Candidate: Rick Watson

I want to begin by personally thanking you for your past support during my 2018 campaign for Franklin County Tax Collector!  As you may recall, I was elected to complete the remaining two years of my predecessor's four-year term. I am running now for a four-year term in 2020 and humbly ask for your support again. 

I thoroughly enjoy public service and, most important, am proud of new accomplishments for you and the whole county.

•  Franklin County citizens can now handle all their driver license needs without traveling to Gulf or Wakulla County. In fact, my office now processes 2,500 driver license transactions a year.  
• The Carrabelle office now handles concealed weapon licenses, a popular service in our area.
•  Both the Apalachicola and the Carrabelle offices have been modernized with new computers and a Delinquent Tax Auction via the Internet. 

All these new services were accomplished with no increase in staff and no increase in my budget. In fact, my budget has decreased slightly every year I have been in office. 

Another program I am very proud to have initiated is the Kids Tag Art Competition.    For the last three years, in conjunction with the Franklin County Superintendent of Schools, the Franklin Education Foundation, the Tax Collector’s office, and generous sponsors, we have conducted a Kids Tag Art competition among 5th graders. Students, competing for small cash prizes, draw a specialty car tag for the front of vehicles.  Proceeds from these tag sales benefit art programs in area schools.

 I want to thank you again  for your past support and ask you to re-elect me your Franklin County Tax Collector.  It's been a honor to serve you.  

Rick Watson

Franklin County Tax Collector