Well it's over.

I ended the day with a little over 1% call it 2% of the vote.

That may not sound like much to some people but I am excited

What that means is that I was able to reach a portion of the people in my district and that they agreed with me that a time has come for real change in this county.

I am now more convinced than ever that knoxville is ready for independently minded individuals who wants stronger communities and a government they can be proud of.

I appreciate deeply, all of you who made that extra effort to write me in. You'll never know how much it means to me to know that at least a portion of this community was willing to give me a consideration.

I look forward to seeing you all out and about, and if you see me please don't hesitate to say hi.

I plan on being around for a while.

Kind Regards,

John "Cullin" Spellings

Voting Locations

First District Voting Locations (For Writing in John Spellings Knox 1A)

6 (Downtown)
Green School 800 Townview Dr

9 Mechanicsville
Moses Center 219 Carrick st

10N (Fort Sanders)
Fort Sanders School 501 S. 21st st.

10S (UT Campus)
University Center 1502 Cumberland Ave.

12 (Riverside and Dandridge)
Eastport School 2036 Bethel Ave.

13 (Chilhowee Hills)
Fair Garden Comm. Center 400 Fern st.

14E (Burlington)
Austin East High School 2800 MLK ave.

14M (Burlington)
Walter P Taylor Community Center 317 McConnell St.

15 (N. Cherry area)
John T. O'Connor Center 611 Winona Ave

19 (Mechanicsville)
SOAR Ministries Youth Center 1319 Connecticut ave

30 (Riverside)
Sarah Moore Greene School 3001 Brooks rd

31 (Holston Hills)
Chilhowee School 5005 Asheville Hwy.

One Day Left

In these final hours before the election I have a few thoughts.

#1 I believe people are ready for change.
After knocking on doors all over this district, from Mechanicsville to Holston Hills, people are ready for an outsider to change things. They are ready for someone who is not connected to Knoxville's political cliques to come in and fight for the First District as if they had nothing to lose. And that's me. I'm not looking for a crowning achievement to my career, I'm not looking for a place to spend my golden years, I'm looking at a place that I call home and want to see improve in the near term for my children.

#2 People are anxious for a choice.
I have been greeted very kindly, with numerous statements of thanks, for running for office as an independent. People want a choice, they don't want to be locked into a party line vote. I have yet to run into one person who believes that we should keep our county offices partisan. It's time to realize that we need to be united in a cause to better our community, not divided by national issues that have no impact on us except to create animosity towards one another.

#3 This district needs new representation.
To look at the potential wasted over the years. To see the missed opportunities. To see how again and again west and north Knoxville gets preferential treatment over central and east Knoxville it's time to have a voice on commission that is not afraid to create a scene in order to ensure we get attention as well. I am such a man as to be willing to make a scene, if it means I can make a difference.

So please, go vote tomorrow. It's time for a change in Knox County Government and I want to bring that change.

Write in John Spellings for you next county commissioner for District 1A

Another Victory...

Last night we has another forum at Harvest plaza (formerly five points). The turn out was good the conversation was great. There were many people there who had questions about education, jobs, and other concerns about our neighborhoods.

I had a wonderful time discussing the issues, interacting with my neighbors about their needs and what they are looking for from a County Commissioner.

I had a number of people come up afterwards thanking me for coming out and bringing up the issues of limited government, taking on the status quo of our governmental mentality.

WATE was also there and put us on the evening news (which which I was very grateful for as it is another example of my message connecting with people in the 1st district).

The plan is for me to be on Hubert Smith's show this sunday and then possibly on another show next wednesday/ thursday so be ready for a blitz of John Spellings on your radio.

See you on the trail.

Forum in the Fort

Just in case you missed it.

Last night there was a forum introducing all of the candidates for Knox 1A hosted by Politicalknoxville.com and The Historic Fort Sanders Neighborhood Association. It was a wonderful time of discussion and interaction with a number of concerned and active citizens who came out.

