Editor’s note: Read all Times endorsements for Hamilton County Commission in the Aug. 6 election here.
Amanda Sovago-Royal, from her time volunteering at various nonprofits and working in customer service, has a lot of connections. If elected to the County Commission, the Democratic candidate for District 2 wants to use those ties to advocate for native Chattanoogans amid the strains presented by population growth.
She wants to address inequities by promoting affordability and expanding “economic spending power” for ordinary residents of Hamilton County, she told the Chattanooga Times in an interview.
While she is opposed to a property tax increase, our preferred mechanism for raising county revenue — she called it “a heavy burden” — Sovago-Royal does want to take a closer look at the budget and alternatives to property taxes to invest in higher salaries for teachers.
She wants more communication between the public and the County Commission, advocating for regular town halls so constituents can better make their voices heard.