It’s not often that we get the opportunity to have a businessman with the courage to stand up for the taxpayers and the good government, sitting on the board of supervisors. But fortunately, right now we do.

It’s Henry Watts. He’s been a Realtor, homebuilder and a businessman for over 25 years. I’ve known him all my life and he has always been the same. He has always been for what is honest and what is right. That’s why he was elected president of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi and is a life director on the National Association of Home Builders.

Four years ago Henry pledged, if elected, he would try to run county government like a business by stopping unnecessary spending, cutting county expense, streamlining departments and lowering property taxes. He has voted to do that. With economic development proposals that come before the board, Henry has told me he tries to keep it simple. He asks five questions. Does the proposal make economic sense? How much is it going to cost the county? How are we going to pay for it? Will the benefits outweigh the cost? Will the proposal benefit the entire county? Then he votes his convictions and stands behind them even though sometimes it may not be popular with other members of the board.

Henry has told me many times that he is not concerned with how board members feel about his business approach to good government. He always emphasizes, with pride, that he works for and only represents the best interest of the taxpayers of Adams County — those who put him in office. It’s refreshing to know that the county has a man on the board of supervisors that has the courage to stand up for us, the taxpayers, and vote for us, not himself or other board members just to go along.

We need to keep a supervisor with that kind of integrity. Please vote on Nov. 6 and re-elect Henry Watts, a supervisor that represents us.

Jan Lishman Yates

Adams County resident