04/29/2026
To the Citizens of Amelia County:
I am sharing this statement to provide clarity on several local issues. This is not a rebuttal to any one individual; it is a factual record for those who value the truth.
On Education and Experience
All Amelians know that an education doesn't come from a certain book or a certain university. Just to point out how many things get fabricated: I have zero public-school education. I was educated at 2 private schools, have college credits, a few college classes, and possess a Master Commissioner Certification through the UVA Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, backed by 20 years of on-the-job experience. While I do not have the public school education that Mr Konkle continuously degrades (even though he ran for School Board); I want to say, there are many farmers, tradesmen, mechanics, machinist, homesteaders, homeschool parents, sales persons, contractors, etc that came from public school education and have more knowledge in their fields than I or Mr Konkle will ever possess. I find it tasteless to pretend to represent the "common man" while simultaneously looking down on them.
On the Anonymous Reporting Tool
It is ironic that a tool designed for fairness is being labeled as "malicious" by the very people who have spent years publicly reporting their neighbors.
Walk with me down memory lane. How many times have you heard the accusations and reports from Mr Konkle himself? During the last election the opposing side was allowed an hour during a board meeting to present different properties of random citizens, blown up on poster boards, picking apart the property cards of residents. These were from a set of over 100 properties "identified" by Supervisor Robinson. I was reported for not being taxed on a well (insider knowledge: that property has a natural spring and no well).
We have seen everything reported; Food trucks, silos, out buildings, pools, unpermitted work, renovations, junk cars, unlicensed businesses, businesses charging too much, businesses hiding assets under "farm exemptions", businesses out of zoning compliance as soon as they want to get involved in government, etc. While we have seen reports from all types the most frequent reporters are Board members and Mr Konkle.
The goal of this tool is simple: Fairness. My oath is to the Constitution, which requires that ALL property be taxed. My job is to do it fairly. When we capture it all, we distribute the tax burden equally. That lessens the burden for the people who are following the law. How can that be a bad thing? Lessening the burden for all by making sure everyone is treated the same. Seems like a win to me.
This tool simply offers a way for citizens to report non-compliance without fear of retaliation. If you don't wish to use it, don't.
Don't like your tax bill amount, that has nothing to do with this. Tax rates are established by the governing body. Don't like the items subject to taxation; that's either mandated by State Code or up to the Board to exempt items from taxation. The Commissioner has no legislative duties, meaning we set ZERO tax law. The Commissioner's role is to interpret and apply the Code of Virginia, a specialized legal task.
Do not let those who have historically "policed" their neighbors convince you that uniform enforcement is an overreach. Before getting caught up in the narrative that it's some kind of malicious act or overreach please just reflect that the same people playing that narrative are the ones reporting everything they can up to an including if someone has weeds growing from their gutter.
Regarding recent discussions about business licensing:
My office applies the Virginia Code uniformly to all businesses. We do not set zoning laws, nor do we single out specific operations. We have remained in direct communication with the parties involved to ensure they have the path forward they need to be compliant with State law. Any claim that this office is acting out of 'malice' is simply not supported by the facts or our recorded communications
One last thing, there is a reason "drama" is a constant theme in these discussions: it is manufactured. Over the last four days, five different posts and a video have been made attacking me and my office. (By Martin Konkel/Virginia Piedmont Daily Onion) These posts have been shared to multiple surrounding counties, with commentary that leads to coordinated obstruction of the work of this Constitutional office. Throughout that time, I have remained silent.
It is logically impossible to be the source of an interaction if you are not participating in it. When multiple posts are made about a person who remains silent, the "drama" is technically a monologue being staged by the aggressors.
I ask you to use your own sensibilities: look at the facts, watch the Board meetings, and ignore the noise intended to distract you from the actual business of government.
