One would think that rather than raise a ruckus over homeless people being housed on Chattanooga’s tax dime and the pandemic’s “American Rescue Plan” in an East Ridge hotel, that East Ridge representatives like County Commissioner Tim Boyd would be all about lining up some charity – specifically some health assistance to give the homeless hotel tenants COVID-19 vaccinations.
Make no mistake, East Ridge – or at least its representatives – wouldn’t be raising this ruckus if we were not talking about homeless people and COVID.
After all, no one at any hotel in East Ridge – let alone the Budgetel Inn & Suites on North Mack Smith Road in East Ridge just off Interstate 75 – is taking temperatures at the doors as travelers check in.
Indeed, in all other instances of late, all we’ve heard from any of our elected officials in Hamilton County and Tennessee is how “open” we are around here for tourism. Until homeless folks were mentioned in the mix, the conversation about those hotel rooms – no matter who’s paying for them – has only been about how many tax dollars they provide to their respective cities and counties.
As for the homeless, just last week, everyone in our area seemed to have their hair on fire about tent cities popping up all over the place as the novel coronavirus took its toll on jobs, even while rents and housing costs rose causing more people to lose their homes or apartments.