It was great to meet all of those who came and the other candidates. Also Brian Paone over at Political Knoxville has posted the entire forum on Google video so you can watch it.

There is another debate coming up on the 31st, early voting starts today and runs through the 2nd so get out and vote . And remember write in John Spellings for a change in Knox County's leadership.

WATCH THE FORUM HERE

The Great 1A Forum of 2008

Politicalknoxville.com is doing the 1st District a great service by hosting a forum for all of the candidates on July 17th at the Redeemer Church at 17th and Highland in the Fort Sanders Community.

I am really looking forward to this time as I will be able to communicate with people in the district and have an opportunity to hear more about people specific concerns. Sam McKenzie and Albert Baah will also be in attendance so it should be a great time to see all of the different candidates in action.

So Please, Come out, Ask Questions, and remember to Write-in John Spellings

My Door to Door Efforts

That's right everyone, get ready for that time-tested and proven method that will win me this election. So if you get a knock on your door in the next month, please be kind- it may just be me.

I started in Mechanicsville and will be working my way east. I'm looking forward to meeting many of you on the trail and hope to have your support in the coming days.

Early voting begins August 18th so vote early... as long as you're voting for me.

VICTORY

Though the official results have not been released, it looks like I came in first on the Politicalknoxville.com straw poll for District 1A.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I appreciate your confidence and will continue to work diligently for the next month and a half to bring about the change that is so needed in county government.

The next step will be the beginning of my door to door efforts. I plan on knocking on as many doors as possible to bring people my message of an open and responsive county government, while keeping taxes low and encouraging growth.

It's time to begin the final push. Again, thank you for your support and I hope to see everyone out on the campaign trail to thank you personally.

The Schools Budget

Well, I just had a very educational (no pun intended) experience. I attended the briefing on the upcoming school budget and I learned two things:

#1 - The KCS' (Knox County Schools) budget is a huge $350 million plus

#2 - The money comes from so many places, and at so many different times, it's no wonder that the schools are always out of money.

Over the course of an hour, I heard a presentation that described the budget process and fund allocation in a way that slowly, but surely, confused me to bits.

It began with a simple enough breakdown of where money was coming from (though they left out a good portion of unnamed federal funding) and digressed into a series of "expenditures" that no longer were accurate since the time they were proposed.

Here is my frustration. I want to understand, and I am going to go deep into this budget to find out really how much money is needed and how much is allocated. But the explanation was so overly complicated that it was difficult to follow much less comprehend.

Some highlights of the evening:

$4.41 million in new monies for staffing the new Hardin Valley School (one time expense)

$1.57 million for a "redesign" of Fulton and Austin Easy (and I don't mean aesthetically)

$1.37m Debt Subsidy

This above is an increase in the amount Knox county is paying in debt service. In the coming year, the total debt for the KCS is supposed to be around $25 million dollars. With my quick math, at an assumed interest rate of 5% that means the annual interest we are paying for our borrowed money is $1.5 million. This cannot be allowed, we have to be more responsible than this.

All in all, it was a very worthwhile excursion into the nitty gritty of how we finance our biggest county service. I know I'm not running for school board, but as the county commission has to approve the KCS' budget I plan on being deeply involved with cross examining the proposals.

A Second Promise

No new Taxes.

That's it. It's simple, it's effective, and it works.

Knox County, under my watch will raise no new taxes. No property tax increases, no wheel tax increases, no sales tax increases. In fact I will do my best to lower taxes.

Knox County makes a good deal of money and as it stands now, the money they take in covers those necessary and existing services that have been established. Also, that money comes from many different sources. The load of raising revenue is spread into many different areas of the citizenries life in order to reduce the amount of pain that is felt at the time of paying taxes.

If the County so desired it could issue a general tax bill to the citizens for the county asking them to pay, in a total lump sum, what they owed for the privilege of living in Knox County and partaking in the services offered. The bill could be broken down by the cost of Schools, roads, Parks, Sheriffs Office, Judiciary, and so on. This bill would likely be thousands of dollars depending on the person and would go over like a lead balloon.

