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Opinion


You Need To Vote, But How Did The Candidates Vote?

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Due to the upcoming city election, now is the time to review voting histories. Here is a sample showing how your City Council representative voted on a few issues. You can review these and other votes by accessing the City Council meeting minutes. They are posted at the Chattanooga government website under the City Council tab.

Who voted to remove parking ticket writing and the ticket revenues from the city and give both to CARTA?
YES: Benson, Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Ladd, Rico, Robinson
NO:  Scott voted
Not present for the vote:  Murphy was not present for the vote 

Who voted to approve the city’s purchase of the Blue Rhino statue for $32,000?
YES:  Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Murphy, Rico
NO: Benson, Ladd , Scott
NOT present for vote:  Robinson 

Who voted for a property tax increase?
YES: Benson, Berz, Ladd, Rico, Robinson
NO: Gilbert, McGary Murphy, Scott 

Who voted to approve $9.0 million tax incremental financing plan to build a road up Aetna Mountain to service land owned by a single private development group?
YES:  Benson, Berz, Gilbert, Ladd, Rico
NO:  Murphy, Scott
Abstain:  McGary, Robinson 

Who voted to approve $25,000 in roof repairs for Engel Stadium, a structure the city does not own?
YES:   Benson, Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Ladd, Rico, Robinson
NO:  Scott
Not present for the vote: Murphy 

Who voted to approve annual donations and $250,000 for the Chattanooga History Museum, a facility closed to the public for six years?
YES:  Benson, Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Ladd, Murphy, Rico, Robinson
NO:  Scott 

Who voted to approve advance payment of $6.0 million for purchase of dimmable city street lights from a company with no long-term history of street light manufacturing?
YES:   Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Murphy, Rico, Robinson
NO:  Scott
Abstained from the vote: Benson 

Who voted to approve purchase and installation of a green roof on top of the City Council building at a cost of 2-3 times the cost of a conventional commercial roof?
YES:   Benson, Berz, Gilbert, McGary, Ladd, Murphy, Rico
NO:  Scott
Not present for the vote: Robinson 

Who voted to approve a measure making it significantly more difficult to recall a city elected official?
Yes:  Benson, Berz, Gilbert, Ladd, Murphy, Rico
NO:  McGary, Robinson, Scott   

Who voted to change the city’s old flag to a new flag?
YES:  Benson, Berz, Gilbert, Ladd, Rico, Robinson
NO:   McGary, Murphy, Scott 

Please note: Councilwoman Sally Robinson and Deborah Scott are not running for re-election.

John Pierce
Chattanooga

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Opinion

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I’ve gotten hundreds of jokes since Tuesday when I wrote about feeling a little puny lately and expressing my belief that laughter is the best medicine. After breaking some bones in my arm as I slept last week and having no idea there were already some other fractures, it looked pretty certain I had a case of “The Big C.” I’ve always felt that stands for “courage” but the medical ... (click for more)

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