Dear Mayor Kelly and Members of the Chattanooga City Council,
I’m writing as a resident of Hixson and a strong supporter of our city’s police and fire departments. Their service is essential, and I fully support fair and competitive compensation for these public servants.
However, I’m concerned by the timing and structure of the proposed supplemental budget. If these raises were truly a priority—and I believe they are—why were they not included in the original FY25 budget? Waiting until after the property appraisal to introduce a funding mechanism that risks becoming a perpetual tax feels like a disservice to the public’s trust.
I urge you to consider a more transparent and fiscally responsible approach:
• Use General Fund Reserves: Chattanooga’s reserves exceed recommended thresholds.
A one-time allocation of $19 million is both feasible and prudent.
• Avoid Perpetual Taxation: If a tax adjustment is necessary, it should be time-limited and clearly explained with firm legal guardrails set forth. Citizens deserve clarity, not open-ended levies.
• Tighten the FY26 Budget: Future compensation increases should be built into the regular budget cycle, with thoughtful trade-offs and departmental efficiency.
• Create a one-time targeted municipal bond with payments spread out over, say, 15 years. Then, tighten our belts and ensure funding is inclusive when preparing the 2026 budget.
• The citizens of Chattanooga are not opposed to investing in public safety. We are opposed to being misled by reactive budgeting and vague fiscal commitments. Let’s fund the raises now using one-time resources, and build a more innovative, leaner, more sustainable plan for FY26 and beyond.
Respectfully,
Johnny Jones