Former Metro Councilwoman Vivian Wilhoite won on the March 1, 2016 ballot for Davidson County Assessor of Property. Wilhoite, who represented the 29th District on the Metro Council for two terms, says she finalized her decision to run after hearing from a number of constituents and considering her background and experience for the office that she seeks. The Assessor of Property oversees the appraisal and assessment of taxable real and personal property not appraised by the state.
Wilhoite defeated incumbent George Rooker by a wide margin, securing 33,022 votes to Rooker’s 25,253, with 268 write-in votes. The contest was only on the Democratic ballot.
“This is an important time for Nashville and Davidson County as property values continue to rise across the county,” Wilhoite said. “As Davidson County Property Assessor I will be accessible to property owners and respond to requests in a timely manner,” says Wilhoite. “I will manage a transparent, professional and diverse office that provides equal opportunities to its qualified staff. Our office will focus on providing the best customer service. To that end I will ensure the Property Assessor’s office reflects the Nashville community by incorporating into the current staff of qualified women and people of minority representation.”
The duty of the Property Assessor is to determine the fair market value of your property in order for the tax burden to be fairly and equitably distributed among Davidson County residents. The amount of taxes you pay is determined by a tax rate applied to your property’s assessed value. It is important to notice that the assessor does not set taxes. The tax rate is set by the Metropolitan Council.
“As Nashville has become the “It” city, it is imperative that we have a Property Assessor who fairly and equitably appraises property based on the fair-market rate,” she says.
The native of Gulfport, Mississippi, Wilhoite began her 30-year public service career as a real estate appraiser for the Tennessee Public Service Commission (TPSC), now known as the Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA).
“Being a public servant is part of my DNA and my will to serve is as great today as it was when I first represented my Antioch, Edge-o-Lake, Priest Lake, Nashville & Una neighbors on the metro council.”
As an appraiser for the TPSC, Wilhoite appraised property of public utilities for ad valorem tax purposes. She also served as Assistant Director and later Chief of the Consumer Services Division at the TPSC/TRA. During that time, she ran for Metro Council member for District 29 and successfully won two terms with the second term won by 73 percent of the vote. She served on the Metro Council from 2003-2011.
Wilhoite holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Tennessee State University and has completed course work toward a master’s degree in public administration.
She actively serves on various community groups and boards. She and her husband, Larry Wilhoite, are the parents of two sons, Pherius and Lelan.
