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Haywood County tax‑collector candidates spar over enforcement, accountability and office continuity
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Summary
Three Republican candidates for Haywood County tax collector debated enforcement tools, whether the elected role needs more formal qualifications or oversight and how to stabilize the office after recent turnover; a closing exchange raised an ethics question about public records handling.
In a forum for Haywood County’s Republican primary, tax‑collector candidates Andrew Ferguson, Emily Sapp and Greg West discussed how the office should balance high collection rates with compassion for taxpayers, what accountability should accompany an elected collector, and how to bring stability after multiple office turnovers.
Former collector Greg West emphasized experience, saying he served as tax collector and raised the county’s collection rate when he previously held the office. "We increased the collection rate from 97.12% to 97.6%... That was over $600,000 in actual revenue for the county," he said.
Emily Sapp, a current tax‑office staffer, framed the role as one requiring both technical knowledge and a customer‑service approach. She said foreclosure is a last resort and described using outreach, payment arrangements and even cold calls to remind taxpayers of due dates.
Andrew Ferguson said the office’s statutory duty is to collect and argued for a high collection standard while saying he would work with taxpayers: "If we don't, all these commissioner candidates... can't do any of what they were telling you they could do." Each candidate said they would prefer working with residents before pursuing enforcement.
The candidates also debated accountability. Sapp, who trained the current collector according to her remarks, argued the office should remain elected and said voters decide who is accountable. West said elections provide a chance to choose qualified candidates but warned that turnover can affect service; Sapp said her five years in the office make her a continuity candidate.
In closing, Ferguson accused Sapp of providing a screenshot of an internal tax software record to a local reporter; Sapp replied that she provided public records and defended her conduct. The allegation was raised onstage and not independently verified during the forum.
