State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, speaks at a town hall meeting in Chattanooga on Thursday. Berke discussed the priorities for the 2011 legislative session, including issues of unemployment and education.Paying $600 a month for health insurance can be difficult for retirees living on fixed incomes.
This and other health care cost issues were at the top of Chattanoogans' minds Thursday as about 40 people filled a town hall meeting with state Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga.
Berke said health care is high on his agenda.
"If it's not affordable, then you don't have any access," Berke said.
The main solution called for by the crowd was to lower costs, and Berke said the state Senate is doing its best.
"It's a constant struggle to figure out how to do this," he said, offering to look into anyone's health insurance situation to help him or her gain coverage.
The redistricting process was another top concern of constituents.
"We've got to pay close attention to state laws and the impact they're having on the grass-roots level," said Talley Road resident Joe Rowe.
State and local governments redraw legislative district lines after every census to reflect population changes. In Tennessee, majority Republicans will be in charge of drawing new lines for state and federal districts.
Rowe said he lives in a different voting precinct from his neighbors across the street, making it very difficult for his community to elect the best officials for them.
Berke said that as a Democrat, he is unsure how much influence he will have the redistricting process.
"The Republicans are in absolute control, and when it comes to redistricting, they're not going to ask me my opinion about a lot of things," he said.