Announcements, rumors for election

Long-time radio guy Bob Thomas has officially announced his candidacy for (other long-time radio guy) Mike Hammond’s at-large Knox County Commission seat. (Primaries set for next May with general in August.)

Bob worked at WIVK for 20 years, spending 16 of them as host of a midday radio show. You can read his fancy spin release, right smack here.

It should be pointed out that a number of folks are jumping in somewhat early. (Hammond by the way is not going to run for commission again.)

Commissioner Richard Briggs, as you might recall, announced his intentions to seek Stacy Campfield’s state Senate seat awhile ago. At the time, Briggs said he wanted to raise enough money to scare off any other candidates. Smart.

 There’s also rumors that former commissioner Michele Carringer will make a run at R. Larry Smith’s seat, as will someone else. (I’m drawing a blank on her name  - so if someone knows, shoot me an email – I just can’t remember.)

Also, my boy, Big Bad Bo Bennett, is rumored to want a seat, too. (Bo ran for the Knoxville mayoral seat.)

UPDATE: Michele is actually looking at an at-large seat, not Smith's spot.

Knoxville's Battlin' Madeline strikes back

Knoxville mayoral candidate Madeline "Mad Dog" Rogero has a press conference today at 3 p.m.

(it's probably going on about right now.)

She sent the Media a spin release, which she asked folks to embargo.

Until now.

So, here's Battlin' Madelin's prepared thoughts on the losing mayoral candidates endorsing her opponent Mark "Da' Plan" Padgett:

A few years ago, over at our County courthouse, a small group of political insiders tried to stage a coup, on a day we all know as “Black Wednesday.”

Earlier today, standing next to many of those same “Black Wednesday” insiders, my opponent put on a show that perfectly illustrates the contrast between us. He lined up a group of politicians and job-seekers on the steps of the County courthouse. Their appearance with him has almost nothing to do with who is the best choice for city mayor, and everything to do with the old-style insider politics of the County courthouse.

Sadly, my opponent’s stunt today has shown us that he is, in the end, a child of those same courthouse politics. But, Mark, let’s be clear: Though today is a Wednesday, there will never be a “Black Wednesday” here in our city.

We reject those politics. Our Knoxville conducts business in the open. His Knoxville makes deals in the back room. Our Knoxville takes humble pride in what all of us accomplish together. His Knoxville will arrogantly reserve power to the few. Our Knoxville looks forward to a bright future. His Knoxville wants to move backward to a dim past.

That Knoxville is over. Our Knoxville has already begun. Behind me is a great example of what enlightened and experienced leadership can accomplish.

For 30 years, the Three Rivers Market (TRM) operated out of a much smaller building on Broadway with limited parking as its sales revenue continued to grow, even during this recent recession. They desperately needed a larger location.

I proudly served as Bill Haslam’s Director of Community Development. Our department, working with the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement, created the city’s business expansion revolving loan program that provided critical gap financing in the form of a business expansion loan. Working together, TRM was able to purchase this property and construct this beautiful building, making a $2.5 million investment in this community.

The result? Increased sales, and sales taxes, and a workforce that’s going to double.

My community development team also managed the city’s commercial façade improvement loan program. Look up and down Central Avenue and you will also see millions of dollars of new investment spurred by our public-private partnership.

In fact, this program alone has invested $3.5 million in Knoxville, resulting in $11.9 million in private sector investment, 260 new jobs, and over 400 construction jobs.

The TRM success story is one we can repeat all over Knoxville in the next four years, one we will repeat. Because our Knoxville knows that a productive partnership between business and government is already woven into the city. In Mark’s Knoxville, it’s just being discovered.

Effective economic development with a solid return on investment has been happening here, and will keep happening here. It takes a Mayor with experience to make it work, and I’ve been working on it for over 25 years. He’s been reading about it for maybe nine months. Business-government cooperation is not something Knoxville needs to be schooled on by Mark Padgett.

I think the choice between us is clear.

