Sohn: Voters looked for change in local races

Staff photo by Doug Strickland / "I Voted" stickers adorn a ballot stub box during early voting at the Hamilton County Election Commission in July.
Staff photo by Doug Strickland / "I Voted" stickers adorn a ballot stub box during early voting at the Hamilton County Election Commission in July.

Hamilton County general and Tennessee primary election stories

Hamilton County voters largely hit the reset button on the Hamilton County school board in Thursday's election.

With dismal voter turnout among of the county's 186,384 registered voters, more than 13,000 residents voting in school board races ousted three of four board members who were up for re-election on the nine-member Hamilton County Board of Education. Incumbent Donna Horn, a retired kindergarten teacher, was defeated by Joe Wingate, a coach, former teacher and current college professor. Incumbent George Ricks lost to Tiffanie Robinson, a 31-year-old downtown mom and CEO of Lamp Post Properties. And incumbent board chairman Jonathan Welch of Signal Mountain - a steady, strong leader we hoped would stay on the board - was defeated by Kathy Lennon, a businesswoman and former educator.

Incumbent Rhonda Thurman, of Soddy-Daisy, long seen as outspoken on the board, retained her seat by defeating Dr. Patti Skates and Jason Moses.

After a tumultuous year of plummeting student scores, the rape of an Ooltewah basketball player and the resulting retirement of the embattled superintendent, the voices of voters who stayed home were missed. Our children deserve accountability not only from the board of education, but also from voters.

Assessor of property

In a tight race, Hamilton County voters put another establishment Republican in the Hamilton County courthouse - keeping all of the elected positions in county government solidly red. Hamilton County Commissioner Marty Haynes will become the new assessor of property, replacing the retiring Bill Bennett.

Political newcomer and Democrat Mark Siedlecki took about six months off from the leadership of his technology business to visit tax assessors' offices in other counties to see how the best ones operate. He also advocated freezing the tax rate of seniors as state law allows - something our current assessor and commissioners have ignored.

Freezing senior tax rates would be a win for this county in more ways than just savings for elderly residents who often live on fixed incomes. Our public schools need reforms that cry out for additional funding. County commissioners have publicly said they would not vote for a tax increase - in large measure because Hamilton County retirees are often those who most oppose tax hikes. If seniors' tax rates are frozen, that particular opposition to better school funding would cool.

Hopefully Haynes, 57, of Hixson, will borrow some of Siedlecki's research and ideas.

3rd Congressional District

In the Democratic primary, political newcomer Melody Shekari will now advance to challenge Republican incumbent Chuck Fleischmann in November. Fleischmann, already a three-term congressman, handily won his primary.

Shekari, 28, is a former policy fellow for Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke's office. She was the clear choice for Democrats and though young, she has a strong and focused platform. She would work to close corporate tax loopholes, raise the minimum wage, invest in infrastructure and the clean energy industry - especially in East Tennessee. All of those things, she notes, would boost jobs and the economy.

She also would work to improve the Affordable Care Act, find sensible compromises on gun rights and gun safety, and seek student debt relief.

She sums it up this way: "My entire adult life I have not seen a functional Congress. We have to figure out a way to work together. My generation is good at working together."

In this year of heightened political interest - when the rules are pretty much out the window and the country is screaming for change and for a Congress that works to resolve conflicts, not to gridlock them, Melody Shekari may just be the perfect person in the nick of time.

State Senate, District 10

Tennessee Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, in November likely will face tough - and welcome - District 10 opposition from Democrat Khristi Wilkinson.

Wilkinson, 36, grew up in Detroit and doesn't understand why Chattanooga and her own neighborhood of Highland Park don't feel as inclusive as that Detroit neighborhood where 17 languages were spoken. She supports universal pre-K, investing in schools, affordable housing and closing Chattanooga's income gap - the seventh largest in the country.

State Representative, District 28

Congratulations to Tennessee Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, for once again winning the votes of residents in House District 28.

Few people have served as long and as well in public positions as Favors. The feisty 73-year-old is one of only two House Democrats in East Tennessee.

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