All of that to say, we have multiple taxes right now that all feed into the same pot. To increase one is simply disingenuous as it is an overall increase in the tax burden of the people. This is why I say no new taxes. There must be a better way to deal with budget needs. I have my own ideas on it which I will get into in the near future.

Write-In John Spellings

My "listening" tour

My friends I would like your help. I am interested in knowing what it is that you want from County Commission.

Do you want more involvement, more services, less services, lower county taxes, more funding for schools, less funding for schools, more patrolling officers, more helicopters for the sheriffs department?

What is it that makes a good county commissioner in your eyes? Is it the stuff they can get for you, a new park, new roads? Is it their dedication to principle, or perhaps even their willingness to forgo principle to achieve results?

These are questions I have been wondering for a while now and hope to get feedback on from those interested in this upcoming election.

Please be specific, be blunt, but be serious. Thanks.

My First Campaign Promise

Well it had to happen.

Eventually every candidate does it and so here I am to make my first promise to my constituency.

I, John Cullin Spellings, on this the 20th day of May in the Year of Our Lord 2008, do hereby solemnly vow to never vote to allow the use of Red-light Cameras in Knox County.

Whew, there I did it it's done. I've been fretting over what would be my first promise and I fell this is one that I can certainly keep. I despise those cameras, I don't understand how they can #1 be legal, and #2 be accepted by any freedom loving group of people. I won't go into my rant about them here, you can read my many rants on the Wigshop blog if you like though.

This came about from Sunday while listening to George Corda's (sp?) show on 100.3 FM and the entire show was about these cameras. I did call in and speak my peace, or at least ask a few questions of one of the city judges who upholds the cameras lawfulness, such as it is.

It was a typical enough discussion until he mentioned that the county had not YET approved the use of the cameras. Wow, so this could happen to us, well that's what I thought at least. It just takes a few greedy commissioners to decide that what's good for goose is good for the gander.

So I am here to say that if elected I will fight tooth and nail against these things on the basis of their fundamental disrespect for so many of the traditions of law enforcement and because of the clearly questionable civil rights issues they arise.

So there you go, the first and long anticipated campaign promise, kind of anti-climactic isn't it.

An Imperfect Candidate

In recent weeks I have tussled with myself over the direction of my campaign. During this slow time before the election it is easy to become self-reflective about why I am running and what I have to offer. And as the title of this post reflects, I have discovered that I am an imperfect candidate.

When I consider my shortcomings I get rather discouraged. I don't have decades of experience working in county government, I'm not a lawyer, and at the ripe old age of 25 I am running against other candidates who have very admirable qualities about them. Mr. Baah is a business owner, that is one of the most difficult and respectable careers in my opinion, to take onto yourself the responsibility of managing, operating, and maintaining a business. Mr. McKenzie has years of experience working with ORNL which also shows he must be a capable and organized individual.

I am a young man, working a relatively entry level position at a very respected insurance company in town. My life consists primarily of my wife, my church, my friends, and my work. But it struck me yesterday, while I was watching all types of people enjoy themselves at the the farmers market downtown , what it is that I offer to the voters. I offer my two greatest commodities, my time and my passion.

It is the community that makes me want to run. I look at the passion of those around me, those who have invested so much of their personal time, treasure, and hopes for a better future into this community and I say to myself, "How can they not have someone representing them in government who feels the same?"

So that is what I offer the people of District 1, a reflection of their own commitment to a strong and vibrant community in Central Knoxville.

I'm not a perfect candidate, but I am the candidate most likely to understand what it is that compels us all to work for a stronger and safer community for everyone.

A Non-Campaign Rally

Well it's First Friday here in Knoxville, another one of the reasons I love downtown some much, where people from all over come in to downtown to look at art, visit the shops and enjoy themselves.

