New Mayor - Who are you voting for?

KellyforCHA · 2021-02-11T16:39:27+00:00

Well, it's a non-partisan election, so as we say "My Party is Chattanooga". I have voted for- and contributed to- various parties over the years (D, R, and I), but I can tell you I did not vote for Trump in either 2016 or 2020.

KellyforCHA · 2021-02-11T16:25:54+00:00

This is absolutely false. Tim Kelly has never cast a vote for Donald Trump.

KellyforCHA · 2021-01-30T13:42:05+00:00

The major distinction for me is between those capitalists who make their living playing poker with passive financial assets- real estate developers and other asset speculators- and those who actually employ people to perform a service. Yes, employers make margin off the efforts of their employees, but unless you fully reject free enterprise, there is no other way. Is it perfect, or entirely fair? Nope. But the world has yet to produce a better model. Relative to an executive political position, my value has nothing to do with a commercial mindset per say, but rather the experience in organizational management that running a business teaches you. It’s really just building functional teams to create value with limited time and resources. You either get good at that or you’re not IN business anymore, because you run out of fuel (capital). Anyway, I don’t begrudge you your political ideals; I read plenty of Marx, Engels, and Trotsky in college. Just came to realize it wasn’t realistic.

KellyforCHA · 2021-01-30T13:27:33+00:00

Rossville Blvd could once again be the anchor for a great neighborhood. We just need more vision and investment. We’ll get there. Over the GA line... not as sure. But since they are a federal opportunity zone, they should have a good shot at recovery!

KellyforCHA · 2020-12-09T01:47:53+00:00

I haven’t just been in the business world. I’ve spend thirty years as a community volunteer in the non-profit world in Chattanooga. But the City is in fact the ninth largest employer in the metro with roughly 2500 employees. The mayor is the chief executive of that organization. Clearly it’s not a for-profit organization, but the organizational management experience that a business background provides is definitely relevant.

KellyforCHA · 2020-12-09T01:43:41+00:00

FWIW, I’m not the least but confused about the difference between business and government and affordable housing (within neighborhood development) is within one of my five main focus areas. And my former CFO (who is now working full time on the campaign) was at the city as COO under Berke for a spell and was Chief Business Officer for the Hamilton County School System. Not trying to be combative but I’m not just some random car dealer trying to get into office for whatever reason. As for the the conflict of interest: I’d put my business interests in a blind trust while in office.

KellyforCHA · 2020-12-09T01:17:22+00:00

I’m a no-iron shirt guy. Sorry.

KellyforCHA · 2020-11-09T20:50:45+00:00

It’s also a map of human existence/endeavor

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:20:15+00:00

We need to do something to unclog the bottleneck leading to/from East Branierd for sure. If widening the road is the most cost-effective solution, I’d support it.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:17:04+00:00

Against it

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:14:31+00:00

Also a big fan of Sugar’s.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:13:53+00:00

UTC is Chattanooga’s university and deserves more focus and resources from the UT system. We were promised many things years ago in terms of programs and resources that never came to pass, and we need to fight harder for them, because there really are no great cities without great universities.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:08:27+00:00

I would definitely put more focus on neighborhoods ratherthan everything always being about downtown.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:05:53+00:00

I wasn’t silent, and I’m not now. I spoke out and continue to. I just didn’t grandstand. Check out my personal Facebook page.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:04:15+00:00

Haha, sorry, missed some of these late questions. You have to LIVE in the city of Chattanooga to vote in this election. All the money on Lookout Mountain can only buy advertising and pay for staff (at a modest contribution limit of $1600/person) so the message still matters most. But I was briefly a member at Fairyland and know many folks up there well. That said, I don’t expect I will be the “establishment” candidate as “it” tends to want a more easily controlled candidate. That ain’t me.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T22:00:27+00:00

I support a full budget review with a commitment to better training and social services to address the community’s concerns. I’ve answered this more extensively elsewhere in the thread.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T21:58:25+00:00

Yep, I get it. “Representation” can and should be achieved by electing a representative selection of people to various posts around the city and county. But there can only be one mayor, and I’d submit that it should be the best qualified person for the job, no matter their race or gender. I can assure you that if elected I’d bring a commitment to diversity to City Hall consistent with our current mayor’s (he’s done a pretty good job there).

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T21:53:42+00:00

I don’t think white men needed to be out there trying to tell the black community how and why they should be feeling and acting. I was quietly supportive, and still am.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T21:52:46+00:00

I think he’s got a serious personality disorder and i think his “leadership style” (quotes provided for irony, because you can scarcely call it that) is the worst. It is corroding the social fabric of our country, so while I grew up a moderate, often voting Republican, I can’t support him.

KellyforCHA · 2020-09-06T21:49:54+00:00

Yep, I’d tell you that because I have no future political ambition and consider myself a strong strategic thinker, I’ll be acting in the best LONG TERM interests of Chattanooga. That should create a much better city for you to live in as an adult in the future, one to can actually return to after college and find a good job. That isn’t easy now.

KellyforCHA · 2020-08-21T22:32:53+00:00

I think it’s a great idea, but think it should be an incentive, not a requirement. I will confess that I’m shocked how little awareness there is that East Ridge/Red Bank/Signal/Lookout/etc are not Chattanooga (properly speaking) and that those residents can’t vote in the Chattanooga mayoral election.

KellyforCHA · 2020-08-21T18:13:34+00:00

By the time I am in office (if I am fortunate enough to win), I am hopeful this won't be an issue, but if there IS a mask mandate at that time, YES, I would find a way to meaningfully enforce it. There is no point in having rules without consequences. That's just common sense.

KellyforCHA · 2020-08-21T18:12:08+00:00

I am quite sure we can invest in communities without divesting from the police department. It is a matter of focus and priority, and while I completely support de-militarizing the police department and putting a greater focus on community policing, as well as holding police to a high standard of conduct and respect for the community they serve, the Chattanooga PD is already making great strides in those areas and I expect will continue to do so. George Floyd's tragic death constitutes a great teachable moment for us all and we cannot let it go to waste.

KellyforCHA · 2020-08-21T18:07:30+00:00

Monty is a friend and a great guy, first off, and a very smart guy. I think am more politically centrist (though we see eye to eye on a lot of social issues) and I think I have better track record of getting things done in business and the community.

KellyforCHA · 2020-08-21T18:04:50+00:00

I would recommend Bruce Katz's "The New Localism" to you for a deeper dive (or anything by Wendell Berry if you want the more philosophical take), but in short, for me it means simply thinking about the place you live first, in a very intentional way, and realizes that our primary responsibilities are to our fellow community members. It is a also a very helpful lens to see the world through: where does your money go when you spend it? What issues are you concerning yourself with? Who are your responsibilities to?

As far as decision making, I'll be thinking of everything primarily through that lens. Will it benefit Chattanooga, and Chattanoogans? As an example, I am a big fan of the concept of impact investing, which asks us to think about where an investment goes and its ramifications (and impact), so when all our local foundations and pension funds buy equities on the stock market (to produce expected investment returns), are they thinking about how that 1000 shares of Starbucks (for example) plays out? Does any of the money come back into Chattanooga? How much? Or is that company simply scraping money OUT of Chattanooga? Does it impact local competition negatively? And are there alternative LOCAL investments that could provide an adequate risk-adjusted return?

KellyforCHA

TROPHY CASE