Jayla Thomas’s Policy Priorities for District 55

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1. Housing

Support a Cap on Property Tax Increases and a Path Toward Eliminating Property Taxes for Homeowners

Homeownership should build stability and generational wealth, not turn families into renters of their own homes. Rising property taxes are forcing seniors, working families, and longtime residents out of the very neighborhoods they helped build.

I support an immediate cap on property tax increases for owner occupied primary residences, so families are not punished simply because their neighborhood becomes more valuable on paper. Beyond that, we must begin a responsible transition toward removing property taxes on homeowners who are 65 and up.

States across the country are exploring ways to reduce or eliminate property taxes while protecting school funding and essential services. I am personally studying these models and will pursue a solution that replaces lost revenue in a fair, transparent way without shifting the burden onto working families.

No Tennessean should lose their home because they cannot afford a tax bill on a house they already own.

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2. Education

School Choice Reform With Oversight and a Commitment to Fixing Public Schools

School choice is important. Families deserve options. But school choice done without accountability hurts taxpayers and students alike.

Tennessee’s current voucher implementation lacks transparency and oversight. We cannot clearly track who is receiving voucher funds, whether families already had children in private schools, or whether taxpayers are effectively paying twice when students leave public schools. That undermines trust and invites abuse.

I support school choice reform that includes:
• Clear income guidelines and reporting
• Full transparency on where funds go
• Strong financial and academic oversight
• Real time enrollment tracking so taxpayers are not double charged

At the same time, we must be honest. Nearly all Tennessee children will go through public schools. We cannot abandon them. School choice should not mean neglecting the public education system that serves the majority of our kids.

I also support expanding classical education models within public and charter systems. Classical education is often more affordable, emphasizes reading, writing, math, history, and civic responsibility, and has a proven record of academic consistency.

This is not an either or choice. We can support school choice and fix public schools at the same time.

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3. School and Employment

Early Training, Apprenticeships, and Real Pathways Beyond High School

Not every student is college bound, and pretending otherwise has failed an entire generation.

By the third year of high school, students should have the option to pursue real world pathways that prepare them for high paying, meaningful work. That includes farming, skilled trades, manufacturing, energy, construction, logistics, and technology.

I support partnerships between schools, local businesses, trade organizations, and industry leaders to create:
• Apprenticeships
• Mentorship programs
• Industry certifications
• On the job training tied to graduation

Students should be able to graduate with skills, credentials, and a clear path to employment or entrepreneurship, not just debt.

There is dignity in the trades and Tennessee should lead the nation in preparing young people for real opportunity.

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4. Infrastructure

An “And” Energy Strategy That Secures Tennessee’s Future

Tennessee’s energy infrastructure is already strained, and demand is growing fast. Data centers, AI infrastructure, manufacturing, and population growth are pushing our grid to its limits.

We do not have the luxury of ideological energy debates. We need an “And” approach, not an “Or” approach.

That means:
• Coal where it is reliable and necessary
• Solar where it is efficient and appropriate
• Nuclear as a long term backbone of stable, clean baseload power

Nuclear energy must be at the forefront of future planning. That requires workforce training, regulatory preparation, and long term investment starting now, not later.

Reliable, affordable energy is the foundation of economic growth, national security, and family stability. Without it, nothing else works.

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5. Protection

Protect Tennessee Workers and Ratepayers From Corporate Overreach

Technology should serve people, not replace them without accountability.

I support legislation that protects Tennessee workers from being displaced by AI without safeguards, retraining, or transparency. Corporations should not be allowed to replace Tennessee jobs with automation simply to cut labor costs while communities pay the price.

I also strongly oppose allowing electric utilities to raise rates on residential, commercial, or industrial customers due to increased power demand from AI infrastructure and data centers. Families and small businesses should not subsidize massive corporate energy consumption.

If companies want to build AI infrastructure in Tennessee, they should be required to:
• Pay for their increased energy demand
• Invest in grid upgrades
• Protect local jobs
• Share responsibility, not shift costs

Tennessee should welcome innovation, but never at the expense of workers, families, or affordability.