Until recently, the primary way mismanaged cities increased tax revenue was to forcibly annex unwilling citizens from unincorporated areas. But this year the people of Tennessee spoke through its legislature to join 46 other states to end that practice by requiring those to be annexed approve the annexation by prior referendum. Unfortunately, that law came a little too late to prevent two incumbent members of the Signal Mountain Town Council from corralling my family, and many others, into the town of Signal Mountain.
In my mind, the failure of the Council to properly plan to fund the then existing town expenditures without grabbing my property tax revenue is an admission of failure on their part. Moreover, six years later, sewage still leaks from the town sewers into the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee. Septic tanks built atop impermeable sandstone covered by minimal soil still pollute the creeks and streams so many feign concern over. Nothing has been done to remedy these conditions.
The only consolation of being forced into a mismanaged city is that my family gets to vote in the upcoming Town Council election. Annette Allen and Susan Robertson cast votes approving the annexation. I am sure they are decent and kind individuals with impeccable intentions. But their actions belie a fundamental disrespect of private property and are out of touch with Tennesseans and the citizens of 46 other states that disallow forced annexation. As such, I will cast votes for the other three candidates: Chris Howley, Dr. Bob Spalding and Dick Gee. I am hopeful that these three understand you don't fix your own problems by making them someone else's problems.
Steve Smith
Signal Mountain