Roy Exum
A week or two ago I was able to visit with presidential candidate Marco Rubio and I was able to ask him some one-on-one questions. His answers were phenomenal, on everything from illegal immigrants to the values his parents instilled in him, and we got a chance for him to tell me about his “Idearaisers” book, which might just be the most innovative thing I’ve ever heard.
Shortly after Rubio was chosen as Speaker of the House in the Florida legislature, he went on a statewide tour to gather ideas – good ideas – that the people of Florida had that would make their state better.
What resulted was a book he compiled, “100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future.”
Rubio then took many of those ideas and used them to chart his efforts as a Florida legislator, particularly in his first season as the House Speaker. Because he listened and could adapt, it is a fact that 58 of those “ideas” have since resulted in state laws now on the Florida books. No wonder he was elected as one of the state’s two Senators in 2010, easily beating the incumbent like a drum, and his presidential campaign is quite promising.
If he wins the nomination, I’ll vote for him in a second but let’s get back to “Idearaisers.” I think about stuff we could do easily that would make a difference in our community. All kinds of things come to my mind so, as the week begins with temperatures in the low 50s, here are five things that might just work:
1. OUR CITY AND COUNTY SHOULD “BUY LOCAL”
When I paid my Wastewater Treatment bill the other day I couldn’t help but notice my check went to Hemet, California. I don’t know anybody in Hemet but I do know somebody in California has a job opening and processing that envelope instead of somebody in Chattanooga, Tenn. That makes me mad because I believe our elected leaders need to protect us from such “carpet-baggers” who steal jobs from the very people who put them in office. Fortunately, the city is taking steps to remedy this wrong.
It makes me furious when I see a police car with a dealer sticker from Knoxville or Nashville. That’s why I think Mayor Andy Berke and County Mayor Jim Coppinger should “strongly request” our purchasing agents to “buy local.” Nobody in Knoxville will ever vote for Andy or Jim. It’s time we wake up and smell the coffee!
If Comcast, the “Chattanooga” Gas Company, the Tennessee-American Water Company or any other company in Hamilton County does business within our boundaries – especially the municipal monopolies -- I believe they should have a local return address, use a local bank, and license their vehicles through our courthouse and our state.
The argument is this guy in Hemet claims he has such modern automation and it is more economical to use the bandit’s services. But the rub is the orangutan in Hemet gets to buy bananas by opening envelopes mailed from the other side of the country while our orangutan in Chattanooga can’t find a job and is starving for a banana. “Buy Local” means we “Hire Local,” it is that simple.
If a Ford dealer in Knoxville can undercut a Ford dealer in Chattanooga, then let’s look at Chevrolets, Toyotas, Dodges or whatever before we honor some “blind bid.” Change the bid process if you must – where the entire commission must agree on a more expensive bid -- but instead of saving $35 on a unit our city and county governments must realize nobody in Knoxville, Nashville or Hemet, Calif., gives a rip about the people who live in Hamilton County.
If your bank has an out-of-town address, find a bank that cares about us. And if the “Chattanooga” Gas Company demands you send your check to Illinois, write them a local letter and tell them to change the address to where the people live who they serve. We can make a difference if we “buy local,” I promise.
2. OUR ENDLESS AUTO EMISSIONS SCAM
The biggest deception fraud that is perpetuated on the citizens of Hamilton County is the auto emissions centers. The explanation is we have to have them in order for the state to get highway grants per some federal mandate. That’s pure bunk. There are four of Tennessee’s 95 counties that prey on their citizens for not just a $10 fee but the most ridiculous misery when the “check engine” light is on for some unexplainable record.
The amount of time it takes a driver to “get serviced” is a detested imposition that I believe could get a candidate elected based on the promise to eliminate it alone. We need to join the 90 counties that seem to be doing just fine without the unwanted pariahs.
I can think of no greater reason to distrust local politicians than the fact not one has stood in defiance of what is clearly wrong. Why should citizens of Hamilton County be victimized while our good neighbors in Bradley County, Marion County, Rhea County, Sequatchie County and elsewhere get “blessed relief” from such a ruse? The whole thing is wrong.
3. CARTA NEEDS TO USE SMALLER VANS INSTEAD
A solid public transportation system is imperative to any city, but when we have an average of literally one or two people on each cumbersome bus, it is clearly evident we could save thousands every month by replacing the belching bullies with modern-day passenger vans. I’m serious. I stood downtown for 15 minutes the other day with my cigar and watched bus after bus go by that were empty.
I beg any member of the City Council or the County Commission to do the same and they will quickly realize we need some Hans Brinker to stick his finger in the dike. There is no way CARTA can’t be hemorrhaging taxpayer money with all of its empty buses. Check for yourself. It would be laughable if it weren’t so obvious everybody involved with CARTA is avoiding a much-needed solution.
In Knoxville there is a modern, efficient public transportation center that is the envy of the state. It is time for us to join the 21st century because our bus line is about a half-century behind in thinking.
4. OUR PARKING METER INCREASES
Chattanooga has a City Council where nine people, duly elected by the citizens, try to do what is best for all of us. Chattanooga also has a “Parking Authority” that operates under the auspices of CARTA (Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority) and operates, for the most part, in total obscurity.
I dare say CARTA is an outfit that is about the last “authority” any of us would trust to establish the rates of parking meters in Chattanooga. Proponents claim our fees are still cheaper than Atlanta and Memphis – two of the nation’s Top Ten cities for crime – but fail to recognize none of us park in Atlanta or Memphis. Who cares what parking costs in Singapore, Paris or Tel Aviv? And who is the stumblebum who put CARTA in charge of public parking lots?
I don’t know how or why we let this happen but to be forced to take direction from some faceless crowd with no accountability or oversight is absolute tomfoolery. A cursory check reveals most public parking systems in America are very much the responsible of a city’s governing body. But with a decided lack of public discourse, “somebody” just decided to raise the rate to $1 an hour this month and start charging motorists on Saturdays.
Who is “somebody?” A check of the Chattanooga Parking Authority website lists only Brent Matthews, Director of Parking, and Jim Bowen, Director of Projects, in charge. If the City Council sits idly by and allows Brent and Jim to throw a 25-cent increase per hour at us, our elected leadership has failed us badly. And without any oversight, what’s to keep the secretive parking authority from going to $2 per hour on January 1, 2016? We have some Bozos in our midst … not Brent or Jim but those who just stand there without the ability to ask “why?”
5. A TRIAL 2 ½ YEARS AFTER THE MURDER
I believe our justice system is seriously flawed and what better a place to fix it than the Hamilton County court system. It has been announced that Jeremy Reynolds, who is alleged to have murdered a Lupton City man in May of 2013, will come to trial in January of 2016. That’s 2½ years of an obviously ridiculous delay.
Jeremy, age 29, is a real piece of work, according to media reports. In 2008 he was convicted of facilitation to commit second-degree murder and, while I have no idea what he did in the five years before he is believed to have gunned down a guy named Wendell Washington in 2013, apparently efforts to rehabilitate the gun slinger failed to take. Now, a long eight years after his second-degree murder verdict, he is scheduled to come to trial again this January. Does that make sense to you?
I believe justice should be swift, per our Constitution. I also believe it should be sure and that Jeremy should not be railroaded. But the distance between “the main event” and the “circus” should certainly not be 30 months. We need to clear some stale dockets and Governor Haslam needs to hurry to us the judge who will replace the retired Rebecca Stern.
royexum@aol.com