Matt Clayton, a 20-year firefighter and paramedic, announced Thursday that he is running for St. Joseph County Council District B, outlining a property tax rebate proposal and a pledge to restrain county spending.
Standing before charts outlining county revenue and reserve levels, Clayton framed his candidacy around what he called an urgent need for tax relief.
“My property taxes have rose 39% in just this last year alone,” Clayton said. “The county has more than enough money.”
Clayton argued that St. Joseph County’s financial position is stronger than publicly portrayed by current leadership. He cited a $27 million surplus in 2023, followed by $18 million surpluses in both 2024 and 2025. According to Clayton, the county’s current cash balance stands at $140 million, or 59 percent of expenditures. He described 20 percent as the “gold standard” reserve level and said that, by his calculation, the county is holding roughly $92 million above that benchmark.
“That’s 59% of expenditures, three times the gold standard,” Clayton said.
At the center of his campaign is what he calls the “Clayton Tax Plan,” which would return 75 percent of any annual county budget surplus directly to taxpayers. He said that in 2023, when the county posted a $27 million surplus, he would have supported a $20 million rebate to homeowners.
“Under the Clayton tax plan, I would return 75% of
any budget surplus to the taxpayers,” he said.
Clayton contends that a 2023 Indiana law authorized counties to issue property tax rebates and that local officials failed to act. He said a $20 million rebate that year would have amounted to a 60 percent cut on the county portion of homeowners’ tax bills while still leaving the county with a $7 million surplus.
He contrasted his proposal with the current tax relief structure, which he said applies only to homeowners age 55 and older who have lived in their homes for at least 10 years. Clayton said roughly 7 percent of homeowners qualify under that framework.
“What about the other 93% of us?” Clayton asked. “Drake says no.”
Clayton also took aim at overall county spending, stating that expenditures have grown from $191 million to $248 million since Councilwoman Amy Drake took office, which he characterized as a 30 percent increase. He pledged to vote against any budget that grows faster than the prior year plus inflation.
“I will vote no on any budget if the total spending grows
more than the previous year plus inflation,” he said.
Clayton argued that conservative spending controls alone could reduce pressure on property taxes. He also said he would support county employee raises, noting that he believes “employees deserve raises,” and asserting that the county’s surpluses provide sufficient room to do so.
In a more pointed moment, Clayton cited reported property tax decreases for several county officials while many homeowners experienced increases, including his own. He called for “an independent outside investigation into the Treasurer’s office to verify the correct calculations of the tax bills for county leaders,” adding that “no special treatment should be given for elected officials.”
Clayton, who described himself as “a man of faith” and “a husband, I’m a father, and a grandfather,” said he is running to represent residents who feel squeezed by rising costs and unresponsive leadership.
“Employees deserve raises and property owners, they deserve relief,” he said.
“Amy Drake says no to widespread tax relief, I say yes.”
The Republican primary election is scheduled for May 5.
More information about Matthew Clayton and his policy positions is available on his campaign website: www.votemattclayton.com
Logan Foster
Logan Foster is the founder and editor of Redress South Bend, an independent news outlet covering local government, courts, and public institutions in South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana. He reports from primary documents: public records requests, court filings, state audit reports, and campaign finance disclosures. His reporting has examined city and school district payments made without competitive bidding, school board spending, and the records of candidates in county races. Redress South Bend obtained the South Bend Police Department's ShotSpotter coverage map after the department initially denied public access. The outlet is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Online News Association. Reach him at info@redresssouthbend.com
