Editor’s note: Read all Times endorsements for Hamilton County Commission in the Aug. 6 election here.
Living in a district long represented by Republicans, one issue in particular led Mona Petro, the Democratic candidate for District 1, to test the long-shot odds: the closing of the county health clinic and local businesses in Soddy-Daisy.
“It seems like you go down the street, and the businesses are closing up,” Petro told the Chattanooga Times in an interview. “Where’s that small-town feel that everybody loves up in Soddy-Daisy?”
To address this, Petro believes county government should have a greater role in fostering an economic environment more friendly to small business, while also encouraging existing big-name companies to better serve the community.
“Whether you lease, whether you own, whatever the real estate situation,” Petro said. “You do have an obligation to the areas that you serve.”