Editor's Note: Chattarati invited both Rob Healy and Mayor Ron Littlefield to submit a guest post on the topic "Chattanooga's Next Four Years." The following is Rob Healy's unedited submission. The next four years will be one of the most challenging and exciting times in our history. As mayor, I plan to bring my business acumen, vision, and integrity to move this city forward, especially in the important areas of youth and education, economic development, safety, and green initiatives.
YOUTH AND EDUCATION Providing our children with a quality education is vital to our city's future. Even though the public school system is under the purview of the county, the city has a responsibility to actively pursue and assist in implementing enhancements to the system in which our children are educated. My plan includes:
- Partnering with the County School System and the School Board and leveraging public and private agencies to reinforce current educational programs and develop new ones, with specific emphasis on the development of early childhood education
- Recognizing the fact that Chattanooga offers diverse employment opportunities requiring different learning programs, we will develop a plan to provide more vocational educational opportunities for youth who desire to pursue this type of career. We will also develop partnerships with local companies to provide on-the-job training and mentoring programs, including work-study arrangements.
- In pursuit of the goal to make higher education accessible to everyone, my administration will work with local businesses and colleges to address financial needs of current and potential students that are not being met by existing programs.
- With the objective of retaining local talent in the area, my administration will work with businesses and colleges to develop programs that encourage graduates to seek employment within the Chattanooga area.
- For youth who choose to pursue educational opportunities outside of Chattanooga, my administration will develop a communication program to keep these students connected to our area. We will also continue to encourage job growth so that these young men and women can return to our city to live, work, and raise their family.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT I will capitalize on economic opportunities that will bring new jobs and prosperity to Chattanooga. We have a great location and quality of life here in Chattanooga. In addition, we have a low cost of living and doing business relative to other locations across the country. These attributes make our city very attractive to those considering locating their businesses here and we need to actively market the benefits of doing so. I will forge partnerships with the county and with the Chamber of Commerce, working with them to help market these unique advantages of locating new business in this City. Having spent the majority of my life managing small businesses, I also understand and respect the many challenges facing those organizations today. As mayor, I will ensure that our city works closely with small business owners, acting as a true partner with them to help them grow and prosper. I also want to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit in our community that rewards and encourages new ideas and start-up companies. We need to work with the business development center as well as the county to create a government that is easy to navigate, not one that presents roadblocks that interfere with the establishment and growth of small companies. SAFETY Although the current administration stated recently that crime is not a problem in this city, I believe that it is a major issue and must be aggressively addressed. According to the recently published 2008 State of Chattanooga Region Report, incidents of forcible rape increased 14.6% and robbery increased 12.9%. This report also showed that Chattanooga's total number of crime events in nine major categories was greater than in the 22 surrounding satellite cities and suburbs combined. A safe city is vital to current employers and citizens, as well as the recruiting of new industry and tourism. Safety in our city can be improved by getting everyone involved, expanding Neighborhood Watch and similar programs. We must also ensure that the police department has the proper tools and resources to do their jobs, and that they are appropriately compensated. We need to be sure that these forces are deployed efficiently, concentrating on the areas where crime is most prevalent. Last, we need to work with the court system to become a city that is known for being "tough on crime." GREEN INITIATIVES I believe that an Office of Sustainability should be created to oversee the implementation of green initiatives in our city and surrounding areas. This office should be set up outside the city government, as a separate 501c3 entity, supported by the city and other municipalities. This will ensure that this office will hold the city government accountable for its progress toward a greener future, while insulating it from changes in local leadership. One of my first actions as mayor will be to reinstate weekly curbside recycling by working with the passionate curbside recycling group whose suggestions have been summarily dismissed by the current administration. Right now, we recycle 2% of our waste. My goal is to increase that to 10% by the end of 2010 and to 20% by the end of 2013. These goals are well within our reach through various creative initiatives, including weekly curbside recycling and educational programs to enhance awareness of the benefits of moving our city into the "green." BEYOND THE ISSUES Surpassing all of these issues and the many others that are so important to our city is the basic premise of true, principled leadership. True leadership inspires a community to work together to overcome problems and create opportunities. True leadership enables diverse sections of a community to focus not on differences that may threaten to separate them, but rather on developing a common vision to unite them. This type of leadership creates a culture filled with passion, energy and enthusiasm and this is the kind of culture we need right now in our city. I will provide that kind of leadership. I have talked for the past two months about “Principles Over Politics” and I want to assure you that these are not just words strung together to create a snappy campaign slogan. This is the way I will serve you as mayor of this city. I will create transparency in government, and ensure that my administration is one that all citizens can trust to act with fairness and integrity in all things. Whether in the purchase of goods and services, the treatment of city employees, or the appointment of board positions free of conflicts of interest, you will see a clear and tangible change in the way your government functions. That change will make Chattanooga a better place for you, your children, and your grandchildren, as political interests are subjugated to basic principles of integrity and fairness. That is what “Principles Over Politics” is all about. I’m Rob Healy, and I want to serve you as the next Mayor of Chattanooga.
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