Dear Newly Elected Republican Officials,
Today was an exciting day for you. You were sworn in following a campaign that for some of you was excruciatingly difficult. Some of you breezed your way through your campaign; some of you barely squeaked by. Most of you knocked on more doors than you ever thought possible; you went to more meetings than you ever wanted to. But all of you worked hard to get elected, and for that we thank you.
So, take some time to celebrate. You deserve it.
But before you go any further, here are some things we want you to remember:
Remember Who Elected You
Unfortunately, all too often, once candidates get elected and settle into their new position, they forget who put them there. So please, keep this top of mind. You were elected by Knox County Republicans to represent the people of Knox County.
Remember Whose Money You Are Spending
You need to remember that you are a steward of the people’s money. Please remember: the money you spend for the county represents people’s lives.
Before you approve spending, please think about the young couples who are forgoing vacations so they can save to buy that first house.
Realize that somewhere in Knoxville, an elderly widow must decide whether to buy medicine or groceries this month. Think about the young family with both parents working and two kids in daycare. And don’t forget the twenty-something who is still living at home because he or she can’t afford an apartment.
You need to remember these people, and others like them, every time you look at an expenditure. Or better yet, ask yourself: if it were your money, would you spend it on that budget item?
The People of Knox County Want Transparency
The people who elected you want transparency. We do not want someone dropping a budget bombshell with no time for commissioners to review it. We don’t want to find out about surveillance after the cameras are already in place.
We don’t want you to follow the letter of the law while ignoring its spirit — and yes, we’re talking about the Flock camera purchases.
Commission just voted to order every one of those cameras removed after learning the Sheriff’s Office had spent years buying them in batches priced just $10 under the $25,000 threshold that would have triggered a review. That’s not an oversight. That’s a pattern. Don’t try to hide things from us; we want to know what is going on. Tell us where the money is being spent and why. We want to know why one section of road is being rebuilt while another isn’t.
We Meant What We Said; We Want Our Roads Fixed
Speaking of roads, we want them fixed. Before you consider spending one dollar on any pet project, fix the roads first. We’re tired of spending money on new tires and front-end alignments because we hit yet another pothole.
Roads originally built for hundreds of drivers now must hold thousands, with little or no improvement. Our roads are not adequate for the thousands of people who are moving here, which brings us to another point.
We’re Tired of Unchecked Development
We love Knoxville, but it is rapidly becoming a place we don’t even recognize. Everywhere we look, developments are cropping up. And now our rural areas are in danger. We want to keep our rural communities. Our farmers and their farms need to be protected.
We want zoning that reflects the character of the neighborhood, not the desires of the developers. Please remember: the people who matter are the citizens of Knox County, not the developers. Tax breaks to developers shouldn’t be handed out when the majority of the affected community don’t want them.
We want responsible development — that means prioritizing single-family homes, not more apartment complexes. Our adult children want to own their own homes, not rent an apartment.
Please Protect Our Children
Finally, but perhaps most importantly, we want you to protect our children. Parents across this county have raised concerns about age-inappropriate material showing up in school reading lists and public libraries. We want our schools and libraries to once again be the safe places we experienced as children. That is part of why you were elected.
We Elected You; Please Don’t Make Us Regret It
We conservatives showed up this election. We worked in your campaigns, knocked doors, texted, posted on social media, contributed, and called our friends and neighbors…all to get you elected.
Even in your victory, some of you have bemoaned the fact that so few conservatives got out and voted. Do you know why that is? Here’s one reason: after we have elected so many conservatives who then turned their backs on us and voted like moderates or liberals, people no longer see the point in voting. After all, they think, “What good does it do?” To them, it becomes an exercise in frustration.
So, please. If you campaigned as a conservative, vote like one. Don’t succumb to pressure. Don’t follow the crowd. Vote the way the people who elected you expect you to vote. And above all, remember — we’ll be watching.
Sincerely,
A Conservative Voter