Your Questions Their Answers Election 2026

The Main Street Journal – Sparta has been listening to the community. Over the past several weeks, readers have submitted questions they want answered ahead of the 2026 election—and we’ve taken those directly to your County Executive candidates.

Here is your first question, and answers from those candidates who chose to respond.

We understand that White County is operating with a deficit budget. There are only two ways to move towards a balanced budget.

What steps will you take to increase revenue to the County (without increasing taxes or chasing grants)?

Which budgetary items will you consider reducing/cutting?

DENNY WAYNE ROBINSON: By law our budget is balanced every year. White County is in no way, shape or form operating at a deficit. Since I've been in office I have budgeted conservatively, expecting expenditures to be on the high end and revenues to be on the low end. Any fluctuation is covered by our healthy reserve account typically around $4 million.

KYLE GOFF: The State requires a County to pass a balanced budget. However, this is slightly deceiving. A deficit can still be passed as long there are funds within the fund balance to cover the deficit. White County has passed a budget operating in a deficit 9 of the last 12 years. Those three years had some anomaly: sale of property, federal grant, etc. Luckily, our fund balance has been strong but this is not sustainable.

Due to what is called Maintenance of Effort, the County is mandated to fund many items and cannot reduce funding. Which makes “cutting the budget” extremely difficult. The County budget is approximately $75M and I estimate about 4% that would not fall under maintenance of effort. That is not much, but in a $75M budget - that is a significant bucket that can influenced. Essentially, any item not under maintenance of effort will be under consideration.

PENNY WHALEY: I would bring in new business and promote additional industry to the area to promote jobs and growth.  Which would increase tax revenue into our county. 

The budget needs to be looked at closely there are many avenues that need restructured.  First thing I would look at closely would be payroll. There are many areas that need to be restructured.  My own salary as county executive needs to be lowered to save money to the taxpayers and put more money into the budget without taxes being raised.

The Main Street Journal - Sparta's 2026 Election Coverage is brought to you by Tennessee Credit.