City of Jackson mayoral candidate John H. Allen responded today after the Tennessee Comptroller refused to approve the City’s fiscal year 2027 budget, citing a delinquent audit for 2025. Under state law, the Comptroller’s letter notes that the City cannot issue debt or financing obligations without an approved budget.
“I’ve run a business in this city for 52 years,” Allen said. “As the CEO of a business, closing the books isn’t paperwork. It’s how a leader knows whether you can give a raise, hire someone, or replace a truck. A year without closed books leads to a year of guessing on the budget. What does that say about the decisions being made today or plans for the future?”
“The City has a pattern of filing late audits, five years running and continuing to this very day, as the audit still has not been filed- nearly 9 months late.”
Allen continued, “I will give Scott Conger credit for addressing it. But taking responsibility isn’t just something you announce; it’s something you prove. Conger says the city will hand its documents to the auditor by September 11th. But that’s not the finish line. The city still hasn’t said when the audit itself will be complete and submitted to the state.”
“Effective financial management and, more importantly, rebuilding trust, will be hallmarks of my campaign. Getting the city on track for filing audits on time, for the first time in five years, will be key among my focuses during my first 90 days in office.”
“We have a plan on our website that details the initial steps, I will take when elected, to get us back on track for the 2027 audit. You can see those plans at votejohnallen.com/FixtTheAudit”
For more information on John Allen, or information on how to get involved with John’s campaign for Mayor of Jackson, visit votejohnallen.com or follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram.