Tonight I plan on browsing a few galleries myself, but at around 9:00 my friend Drew Holcomb of Nashville will be playing a show at Patrick Sullivan's. And he has been kind enough to allow me to pass out flyer's about the campaign there.

Drew is a perfect example of people who I disagree with on many issues, yet highly respect for his opinion and intelligence. I feel that this skill could be useful again on county commission. No more factioning, with the sheriff or against the mayor or whatever all that non-sense was, I simply hope to serve downtown and the surrounding communities by putting their needs first and fighting for our fair share of what county government offers.

This means a real change to the schools in our area, not just more funding, but new ideas on how to encourage under performing schools and the students there. This means not letting things like baseball stadiums, new hotels, and other development opportunities be missed because of greediness or ignorance on the part of our leadership.

It's time to choose our direction for Knoxville. Are we content with where we were, or are head striving to become what we hope to be?

~ js

Write In Spellings

What I'm Prepared to Do.

I've bee giving this a lot of though and doing some research and I have come to the conclusion that the best service I can offer this city (besides not taking friends to Regas on a P-Card) is to vote myself out of a job. Meaning, I support moving to a unified metropolitan government in Knoxville.

I realize that few candidates for commission are talking about this, probably because it is a hot button issue and there is really not a consensus on how to proceed with this idea throughout the county. I had resisted saying anything, not wanting to polarize any potential voters, then realized how incredibly silly it was for me to behave that way.

I decided to get into this race in order to:
1. Offer people a choice different from what I see as the status quo.
2. Bring up topics and ideas that otherwise might not be brought up.
3. Show the people in this district that the new group of residents in downtown have a voice and a desire to be deeply involved in the development and direction of the community.

I wanted to talk about this topic and I brought it up, so let me make a few comments of why I believe that a Metro Government is right for Knoxville.

First there are only two (2) counties with metro governments in TN, can anyone name them? One is easy, Davidson (meaning Nashville of course) the other being Trousdale. Trousdale Co. includes the city of Hartsville, which if you have never been to you are missing out, I spent many a day there as a youth tagging tobacco (seriously it was a job) and watching sports (they tended to beat my high school football team).

Both of those counties have consolidated governments and have benefited greatly. Nashville is obviously the powerhouse city in TN. The fact that the government is one, and working towards a steady unified goal of growth and revitalization is reflected in the city's growing strength.

Many of the upcoming cities around the country have metro governments as well. Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington, and Kansas City all have metro governments and have seen great amounts of growth in the past few years.

Buy why for Knoxville? It's not enough that other cities do it to make it right for us, so why? Well Knoxville is the East TN economic hub. We sit in the middle of a number of growing counties that look to us for leadership, direction, and stability as they plan on how to grow their own counties economically. A metro government would signal to them and to companies that have watched our recent shenanigans that Knoxville was ready to turn the page. That we have thrown off the old trappings of our divided government and were ready to become a leader in the region.

It's time for a change in Knoxville, new leadership, a new direction, a new government.

Write in Spellings.

The First Poster

Literally.

This poster is specially formatted to print on 8.5x11 paper. Perfect for any cubicle, refrigerator, or evening dress.

Please print, post, and pass along.

My ad budget is exactly the same as the rest of my campaign and I will only get the word out with help from my supporters.

With your help and lots of shameless self promotion we will change the make up of county commission.

August 7, the Day Commission Begins to Change

A Milestone for the Campaign

Yesterday a monumental event in this campaign transpired, I had an interview published.

The Knoxville-Knox County Focus, a local weekly, was the first of the media sources to discover this campaign. Brian Paone, who also subsequently runs politicalknoxville.com, sought me out at a local event and asked me for an interview. I was more than happy to oblige and now my words are in print.

For me this is a big moment because it takes the credibility of others to validate a political run. Let's be honest, if no one supports you you're not winning and if you can't get your message out no one will support you.

