nelson County, not just outside corporations.
A safer community starts with the people who respond when something goes wrong. JT wants Nelson County's first responders — firefighters, EMS, law enforcement — to have modern equipment and competitive pay. That's how you attract and retain the people who keep the rest of us safe, and it's how you make sure that when someone calls for help, the response is fast and capable.
But safety isn't only about emergency response. JT also wants to address addiction at its roots through community-based recovery. The opioid crisis and substance use disorders aren't going to be solved by punishment alone — they're health issues that need health-focused, community-grounded solutions. JT supports investing in recovery programs that work, that meet people where they are, and that help them get back on their feet.
The bourbon barrel tax has been a significant source of revenue for Nelson County, and as the state phases it out, the county is facing a real fiscal gap. This is one of the biggest financial challenges on the horizon, and JT believes the county needs to get ahead of it rather than reacting after the money's already gone.
He's NOT in favor of raising taxes, but he's not opposed to it either. What he wants is a systematic, gradual approach — with real lead time and honest communication with residents about what's coming and what the options are. He'd rather have the hard conversations now, while there's time to plan, than make rushed decisions in a crisis later. That's what "proactive" means in practice.
JT is NOT in favor of data center development in Nelson County. His concern is straightforward: data centers put enormous strain on local utilities and water supply, and he's specifically pointed to concerns about Simpson's Lake water levels. These facilities consume massive amounts of electricity and water to keep servers running and cool, and the payoff for the local community is minimal compared to the profit that goes to the out-of-state tech companies that own them.
His position: Nelson County's water, electricity, and land should serve the people who live here — not be given away to corporations that will extract value and leave the community dealing with the resource costs. This aligns with his broader smart-growth philosophy: development should benefit Nelson County first.
Whiskey fungus — Baudoinia compniacensis — is the black mold that grows on homes, cars, fences, and property near bourbon warehouses and distilleries. It's been raised by local leaders as a real and costly issue that Nelson County residents deal with so the bourbon industry can operate and grow. It's the kind of hidden cost that doesn't show up in any budget but shows up on people's siding, roofs, and vehicles.
JT believes county government should be honest about these trade-offs. The bourbon industry is vital to Nelson County's economy and identity — no one is disputing that. But the people who live with the consequences deserve a seat at the table and a county government that advocates for them, not one that pretends the problem doesn't exist.
Nelson County has a housing problem, and it hits young people the hardest. There's a lack of affordable housing, and specifically a lack of starter homes — the kind of modest, entry-level houses that let a young couple or a new teacher or a first responder actually buy their first place. Meanwhile, property tax assessments keep escalating, which pushes costs up even for people who already own.
JT's concern is that without intentional policy, the county will price out the exact generation it needs to keep — the young families, the new professionals, the people who would build their lives here if they could afford to. Smart growth has to include housing that working people and young people can actually afford, not just high-end developments that look good in a press release.
One of JT's most practical ideas: take fiscal court meetings out of the courthouse and into the community. He wants quarterly meetings held in different parts of the county — Cox's Creek, Bloomfield, New Haven, Boston — at times that actually work for working people and students, not just the standard daytime slot that most people can't attend.
The logic is simple. If the only way to participate in county government is to take time off work and drive to the courthouse during business hours, then county government is only really accessible to people with flexible schedules. That's not how democracy is supposed to work. Government should come to the people — meet them in their communities, on their schedules, and make it easy to show up and be heard.