Things for the next mayor to do in Farragut...
This is a list I'd do this in a "Top 10" style, but I don't want to offend David Letterman (lol), so these are in no particular order.
1. Improve relationship with community and neighborhoods
2. Improve relationship with school board
3. Improve relationship with Sheriff
4. Improve relationship with County
5. Improve relationship with Businesses
6. Improve relationship with Rural/Metro
7. Improve relationship with students
8. Create a board to listen to safety concerns
9. Eliminate all conflicts-of-interest from the administration of the town (i.e. no family members on boards and commissions).
10. Strenghten the image of the town with its own residents. Why? Because a significant number of the people that live here think the town is on the wrong path.
Notice a trend there??? Well considering the current administration has done nothing but have relationships with developers and road contractors (at least from the looks of the meetings in the planning commission and FBMA). Are we going to continue to allow the running of our town into the ground? A lot of people think that the town of Farragut is a stuck-up bully that basically tosses table scraps to everyone else. I mean, Mayor Ford honestly believes that giving 200K over 9 years to the Farragut schools (btw, it averages 22K/year, which if you calculate it comes out to about a couple of bucks each year per student) is helping out the schools when the budget is in the MILLIONS of $$$. Come on, do something with that $7.5 Million (which the town has in the bank) to benefit the current and future residents and leaders of our town.
If you think I'm extreme, you haven't been talking to some of your neighbors. Some of them want property taxes, others want business signage the size of billboards, still others want nothing but residential communities and no businesses whatsoever. Personally, there has to be a balance between all those beliefs. Like I belive, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Take the case of Rural/Metro--they increased their membership fee again this year. IMHO, this is a non-tax-deductible property tax no matter what way you look at it! At least if its a property tax, I could deduct it, but because it's a membership fee, I can't. If you decide not to be a member, they send that fact over to your insurance co., who then charges you higher rates (and from the ones that have done this it's about the same cost as the membership). Can you come up with a solution? Personally, I'd start by bringing retail development back within the town limits (starting with the currently vacant K-mart building). The more residents can spend within the town means the more revenue the town receives. The more revenue, the more that can be done. Can you do better than me? I want to see it. Submit a comment.
Like I said, this is a musing and these are just my opinions, feel free to comment on them.
Note: The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. Go ahead.
--
A wise man once said, "listen to the extremes and the real truth is somewhere in the middle!"
1. Improve relationship with community and neighborhoods
2. Improve relationship with school board
3. Improve relationship with Sheriff
4. Improve relationship with County
5. Improve relationship with Businesses
6. Improve relationship with Rural/Metro
7. Improve relationship with students
8. Create a board to listen to safety concerns
9. Eliminate all conflicts-of-interest from the administration of the town (i.e. no family members on boards and commissions).
10. Strenghten the image of the town with its own residents. Why? Because a significant number of the people that live here think the town is on the wrong path.
Notice a trend there??? Well considering the current administration has done nothing but have relationships with developers and road contractors (at least from the looks of the meetings in the planning commission and FBMA). Are we going to continue to allow the running of our town into the ground? A lot of people think that the town of Farragut is a stuck-up bully that basically tosses table scraps to everyone else. I mean, Mayor Ford honestly believes that giving 200K over 9 years to the Farragut schools (btw, it averages 22K/year, which if you calculate it comes out to about a couple of bucks each year per student) is helping out the schools when the budget is in the MILLIONS of $$$. Come on, do something with that $7.5 Million (which the town has in the bank) to benefit the current and future residents and leaders of our town.
If you think I'm extreme, you haven't been talking to some of your neighbors. Some of them want property taxes, others want business signage the size of billboards, still others want nothing but residential communities and no businesses whatsoever. Personally, there has to be a balance between all those beliefs. Like I belive, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Take the case of Rural/Metro--they increased their membership fee again this year. IMHO, this is a non-tax-deductible property tax no matter what way you look at it! At least if its a property tax, I could deduct it, but because it's a membership fee, I can't. If you decide not to be a member, they send that fact over to your insurance co., who then charges you higher rates (and from the ones that have done this it's about the same cost as the membership). Can you come up with a solution? Personally, I'd start by bringing retail development back within the town limits (starting with the currently vacant K-mart building). The more residents can spend within the town means the more revenue the town receives. The more revenue, the more that can be done. Can you do better than me? I want to see it. Submit a comment.
Like I said, this is a musing and these are just my opinions, feel free to comment on them.
Note: The original opinions shown on this blog are mine unless quoted from someone else via "" marks and () showing source. Remember, these are only opinions and if you really want to convince me otherwise, post your own response. Go ahead.
--
A wise man once said, "listen to the extremes and the real truth is somewhere in the middle!"
posted by Mike @ 6:25 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home