What is humbling to me is the fact that thoughtful, concerned people actually accept that I have a valid point to make in this race. Through my efforts to bring a semblance of sanity back into the system, I have been able to connect with my fellow citizens and that has made all the difference.

If you are interested in what I said, here is the link to the pdf version of the article (it's on 4B or page 10 when you are scrolling) or you can pick up a copy at many places downtown, including Downtown Grill and Brewery, among other places.

It's a Joy Downtown

This evenings post comes thanks to Backroom Barbeque at Central and Jackson. The weather is perfect as is the company. My friends Jason (Stan) and Chris (CK) from the Sunsphere blog are helping with some campaign ideas, posters etc. and i am enjoying some of the great atmosphere this area has to offer.

Not far from here thousands of people have come downtown to enjoy Sundown in the City and will discover the many changes from last summer that will keep them coming back. Downtown now has a movie theatre, a Marble Slab, a Cereal Bar, a bookstore, not to mention the many restaurants, museums, and cultural attractions. I love it down here.

I want people to understand that, more than anything else, I am simply a resident who is passionate about this place and proud to call it my home. I want nothing more than to see many more successful businesses open, more families and people move in, and the sense of community grow stronger.

It's time for District 1 to take the lead in the county. We need to set the tone of change and progress by doing things differently. What better way than to elect its commissioner in as unique a manner as a writing him in.

Write in Spellings, Write out Nepotism

A Quick Word on the Redlight Cameras

A few months ago, the issue of the red-light cameras (Which i like to refer to as the Redflex Redlight Cameras) came to the forefront due to an incident in which a Knox County resident allegedly shot out one of the cameras. I'm not here to comment on that, just to mention the fact that, that is what got me interested in the topic.

Like many people I was shocked by arrival of those cameras into our community. The contract between this private company out of Arizona and the City of Knoxville was put forth as a way to increase revenue and improve road safety. The reality has been contrary to the idea however.

I realize this is a city issue technically, but the county citizens are impacted and they have less recourse. I believe it is beholden of our elected officials to watch for injustice perpetrated by all parties, including other branches of government.

If you are interested in discussing this further I am more than happy to just contact me.

Law and Order: Knoxville Style

I woke up this morning to news of a gunshot victim in Downtown, specifically at the intersection of Bell and Summit Hill. This sort of thing is not ok. We can not simply accept incidents like this in our community as has often been the case in the past.

For too long, this part of the city has been looked down upon as unsafe, undesirable, and maybe even unworthy of the effort it would take to solve the problems. I don't believe this to be the case at all. This District is blessed with some of the best property in the city. We are urban but not overcrowded, we are Downtown but not out of touch.

As county commissioner one of my prime concerns will be to bring back a time honored and tested method of law enforcement and prevention, Police officers on the beat. Oh I'm not saying that this will solve the root of the problems that exist. Last nights' shooting would likely have happened whether or not there was a police offer who regularly strolled by the Wiegels.

But we need a multi-leveled approach to addressing crime, beginning with the basics of bringing the police back into a relationship with the community. It's time to begin the long process of changing downtown's image. Making it family friendly again, bringing those people who will make a life in the district, but need to know that they're safe.

We can change it, but there needs to be a new face for this new direction, and I believe I offer that.

To Build a Better Community

It takes a village.

That's the famous quote right? Well, I'm not so sure about the parental implications and how much child rearing does or does not require the input of neighbors, but I do know that the village itself is needed for its own reasons.

The village, or community as the case is in District 1, has been separated from itself. This happened a long time ago, by people who, for whatever motives, sliced our community into pieces. An interstate superhighway was determined to be of greater use to Knoxville than those pesky residential neighborhoods that ringed our city.

Today, we have the residuals of this lack of planning which has resulted in the partitioning of the Center City into disconnected cells that have been neglected and allowed to deteriorate in favor of the suburban sprawl that has been so popular for the past 50 years. Downtown, Mechanicsville, Park Ridge, The Fort, 4th and Gill, these are just a few of the historic and character rich neighborhoods we have that we have nearly lost.

