Jerry Mitchell has announced he will seek re-election to the Chattanooga City Council. Mr. Mitchell represents District 2, which extends from the North Shore to Northgate.
“I will continue to bring common sense and collaboration to my service on the council,” said Mr. Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell currently serves as vice-chairman of the council, and he has also chaired the Budget and Finance and Human Resources Committees. He has worked with Chattanooga-area employers to ensure the city is “as business-friendly as possible.” He has also worked to attract signature events and promote outdoor amenities to increase tourism tax revenues.
Mr. Mitchell also points to his work on behalf of District 2 public schools and the city’s early childhood education initiatives which give all children an equitable chance to become the region’s future leaders. “There is no more important work than giving all our children the opportunity to learn and succeed,” said the councilman.
Looking to the next four years, Mr. Mitchell said he would like to focus on:
“Public safety. We must make sure that our public safety servants in the Fire and Police Departments are adequately funded and trained so they can guarantee the safety of our citizens.”
“Homelessness and mental health. It’s not popular to talk about, but it is a growing problem that must be addressed. It can only be solved through honest dialogue and collaboration, but it can be solved.”
“Workforce development. We cannot overcome the cycle of inequity and poverty in Chattanooga until we give all our citizens the tools they need to be workforce-ready. Providing jobs and incomes will help us become the best city in America.”
“Infrastructure. I have been a strong advocate for doubling our paving budget in the past few years, but we still have many roads and sidewalks that are dangerously under-maintained.”
“Government responsiveness and transparency. Given the state of technology, there is no reason why we cannot keep our citizens informed and enlist their participation moving our city forward.”
“By continuing to focus on growing the economy, improving public safety, education, infrastructure and government responsiveness, together we will produce the place our children and grandchildren will want to call home.”
In accordance with the city charter, city council elections Council will be held March 7, 2017.