I intend to continue what we were so successful at during Mayor Haslam’s administration: making Knoxville greater. We listened, and together with neighborhoods and businesses we created the Downtown North Redevelopment Plan that is transforming this area.

I have the experience. Together we put together the vision. And the results are right in front of you.

As Mayor, I will never stop working to build our city, help bring good jobs and businesses here, strengthen our neighborhoods and improve our quality of life. That is my promise to the people of our city.

Ex-candidates, sheriff endorse Padgett

To the surprise of no one, the three Knoxville mayoral candidates who are not in the race anymore endorsed Mark Padgett. Also, thrown in the bunch was Sheriff Jimmy "The Man with the Badge" Jones.

The spin release is pretty funny. Actually, I'd like to say it's full of BS, but I don't know if I can. Oops.

And, no, I'm not reprinting the whole silliness here, but I'll let slide a few excerpts.

Ivan Harmon for example:

“I’m proud to endorse Mark’s candidacy to be Knoxville’s next city mayor,” said Ivan Harmon, former mayoral candidate, city councilman and county commissioner. “Mark is pro-business and pro-neighborhood. He has the heart and passion to serve our community, and he’s a fiscal conservative who understands how to create jobs and grow our economy.”

Funny. Immediately after the election, Ivan was complaining about the Republicans not voting for him. Oh well, it's politics. And it's all ridiculous. The fact is, Mark's dad - Mike - got Ivan into politics. (Ivan told me this the other day. I think he helped get him on the old city school board.)

Anyhoo, Ivan and Mark cut a deal. Just say it. Jeez.

And my boy Bo said:

“After getting to know Mark and his character, I'm supporting his candidacy because I believe he will serve all of Knoxville with a servants heart,” said Bo Bennett, 911 operator and former mayoral candidate. “Like me, Mark is not a career politician, and I think that's what we need to help bring our communities together and grow Knoxville.”

Uh, yeah, no kidding he's not a career politician. YET.

Now, the head scratcher is J.J.

He said:

“Mark has the leadership qualities needed to be a great mayor,” Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones said. “He understands that an involved community is a safe community and will be a great partner in making our neighborhoods stronger and safer.”

The Sheriff's Office has to work with the city. Say, for example, it needs something - and Madeline Rogero wins the election - she might take her time dealing with it.

Personally, I would have stayed out of it. But, J.J. carries a gun, so I'll leave it be.

The election is Nov. 8.

Make sure your write in my name.

Mayoral forum: Riddled with drivel

It was either the tranquilizers, the boredom or the ADHD, but something kicked in and I turned off last night's Knoxville mayoral forum, went outside and shot myself in the head a couple of times, before taking a nap.

I'm OK now; thanks for asking.

I can only comment – not that you asked, nor do I care, but you know who you are – on the first 17 minutes of the muck.

The four candidates (the fifth couldn't raise the necessary coin to participate so he was barred, banned and censored) were asked about their vision.

Madeline Rogero talked about working to create jobs, removing blighted properties, whatever. She also said something about “wanting a sustainable Knoxville” and installing solar panels on city buildings. Now THAT I would like to see. Heh.

Joe Hultquist started out his vision speech with some kind of cliché'. Something like (I'm paraphrasing): “A leader is measure not so much by what he's said but what he's done.” OK then, what have you done? He also said he “walked and prayed over the city I love.” (For some reason that gives me the creeps.) Then he rambled about the nation “teetering on the brink of insolvency” and I tuned that part out because I'm tired of folks bringing national crap into the local realm. He also said he'd focus on four key areas: economic development, accountability, transparency and a high quality of life. None of that really says much. He did say he's working with a company in Switzerland (something to do with transportation). And by “working” I think he means that he's had two conversations with the business in the past 10 years.

