Baker Seeks Third Term as County Judge

TYLER — Republican Joel Baker announced Thursday he’s seeking a third term as Smith County Judge. Baker said, “When I ran for office, I pledged: (1) to adequately fund and support law enforcement, and we’ve done that; (2) to work on development of a reasonable jail plan, and we’ve done that; (3) to be a good steward of county funds and resources, and we’ve done that; (4) to maintain low taxes, and we’ve done that – in fact, we have one of the lowest tax rates in the state; (5) to work on and improve transportation throughout the county, and we’ve done that; (6) to be responsive to the needs and concerns of county citizens; (7) to plan for the future of Smith County, and we continue to do that each day; and (8) to implement a phased-in master plan for county facilities; and we have done that.”

Baker continued, “The citizens I’ve talked to approve of the direction of Smith County. We have established good relationships with not only county residents, but also with its corporate citizens…There is much more work that remains, and it takes experienced leadership at the county level to navigate the difficult waters of county government. Smith County continues to need leadership that knows the complicated system of county government and how to work within it to get things done in the best interests of its citizens. I believe I am the right person for this position, and I will stand on my successful seven-year record as I seek the continued support of Smith County voters.” So far, Baker faces CPA John Furlow in the 2014 Republican primary.