Robin SmithOver the last year, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke has taken the same approach as Barack Obama to governing: stay on the road engaged in the politics of marketing and self-promotion to avoid the mundane task of governing. Berke's been racking up frequent flyer miles and hotel points in his 19 trips since Dec. 2013.
Based on emails, phone calls and complaints I've received, it appears citizens are growing restless. Here is an open letter from citizens experiencing buyer's remorse in their 2013 support of Berke:
Mayor Berke,
We know you're busy traveling around the United States promoting Chattanooga as the Gig City. While you've been gone, that Violence Reduction Initiative you started has either stalled out or isn't working like we were told it would.
In a seven-day period that ended Oct. 27, 10 people were shot in Chattanooga and three of them died. It's been one of the most violent weeks of 2014 with more "Call to Action" meetings and "conferences."
Good luck on the road. We'll be waiting for your return to hear all about those solutions to "urban problems" you're learning.
Some of us now see that perhaps a better job for you would have been in a marketing position at EPB as you have devoted so much energy to promote their taxpayer-funded Internet service even as multiple audits have documented accounting errors.
We know you're having to hurry to promote the "gig" since other counties in Tennessee are achieving that level of Internet speed (Clarksville, Tullahoma, Morristown, Bristol and the Tri-Cities, soon-to-be Nashville, and rumored soon in Cleveland).
We guess since cities cannot annex for revenue anymore, it's important to make money off of utilities that compete with business but are funded by our tax dollars.
When you do get back in town, it'd be great to know exactly how many new jobs have been created with our tax dollars that have paid for the expansion of our utility.
We aren't sure when it is we're supposed to judge your administration on results touted in your "outcomes-based budgeting."
Your own website states, "Andy has focused his public service on making streets safer, providing every child with the opportunity for success, promoting economic and community development, and ensuring that government budgets on outcomes and effectiveness."
Well, our streets are not safer. And those soundbites and speeches keep coming. The "opportunity for success" already exists for all Americans. It's the equal outcomes that are expected by too many that's the problem.
You have certainly succeeded in "promoting economic and community development." The question really is have your policies enhanced economic and community development?
There's no question taxpayer's money is being spent but the "outcomes" don't seem concrete just yet. Let us know when we're supposed to measure your results. Oh wait. We won't measure them, right? You'll just tell us how successful your approach has been.
Signed,
Waiting, but growing impatient
P.S. While it's acceptable now in politics and government to offer only rhetoric that pleases the base and not produce results, we demand -- and deserve -- better.
Robin Smith, immediate past Tennessee Republican Party chairwoman, is owner of Rivers Edge Alliance.