Commission Debates Lookout Mountain Funding

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Commission debated the spending of county funds on municipal facilities Wednesday morning.

The debate was sparked by a resolution to spend over 62 thousand dollars on lighting repair at athletic fields owned by the city of Lookout Mountain.

Some commissioners argued that it is the role of county government to pay for repairs such as these since Lookout Mountain residents pay county tax dollars.

Others argued that Lookout Mountain should be expected to take care of itself and not expect the county to bail it out.

The Commissioner for District 4, Warren Mackey, argued, “It seems like to me they want to leech off Chattanooga. There’s a word; proportionality. I don’t think it’s proportional. There’s a word; equity. I don’t think it’s equal. I think that Chattanooga is getting ripped off.”

The County Commission did pass that ordinance by a vote of five to four.