Local government: Stay small, responsive
As a 27-year-old living in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, I observe both the successes and shortcomings of our local government.
Local strengths include: public safety, low taxes and fees, affordable energy and cost of living.
Areas for improvement: school funding and teacher pay, infrastructure maintenance and housing options for new families.
Though my political views are moderate, I remain open to constructive dialogue regarding our differences. I want to keep the government small and focus on the true needs. Not bloated and corrupted. The second thing I did after moving here was register to vote. Crying and protesting can only go so far. If you want change and can do so, vote!
Michael Lewis
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County commended for keeping taxes low
Margaret Thatcher famously said, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” To fund these wishful societal programs, “tax the wealthy” is the progressive liberal’s go-to battle cry. To them, “the wealthy” are pariahs and a never-ending source to be tapped. Who exactly are “the wealthy” that this opinion writer calls out (Times, 6/12)?
(READ: Times Opinion: This is the Hamilton County budget you get under Republican rule)
Apparently, mere homeowners are “the wealthy” and should pay more. As if they were gifted their house! More and more county residents now live in apartments — filled with schoolchildren — and pay no direct property tax. No doubt some are occupied by “the wealthy,” right?
Will the opinion writer support rent increases, too? Lastly, simply increasing tax dollars is not a panacea … look at Democrat-run states/cities where tax dollars are squandered and administrations are reeking of fraud.
The opinion writer once again attacks the Sheriff’s Office’s cooperation with ICE. He has ratcheted up his rhetoric and now labels it as “ethnic cleansing.” Another go-to phrase among the screeching liberal progressives. Sorry, there is no local controversy among those that support enforcement of U.S. immigration law.
I commend our county government for good stewardship of our existing tax dollars and their resistance of the siren’s call for simply increasing taxes on working families.
Robert Holmes
Apison
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