Mayors discuss education and legislation
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp came together for a rare public joint discussion.
In a discussion moderated by Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce CEO Charles Wood, both mayors discussed topics ranging from education, economics, and technology.
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp taking part in a discussion on various topics.
On economics, Mayor Kelly says income inequality is one of the city’s biggest threats.
Mayor Kelly said, “We have to be really intentional about looking for higher wage jobs to really move the needle and at the same time, create the educational opportunities so that the current residents can take those jobs. Because if we rely on people coming in from elsewhere to take them, we could make the disparities worse… A real issue if Chattanooga is going to move forward as a community is this grotesque income disparity between the white community and the black community.”
Both hope that increased investments in education will help with this gap.
Mayor Wamp said, “54% of our public school system are black and Latino kids, and that’s really cool, but those black and Latino kids don’t have the same opportunities I did growing up on Big Ridge, I know that… We have to prioritize them to help them move up.”
They also voiced concerns over proposed legislation in Nashville, and used pointed language to voice their disapproval.
Mayor Wamp said, “It’s easy for Nashville with billions of dollars of surplus to say, “Now all you small town Mayors and county mayors, you’ve got to have limitations.”
Both mayors criticized a proposal in the State Legislature that would cap local property tax increases to two percent.
They argue it could lead to shortfalls across the state and could lead to shortfalls.
Mayor Kelly said of economist Art Laffler, who Mayor Kelly’s office says has been a driving force behind this legislation, “It is a credibly bad idea which is kind of shocking coming from somebody from pretty well respected economic circles, but look, the guy is a retiree and new to Tennessee, and like most retirees you’re going to get in here and start (expletive) about your property taxes.”
Mayor Wamp hopes Hamilton County can continue to avoid raising property taxes for now.
He said, “Regardless of what we are actually going to do with property taxes, you (expletive) away a lot of really hard work in the name of politics. Nashville might be favorable, but the math doesn’t really work locally.”
The South Broad Stadium Project was not an item discussed during the event.
