Monty Bruell
Monty Bruell, who is running for mayor of Chattanooga, announced plans for "participatory budgeting."
He said, "Over the last ten days, we have all witnessed true democracy in action. What began as peaceful protests in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, has led to an Appeal for Human Rights—a list of seven demands called for by Chattanooga’s community organizers.
These demands provide us with a road map to a more equitable and inclusive Chattanooga.
"Today, we live in a city that has a 35% child poverty rate, where two-thirds of all households in poverty are headed by single women. We live in a city where the median income for white families is twice that of African-American families and where 28% of the city budget goes to the police department. Too many residents live in substandard housing, work low wage jobs, and lack access to quality, affordable healthcare. There is a better way forward.
"As a candidate for Chattanooga’s next Mayor, I am announcing a plan for a top-to-bottom overhaul of our city’s budget. The measure of our success as a city must be defined by more than the number of new buildings being built downtown. In order for Chattanooga to be successful, we must invest in people, families, and neighborhoods, and commit to providing resources to Black and Brown residents, who have largely been left behind by our city’s economic growth.
"Right now, the Mayor sets the tone for the city’s priorities, and residents have very little influence over the city’s budget. I plan to use a participatory budgeting model to address this problem. I will not only work with the members of the City Council, but I will reach out to neighborhoods all across our city and create a Citizens Advisory Council to establish priorities for Chattanooga.
"We must understand that the call for divesting in the police is a call for more than merely reforming law enforcement. Chattanooga residents want meaningful investment in Black and Brown communities. The next mayor must work with residents to develop a concrete plan and collective vision to address affordable housing, wage gaps, and economic development beyond downtown; and we have to partner with our schools to educate our students and provide them with opportunities for success. The compounding of inequity upon inequity may be our past, and even our present, but it does not have to be our future. We can work together to create bold change for Chattanooga, and I am eager to partner with the community to do just that."