Over the past few years, there has been a "re-urbanization" in which people look at these areas and see that the neighborhoods perpetuate a deeper sense of community and relationship than they were able to have in many newer developments. My desire is to continue that trend by encouraging more homeownership and community empowerment, while using the joint tools of county resources and city partnership to begin repairing the flaws in the infrastructure that prevent the organic growth and economic vitality that could make Knoxville the jewel of East Tennessee. (Because come on, we all want to make Chattanoogan's jealous)

Let's take back our village and continue making it the best place to live in Knoxville.

Knox Charter Petition Group

I'm sitting at West High School listening to some of our county commissioners and many of our citizens discuss the proposed amendments to the Knox County Charter and I'm noticing something:

None of the 1st district Commissioners are here.

Now there are many of these meetings and perhaps they've attended the others, but I am not seeing them here tonight. I am interested in this group and their ideas and I think there is a lot ot be said about making legal, structural changes to the Charter.

I'm not going to go into detail at this time, but I will be bringing this issue up again and maybe addressing some of the specifics to agree or disagree.

I will say however that I was disappointed when the group dropped their amendment to have make all County Commission seats non-partisan. We can go back to my original principle for running, that national party ideals have little bearing on local government practicalities.

A First Priority

Well what do you intend to do?

The first, or at least top five, questions a candidate for office is asked. Since I am relatively unknown at this point it's a question only a few dozen have asked. I still have to have a response though and my answers vary.

I care a lot about downtown. I want to see it grow more and think that local government has a profound effect on the capability of an area to prosper or fail (though I am not one who subscribes to many of the extreme abuses of Keynesian economics). My first proposal is not a very exciting one. I would like to increase the use of Tax Increment Financing or TIF's.

TIF's have become popular recently and I believe offer an attractive bonus for companies and developers in areas where they might otherwise not go. Let's discuss briefly a few positives and negatives of this type of tool.

TIF's provide relief for a business or venture in the first few years by keeping taxes at bay. Putting off of or allowing taxes to be left unpaid gives these people more of a buffer to get established and to grow and invest in their business before paying their full burden of the property tax. Now we could take this a step further to discuss the entire property tax system, but that could be saved for another day.

Down side to this type of public aid, a loss of revenue and a sense of unfairness. For instance, I purchased a home in downtown last year. It's not big and I could sure use the relief from the tax burden for the first few years. take that money and reinvest it in my home to make it nicer, but the TIF's are not offered to homeowners. It's a little one sided in that way, though I accept the exclusivity of it.

I want these used more widely downtown and in the surrounding areas. Many of the retail stores (grocery, clothing, etc.) could benefit from this little carrot dangling in from of them. The people are moving into downtown and now it is time to entice the business to follow suit.

My concerns for TIF's come mainly out of the abuse that is bound to come from them. I heard Commissioner Lambert on the radio last week talking about using TIF's for new retail centers in one of the big suburban shopping areas. I would be highly hesitant to use TIF's in a situation like that because why would you defer taxes and give an enticement where none is needed. New development is going to happen and it doesn't always need to be rewarded in this way. We should be careful about where the TIF's are applied and how often and extensive they are granted.

I know, not exactly exciting stuff right. Don't worry next time I will address my pet peeve, Redflex Redlight Cameras, and what I want to do about those.

My Cause and Commitment

I have a problem.

Like many of you, I take issue with the way our county government has been run. It is full of people who have abused their power, their position, and the trust of those they claim to serve. Hardly anyone have spoken with would say they have confidence in the county government to serve and function in a way that seeks after the best interest of the community.

The First District has a problem as well. I don't know Mr. McKenzie, I don't seek to smear him or degrade him. However, I believe many people feel the way I do about the entire situation. Mr. McKenzie is in the unfortunate position of having been appointed by county commission at a time when few still trust their judgment.

