Crockett Says De-Annexation Bill Would Threaten City's Ability To Survive And Thrive

  • Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Mayjoral candidate David Crockett said at a press conference on Wednesday that a proposed de-annexation bill in the legislature would threaten Chattanooga's ability to survive and thrive.

He said, "I am David Crockett, former three-term Councilman and chairman of the City Council and a candidate for the mayor of Chattanooga.

"I entered this race more as an intervention than an election. I felt that the mayor’s personal and political-career obsessions were putting at risk 40 years of ideas, work and money of hundreds of people to bring Chattanooga to this point.

"Because of his arrogance and political ambition, he had thrown out the baby with the bath water, destroying many important programs. In their place, he installed inexperienced staff, political projects and chaos.

"He completely ignored and tried to kill Chattanooga’s greatest opportunity – the Mag Lev connection to Atlanta that would bring 150 flights and thousands ofj obs to Chattanooga. He completely ignored our greatest threat because of his statewide political ambition.

"The annexation bills and the underlying tax inequities for city residents that endangered our bond rating and was sapping our city. Not a peep. And, now he says he will study it. That bill introduced by the state legislators is why we are here today.

"Annexation or de-annexation is a symptom of the underlying problem. Chattanooga citizens have done a heroic job of reinventing the quality of life of our city - while having the additional challenge of also funding the roads,infrastructure and services in the unincorporated areas.

"Like a see-saw, the tilt is toward the unincorporated areas with Chattanooga’s resources and tax revenue being drained out to the unincorporated areas of the county. This inequity for the citizens of Chattanooga can and must be reversed. This is a transfer payment and a subsidy to citizens in the unincorporated areas.

"This is neither fair nor conservative as it has been represented. We have had a lot of conversation about roads in this election. If you want to ride on good roads that your taxes paid for, you need to take a Sunday drive in the unincorporated areas. The entire public works and roads budget of the county is spent there.

"Something approaching 80 cents of every dollar comes from taxpayers in the incorporated area. Most of that from Chattanooga. 70 percent of the county residents live in the cities, the incorporated areas and nearly 80 percent of the county taxes come from there. 100 percent of the expenditures for roads, public works, fire, parks and most of the sheriff’s non-jail work...deputies and cars...are spent there...your county tax dollars.

"Those are approximate numbers but the point is made.Every builder and every realtor has used the phrase that you have great roads and services and you don't have to pay city taxes.The proposed de-annexation legislation would hurt the city, threaten our bond rating and endanger its long-term ability to survive and thrive. Cities are the industrial parks of the future for the jobs and industries of the mind. 'The state with the best cities will win those jobs.'

"This bill puts the entire state economy at risk.The state of Tennessee has an antiquated tax system put in place before WWII before the advent of suburban malls and subdivisions in places where there was no infrastructure. This is a horse and buggy tax structure in a 300 mph Mag Lev world.We should consider every alternative to level the field for taxpayers.

"You’re free to live where you want, but it is not free. If 5 percent of the County citizens can be heard by the legislators surely the 50 percent living in Chattanooga can get a hearing...and, the right to vote on their destiny...like the other citizens.One alternative is to let cities above a certain size have aright to vote to separate from the county they are in and be independent. In effect, they would be counties unto themselves.

"This is essentially the same tax structure as Virginia where you are either a city or a county. Richmond, Fredericksburg, Virginia Beach only pay one tax and take care of all their needs or pay other entities for services rendered on a use basis.

"An independent Chattanooga would pay one tax, no two, have the lowest property taxes in Hamilton County and could invest more in its neglected communities with better roads, infrastructure, affordable housing and better schools.

"We could take 100 percent control of our schools to best address the needs of our children and young people and prepare them for success.I respect and like Mayor Coppinger and our County Commissioners and state legislators. We need to have this conversation in a business like and respectful way.But, we must have it.

"We will be good and generous partners as we have in the past in working for the good of the entire region, but we must solve this issue.This subject has been avoided by this mayor because of his political ambitions. He doesn’t want to do the hard work or risk his political future. What's best for Chattanooga is way down on his list of priorities.I'm not afraid to stand up for what is best for Chattanooga's taxpayers. I've done that before by doing things that other political leaders said could not be done like initiating the school merger and passing the 1/2-cent sales tax which not only funded our largest economic development projects but also cut city property taxes three times, 50 cents each time.

"Now is the time to take on this challenge and do it again and a Crockett administration will."

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