Mark Padgett once again bragged about some minuscule business he started that he has over and over and over and over again failed to really get into detail about, and how all that will make him a leader of some 2,000 employees. He said now is not “the time to make a U-turn.” Whatever the hell that means. I hope he wasn't talking to the dude riding the bicycle (the one carrying his “vote for me cause I started a business” sign) who almost crashed into a car on Gay Street. He also said he wants to recruit comparable businesses that already have a presence in Knoxville. HUH? Screw that, man. Go out and get businesses that we don't already have. Like a casino. A legal one. (Cause the Man with the Badge keeps busting up all the card games.)

Ivan Harmon also wants to create jobs and make Knoxville a place to raise families. He'd tap the resources of UT, the TVA, etc., etc. to do that. This observation for the highly obvious is truly remarkable. Come on. That's all you got? Oh yeah, he said he'd put a good team in place (that's actually a good idea because you wouldn't believe how many people wouldn't do this) if elected.

Bo Bennett said . . . . NOTHING. Click right smack here for a funny picture of Brian Moneyhun explaining why Bennett said nothing.

At some point, they got to pensions, since the city programs are expected to grow to as much as $30 million by 2019.

Pretty Boy Padge said he wanted an open and transparent process (lame); to honor the commitment made to the employees already on the program (no kidding dude – state law says you have to) and doesn't want reform on the backs of taxpayers. Seriously. Nice spin. The whole idea of reform is to NOT have it on the backs of taxpayers. Repeat the obvious. Be remarkable.

Ivan the Republican said he'd work with the task force committee that's already looking into the pension problem.

Rogero (who is my biggest fan) said she'd also let the task force do the job before drawing conclusions. Or something like that.

Sooooooo. In other words, neither of these three had the guts to publicly say how they feel about the city's pension plans.

Joe, however, did. He wants to start offering new employees a 401(k) plan. He even felt that the task force will “kick the can down the road so that the (pension problem) is not an issue right now.” Ah, like Mickey said to Rocky in Rocky II: “Ya got the heart kid, but you ain't got the tools. So forget it.” (No, Joe isn't going to pull off an upset.)

Finally, Bo said . . . . Oh yeah. He didn't get to say anything. Cause he wasn't invited.

There's my take on the first 17 minutes. I'm sure you all feel a little dumber now if you managed to get this far.

Have a good weekend.

More Knoxville mayoral race drivel

I always get a kick out reading articles about so-called public polling initiatives during election time.

Only weirdos answer those things. Only weirdos talk to phone solicitors. Only weirdos . . . whatever.

Anyhoo, apparently Madeline Rogero, whose campaign is riddled with so much inner turmoil right now it’s shaking like a junkie who lost his last fix (from what I’m hearing, anyway), says she’s kicking ass by a 2-to-1 margin over Mark Padgett, who is campaigning on the fact that he can run a city of several thousand employees, since he can runs his own business which has a grand total of about two. (That’s with a plus or minus 10-person margin.)

Here’s the Rogero story right smack here.

In the meantime, “vote for me because I’m the best looking and I promise I’m not a Republican” Padgett’s spin doc (Laura Braden) released another tired cliché from her camp, quoting Padgett as saying that his polling numbers put him only seven points behind Rogero.

Whatever. Seven, 7,000 or 7 million. You’re behind. Coming in second just means you’re the first loser.

By the way, here’s another quote from Padgett’s spin doc that says little or nothing: "I’m the only candidate with a plan to create jobs and economic growth, and the experience needed to move Knoxville forward.”

I mean WTH does that mean? Does that mean the current governor - in his seven or eight or how many years as mayor moved us backward? Whatever. Don't answer that. Just give us some real examples, slick, instead of this Ragsdale-like drivel.

“I’m the only candidate with a plan” to blah, blah, blah.

Man, I’m going to laugh my ass off if Ivan Harmon wins this thing from his hospital bed and the $5 he’s raised so far. (Laugh even harder if either Bo Bennett and Joe Hultquist wins. Heh.)

The nonpartisan primary election is Sept. 27.

Do yourself a favor and just write in my name.

Update: Rogero has a 2-1 lead over Ivan - not Padgett - according to her latest pollings. My bad.