My campaign, my motivation, is based upon the understanding that we need change in the District and in the County. There comes a time when the status quo becomes a hindrance and only dramatic change can appropriately address the needs of government. A write-in candidate winning office would be such a dramatic event.

I am an independent candidate, not only in party, but also in application. I have no loyalties to anyone on commission, or in county government for that matter. I want to see downtown and central city continue to grow and improve while maintaining the wonderful community we all enjoy.

The people of the First District should know that their county commission representative is loyal to them and is focused solely on the issues we face. Honesty, Commitment, and Independence is what I offer you as your county commissioner.

Write in Spellings, Write out Nepotism

One Question

So in '06 there was a big to-do over the "Knox County One Question" initiative and out of it came this guide to local government. I find it to be a wonderful source of information on topics that most people know little about, namely county commission.

I mean, how many people know that the county is responsible for the Air-quality around town but that both the city and county have a say over the "environmental codes enforcement"? The county runs the schools, that's pretty well known, but the city runs the buses. Both city and county have animal control resources, but only the county has a public health system.

My point is, not many people have a full understanding of what their government does. Much less what their two governments do. Part of this blog is going to be an attempt to clear up confusion about the roles of County Government vs. City Government. To be honest the most common question I get when I say, I'm running for County Commission, is, "What do they do"?

I'd like to be able to lay out to everyone clearly what job I'm running for, what I will do when I get there, and how it can be achieved. In order to do this tough there needs to be an understanding of our system and how it works (and doesn't work).

Every once in a while when I find a topic that shows a bold distinction of the functionalities of County Commission and City Council, I will post about it and hopefully, help everyone to get to know better what it is why they vote people into office.

my two cents

I think it's good for the interests of Downtown to be represented in Knox County Government. While we hold on to our redundant two-government system here, we need to make sure that the whole county is fairly represented. Downtown Knoxville is well represented in City Government (as it should be) but very often District 1-A is overlooked or mishandled by the County Government.

The County has A LOT to do with Downtown. Let's use the County's State Street property as an example: the whole Baseball Stadium/Justice Center/Transit Center fiasco might have been averted if an educated pro-Downtown voice had been heard from within County Government. If someone who was really looking out for the interests of the center city had been in the 1-A seat, I might be able to walk down the street and catch a Smokies game this summer, ala the Chattanooga Lookouts stadium. Instead, our team is out in All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Buffet Sevier County.

The City, unfortunately, isn't the sole authority in the city. If it was, I think we'd have a stadium here as well as more projects like the Riviera. So while we have this flawed system, we need someone in County Government who understands Knoxville's central city and will work in harmony with the City Government. In my humble opinion, that someone should be John Spellings.

A Downtown Citizen Representing Downtown

The Why.

I have been asked numerous times by people as to why I am running. I guess this is only natural since most people would A) Even think about running or B) run as a write in candidate. It’s important for me, an unknown, to lay out clearly my motivations for getting involved in local politics when that seems to be the realm of the Baby-Boomers right now.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not a generational fight. We have some great leadership from that generation and some not-so-great. My motivation comes from the idea that there should always be an option for people to choose a none-of–the-above. Too often, especially in our Knox County elections, there seems to be a limit to the viable parties to choose from.

I believe that political parties have played and continue to play an important and necessary role in our nation’s political system. I have worked for one of these parties in a national election. Without the support of a large apparatus it would be impossible to coordinate the hundreds of thousands of voters and workers. The difference is, on a local level the necessity isn’t there. My affiliation with a national party has little ramification upon how I feel about the maintenance of our roads, the zoning of our communities, or the number of businesses that get beer and liquor licenses.

Sure it’s an easy way to get a portion of voters to be sympathetic to your cause, but what has a candidate told us about themselves when they claim the mantle of a Republican of Democrat? I want to know where the person stands on property taxes and schools more than where they stand on abortion and the War on Terror.

