About Stephen Hood
Stephen Hood was born and raised in Appalachia, the son of a Vietnam War Veteran, and a West Hills resident with over 30 years of public service at the federal, state, and county levels. A believer in fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability, he will put the trust back in the Trustee by treating your tax dollars with the care and respect they deserve.
Stephen believes that the government should be fiscally responsible with the tax dollars they collect. Throughout his public service, he has worked to ensure that tax dollars are spent properly and has sought ways to reduce spending. After all, the money belongs to the tax payers.
Upon learning of the numerous issues in the Trustee’s office, including irresponsible spending by several Republican office holders, Stephen felt compelled to run for office. He’ll bring his fiscally responsible attitude to the Trustee’s office to reduce unnecessary spending of tax dollars. Spending that money responsibly would free up money to go toward other county initiatives, such as housing initiatives for homeless veterans, without increasing taxes.
After earning Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science degrees from the University of Kentucky, Stephen began his career as a Computer Scientist with the United States Department of Defense. Stephen grew up visiting Knoxville and relocated there in 2007 to continue his steady career, which has since included working in the Knox County Public Library’s IT department.
Today, Stephen is a leader in his department at the University of Tennessee where he oversees technology by maintaining a budget and the needs of faculty and staff. One important need was the improvement of vital, aging systems, which Stephen accomplished by allocating funds through strategic budgetary cuts.
Stephen is also active in his community. He serves as the Knox County Democrats District 4 Co-representative and volunteers with several local organizations, such as FISH Pantries, Planned Parenthood, Keep Knoxville Beautiful, and Indivisible Knoxville.
What’s a Trustee?
If you’re unsure what a Trustee is or what they do, you’re not alone!
The Trustee is the county's banker and tax collector. The office holder is elected to a four year term. They account for and disburse county funds. The Trustee is also responsible for collecting the county’s property taxes, but not for setting tax rates or property tax appraisals/assessments.
The Property Assessor’s office conducts property tax assessments and the County Commission determines the tax rate.