Facing the voters: Josh Biddix - Cleveland County Commissioner candidate

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

Josh Biddix

There’s the saying, “Once a Marine, always a Marine” but Josh Biddix is also aiming at being a county commissioner for the people of Cleveland County.

A husband, father of two, and a former police officer (on top of his military service), Biddix sat down with The Shelby Independent to discuss the issues currently facing Cleveland County, concerns of his own, and the hope he has for the future of the county.

A Crest High School graduate, he attended Appalachian State University, where his education was interrupted when he was serving as a Marine reservist and called to active duty.

Before he knew it, he had left the snow-capped mountains of Boone and found himself advancing through the Al-Dibdibah desert, toward Nasiriyah and Basra, before moving up the Tigris-Euphrates river valley during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq.  

“I have spent the majority of my adult life serving; whether in the military or in law enforcement, and I feel like God is calling me back to serve again,” Biddix explained. “It has to be a calling – it’s not for power, it’s not for ego, but only for you to use your abilities to help your neighbors, you fellow citizens, your community. I hope to bring some younger ideas – fresh ideas to that board. Ask people that know me, they will tell why I’m one of the most trustworthy and honest people you’ll meet, and my background proves that too.”

And people must be taking note; concerned that he might be favored for one of the two commissioner seats up for election. Recently a rumor swirled that Biddix had dropped out of the race. This was a lie.

Biddix said that he never considered dropping out; a rumor that makes him believe his chances of winning have increased, and he believes it is shameful for someone to play such dirty politics to deceive others in such a manner.

“It’s sad and petty that we have local people in certain parties spread blatant lies,” Biddix said. “It shows their true colors; it’s just disappointing.”

Why would someone spread such a rumor?

“I think some people fear change,” he said. “Maybe it’s because I don’t support whatever change they may be afraid to see happen and I don’t know if its personal bias, but such comments are vile and I strive to be a county commissioner everyone can look to as an example of honesty and integrity.”

Honesty and integrity are not always popular, as history has proven across the ages, but Biddix hopes the Cleveland County voters will see things differently. That honesty and integrity Biddix refers to has a prime example he spoke about.

“Law enforcement is a very tight knit brotherhood and sisterhood. Officers deal with things that your average citizen has no clue even happens,” explained Biddix. “You may be at the scene of a car accident fatality or at a homicide crime scene, and just two hours later you are your kid’s ball game, but in 2011 I was in a situation where I had to report an officer for excessive use of force and that was very tough. It was the only time in 10 years I was around any blatant intention that required a formal complaint which was justified.”

Biddix said the officer was either dismissed or resigned within a couple of days. “As hard as that was – and it was very difficult – and officers I worked with caused a bit of trust issues because I couldn’t talk about it. But right is right and wrong is wrong. I feel I am a just person and will hold those values today, and in the future, as I did as police officer.

After seeing local government in action during Covid, and as a father, he hopes to set an example by bringing better transparency, common sense and courage to government.

“As a father, I want to leave a better world, if only in our county for the next generation,” he said.

Since making the decision to run for county commissioner, he has participated in numerous parades around the county during the holidays. He said he spent a lot of time at the fair meeting people.

“I must have shook 2,000 hands at the fair,” he smiled, thinking back. “Just talking to people about my beliefs and listening to them – to their concerns.”

He’s been out and about, talking to people around the county, listening to their complaints. Biddix said a lot of citizens are concerned about the rising cost of their property taxes, while wages and retirement income has remained relatively stagnant.

“I’ve talked to a couple of senior citizens in their late 80’s who are having to put their property taxes on a payment schedule because they can’t afford their current property taxes on a fixed income that hasn’t kept up with increases in living costs,” he mentioned, shaking his head.

Property taxes are a serious issue not just here in Cleveland County, but all over the state.

“Even NC Senator Phil Berger has recently created a property tax reform committee,” Biddix explained, reading Bergers’ quote, “’These members will examine ways to provide relief form local taxes while ensuring that local revenue is used responsibly to fund core services our constituents rely on,’” he continued Berger’s quote. “’They will consider policy proposals to rein in the runaway property tax practices being implemented across the state.’”

“That’s when you know things are at extreme levels when the state has to get involved” he said. “I think there should be a county DOGE. Our budget has gone from $126 million to $240 million in three budget cycles. I don’t see why a DOGE type review would not be anything but completely appropriate. It’s astounding how expansive our budget has grown more than the inflation we’ve experienced over the last several years. The citizens of Cleveland County deserve fiscal responsibility and proper management of their tax dollars.”

He paused.

After a brief moment of silence, he said, “That’s an 89% increase in our county budget in the last three years…”

(Josh Biddix continued below..)

How / where to start on a local county DOGE inquiry? Empty positions, for starters.

“For instance, hypothetically, if there’s 10 positions sitting vacant on the county payroll that haven’t been filled, then it is obviously something that can be removed because they’re not needed. There’s your first savings, even if it’s minor,” Biddix noted.

He continued, “Every little budget cut helps when you have people that can’t even afford their property taxes on a house they’ve had no trouble paying for 20 years and now suddenly their taxes have outpaced their income. That’s unacceptable. Anywhere. How could anyone not want to find some sort of a solution when we have people in Cleveland County who can’t pay their property taxes when the government’s operating budget has increased 89% in less than half a decade?”

What else? Biddix also mentioned the Foothills Gun Range that cost the county about 1.1 million per year.

“We’re only averaging a return of about $400,000 a year on the gun range right now” noting its been in existence for about a decade and still doesn’t pay for itself. “If something isn’t paying for itself after that long… why do we still have it?”

Another priority to help fund the newly minted large county budget is economic development.

“I’d like to see more high-paying jobs come to our county that will provide the income for people that can afford higher property taxes and bring in more revenue from local sales tax because higher paying jobs tend to bring higher spending families that boost the economy, over time, and pay more sales tax when they buy more goods in our county.”

Biddix continued, “If you look to our west, next door in Rutherford County we have Facebook; and to our right, in Maiden, we have Apple. We need that here instead of people leaving Cleveland County every day to go work elsewhere and spending their dollars and contributing tax dollars to another county.”

If elected, Biddix said he will work for the citizens, not the government, and be approachable by anyone to listen to their concerns and answer to the best of his ability.

But what about experience in board governance?

Biddix is Chairman of the Shanghai Volunteer Fire Department.

“A few months ago, I was approached by volunteer firefighters to serve on the board of directors,” he said.

Biddix was elected to the board in December 2025 and in January he was elected chairman of Shanghai Fire Department.

“Since then, I have been focused on bringing transparency to the department, increasing morale and moving the department in a positive direction,” he noted.

Biddix believes this experience has and continues to help him have a small idea of what to face on a much larger level as a county commissioner.  As Chairman of the Board of Shanghai, he has already had to make difficult decisions and lead accordingly. 

“In just a short period of time at Shanghai, I am already working with the Chief, the board, and other respective officers and members, to bring about an independent audit, as well as answering questions and providing financial statements to clear any rumors and misunderstandings about the fire department.”

Biddix said he’s adaptable and willing to work with anyone. He says he always tries to be the peacemaker in the middle of any disagreements among others.

“I look forward to serving the citizens of Cleveland County. I ask for your support in this upcoming primary election. I am someone that has served in one fashion or another my entire adult life; always standing with honor and integrity in all that I do.”

“I’ll be a dedicated and diligent commissioner if the citizens of our county choose to elect me. I once served our nation as a Marine, I would now like to have the opportunity to serve you as Cleveland County Commissioner Josh Biddix.”

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Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

The Shelby Independent.