Mayor candidate Ron Littlefield said it is disturbing that Ann Coulter has never voted in a city election. Ms. Coulter said she may have been living outside the city until recently, but she has been intimately involved in building the city.

Littlefield officials said, "In a forum last night manufactured to showcase Ms. Coulter, the truth came out about her lack of residency in the City of Chattanooga."

Mr. Littlefield said, “I am surprised to learn that Ms. Coulter moved into the city so recently - and that she has not voted in city elections. How can someone claim to be expert in urban development and neighborhoods when they really haven't been a part of such things? Up until a few months ago, she was very proud of her rural lifestyle and her log cabin in Soddy Daisy."

"In fact, this mayoral election will be the first city election she has ever voted in ... that according to public record at the Election Commission. That’s disturbing to many voters who want to think her interest in the city is genuine. But how can it be genuine when she moved into the city just in time to run for mayor?

"Ann is intelligent and well coached. The person that we see at these forums is not the same Ann that many people knew a few months ago. The troubling thing is those individuals behind her. I don't engage in talk of dark conspiracies, but she has been promoted, packaged and positioned by Ken Hays and a small group of powerbrokers for their own personal interests."

The Coulter campaign said during the forum at the Chattanoogan that Ms. Coulter pointed out that "her background qualifies her to take Chattanooga forward by creating more
opportunity so young people and all Chattanoogans can find job
opportunities close to home."

Ms. Coulter said, "Our next mayor needs the experience and new ideas. I have the experience to identify and recruit new jobs while nurturing and retaining existing businesses. Through my volunteer work in the public schools, I see every week how our schools are working. I have the community development background it will take to improve our neighborhoods throughout the city. And throughout my career, I have been fiscally responsible."

Coulter officials said she "is the only candidate to offer proposals to attract high tech and manufacturing jobs, to invest in small businesses and entrepreneurship, and to provide school resource officers to make our schools as safe as possible. She is the only candidate to propose a faith-based initiative to recruit 1,000 education volunteers to help children learn to read and little or no
cost to taxpayers."

Mr. Coulter said, "My entire career I've worked to make Chattanooga a better place. I have deep roots in Chattanooga. I was born here, I was raised here, and I learned about community service and faith from my family here.

"I owned a small business where I worked with non profits and faith-based organizations. I headed an agency that invested millions to improve our neighborhoods. I've served as an executive at RiverCity, where I worked every day on economic development to create and retain thousands of Chattanooga jobs. At every stop, I have managed budgets
responsibly and conservatively.

"In order to keep Chattanooga moving forward, new strides will be needed in
education and economic development. And as we build a vibrant downtown, we
must make sure we have vibrant neighborhoods."