QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Election Day is March 5. What should be the top priorities of Chattanooga’s next mayor?Editor’s note: The Free Press opinion page is beginning a new weekly feature, the Right Side Round Table, in which we join a few prominent political, civic, business or religious leaders from our region to discuss a timely issue.
The first priority of Chattanooga’s next mayor should be to quickly correct the shortcomings of the current mayor.
During Ron Littlefield’s eight wearisome years as Chattanooga mayor, the city budget ballooned from $150 million to nearly $210 million, property taxes were hiked 19 percent and Chattanooga’s long, sad traditions of cronyism, political paybacks and back-room deal making were faithfully upheld.
Our next mayor should trim city spending and work to reduce tax rates before residents realize how much more they pay in taxes than surrounding communities and begin fleeing.
The next mayor should demonstrate his understanding of the proper role of government by selling, leasing or shuttering the questionable business ventures the city is involved in – including a hotel, two entertainment venues, a cable and Internet service business, golf courses, a private plane service center and a marina – that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.