Zac Holcomb, Candidate for Mayor of Kinston

Recently mayoral candidate Zac Holcomb sat down with Pastor Jason McKnight and Neuse News Publisher BJ Murphy to discuss his campaign and why he’s running for mayor of Kinston.

“I’m running for mayor because I’m super excited to bring a business perspective to the town and the town's issues,” said Holcomb in his interview with McKnight. “Also to be the out-in-front face that's promoting the city and finding other businesses and people to move here.”

Holcomb arrived in Kinston in 2019 with his wife Stephanie and their two daughters. He spent the first 31 years of his life in Columbus, Ohio. He is the CEO of Additive America, a 3D printing additive manufacturing company.

In his interview with Murphy, Holcomb said the biggest problem facing Kinston is the “democratization of information." He went on to address everyone having access to high-speed internet and how it was equally as important as other utilities.

“We currently do not have it to where everyone is on an equal playing field on being able to reach high-speed Internet.”

Holcomb plans to work toward making Internet access available to everyone because he believes that will lead a path to success for the city. If everyone has equal access to the Internet, the potential for their education increases.

As the CEO of Additive America, Holcomb wants to use his business perspective and apply the skills he’s learned to run the city of Kinston more efficiently. He did not support the City Council’s attempt to provide themselves a pay raise while also raising property taxes for the residents of the city.

“In general I think if you are raising taxes to meet a budget deficit the people voting to raise those taxes on taxpayers should forfeit their money, their income from their position until that budget deficit is matched or made due,” said Holcomb.

In 2020, Holcomb acquired the property at 300 N. Herritage St., formerly Parrott’s General Store for potential commercial and residential development.