I believe that a person who is committed to serving his or her community should not look to party bosses for their direction but to their neighbors. I want to know what is needed in the First District. What do my neighbors need from their local government? Are the taxes to high? Is there improper zoning that is driving down property values? Are businesses being encouraged to expand in our district and to bring in better paying jobs?If you have an opinion please, let me know.

Local government has more of an impact on the day to day issues than the Federal or State government does, because local government is, well, local.

Don't Stop the Progress

Over the course of the next months I will attempt to lay out why the status quo of our county government cannot remain. Beyond the obvious scandals, which reflect the quality of the person involved and not necessarily the system itself, there needs to be a serious discussion of the direction Knox County is going. We stand at the edge of growth and success and must decide whether or not we have the courage to break through the barriers that are currently restraining us.

Knox County is the obvious economic leader in East Tennessee. Blount, Anderson, Sevier, Jefferson- all of these counties are experiencing great success in their own right, but in addition they all have an interest in having a strong Knox County. We must take the lead and reflect the direction that this entire region is going. Our government must behave (and not look like an overgrown network of “good ‘ol boys”) and reflect the intelligent and progressive population that they govern.

It is beholden of those that serve in government to want nothing more than to enable the fullest potential for all the citizens whom they serve. In Knox County, the county government does this through zoning, taxation, and licensing. I desire to see a government that follows its own charter, to stick to the duties assigned to it, and to avoid being a hindrance to the progress being made in our area.

When the New York Times writes an article that makes Knox County a laughing stock, progress is hindered. When friends, coworkers, and family members replace ousted commissioners, progress is hindered. And when the local parties care more about fighting one another and injecting national politics into our local elections, progress is hindered.

I have no agenda but to serve District 1A through keeping taxes low, making the process open, and rebuilding the faith of the citizens of Knox County in its government.

It’s time move on from the fiascos of the recent past and focus on the prosperous times we have ahead of us.

A New Day in the District

As I sit here at one of my favorite haunts, Downtown Grill and Brewery, I think about how grateful I am to live in such a great, all-be-it small, community in downtown Knoxville. It's true that it's not huge, it's not the most cosmopolitan, and there are a number of problems we face in continuing the successes we have made in downtown, but there is no doubt that this area is heading in a great direction.

From Mechanicsville to Chilhowee Park, from the Fort to Gay St. there seems to be a steady progression of revitalization. Excitement about downtown and the central-city district is evident. We have a City Mayor who is committed to seeing success in District 1A, and the results are evident.

We all know the great things that are happening, but there have been problems as well, specifically with our county government. If you're reading this then you probably have been paying attention to the series of continual failures that is our County Commission. Not only have the Commissioners (many of them at least) failed to uphold the law (term limits), but they then had the gall to put in friends, relatives, and people who would owe them if they were put in place.

Listen, I'm not the smartest person in the world, I'm not the most knowledgeable about how to run a government, I don't have lots of money, and I'm not going to make a bunch of promises. What I will do is commit to promoting District 1A for what it is, a dynamic, exciting, and integral part of what makes Knoxville unique. I mean hey, we've got the Sunsphere.

Please, give me your consideration as we head to the polls this August. I'm fighting an uphill battle, but I think it's a battle worth fighting.

Write in Spellings, Write Out Nepotism

Independence and why it's important

I'm running as and independent and this is why: I want everyone to know that I am not committed to a certain party ideology. My loyalties lay with my district.

LAUNCH

This blog is intended to be a place where J. Spellings can put forth his political platform for his candidacy for District 1-A of Knox County. Here, he can bring up community issues and promote his stances concerning them. An avid blogger in the Knoxville blog scene, Spellings writes for The Sunsphere is NOT a Wigshop under the alias "The Pol" and has presented many of his views there.

This blog is designed to be more direct to you, the voters, not just a mouthpiece for Spelling's candidacy but providing a forum to discuss the problems in downtown Knoxville.

I'll leave it to John to describe himself in more detail. Come back and get involved!