I still hate that he has no viable opponent. Things like that are how we've ended up with some of the messes in county government. Candidates need to be challenged.

The Big Jim machine has not brought us better government, it has brought us more powerful government. When will the name be changed from Knoxville to Haslamville?

It will be a sad day if there is no opponent. Ironically the person that coined the phrase, "Too much power in the hands of too few people" will not be that opponent.

Many people cast their eyes to Rob Frost. We will see.

I think Haslam makes Knoxville look good. Perhaps that's why people aren't lining up to run.

I know Rob Frost too. And I think highly of him. Which leads me to suspect that #9 would end up yapping about him too.

Feudal system? What in the world does that mean.

Elections are where voters cast votes. A feudal system is where there is no election because the fundraising precludes the election.

Only Lords, Dukes, and Earls need apply.

First someone has got to want to run. Then they can raise money. You have any evidence that someone wants to run but cant raise money. They have to try first. What is your gripe with Haslam anyway. Do you just hate mayors in general.

a great deal for someone here two weeks and has five posts.

I object to both Governor Bredesen and Mayor Haslam's working without pay. It creates an unlevel playing field and should be a campaign violation. They could take their salary and donate it to charity. It creates an environment that makes it difficult for regular people to run against him. It is not a service to the community and he should have better judgment.

The Mayor is far from perfect. His record on property rights is not good. The new project around 275 is questionable. You can expect this to receive great scrutiny outside the realm of the News Sentinel. The sale of the Candy Factory was a poor decision on many levels. The still unaccounted for funding of the South Knox Waterfront looms in the distant horizon. The episode with the Empowerment Zone and the 5 points shopping center leave questions unanswered. The location of the massively overbuilt, government (our money) funded, transit center remains in question. His membership in an anti-second amendment group shows a stunning lack of judgment.

But he is better than Victor Ashe so by all means do proceed. He is a nice man and does a good job running City Council meetings. I think he has a good heart. He has been able to make mistakes without having them be accountable to him. His PR is excellent. His management team dedicated, willing, and competent. He shows reasonable political instincts and a remarkable ability to resemble Teflon. But if he didn't have the daily paper blocking for him and unlimited financial backing it would be a different story.

I sense a great deal of harmony within him grasshopper.

Be honest, how hard is it to follow Darth Ashe?

Whatever percentage Haslam's salary runs to total budget, I agree with whomever suggested previously that we're nuts to complain!

So long as some opportunity exists to trim the budget a bit for the present, and provided that trimming it doesn't result in some kind of short-sighted public policy, I say "thanks." Ditto for Bredesen.

(And Bredesen ultimately got my vote twice, but the salary question didn't even cross my mind.)

Actually, there's not much "new" money involved, except with Hall. Lowe and Hutchison just swapped out with employees.

And Hutchison is a career cop with the KCSO, and as such, the merit system allows him to go back to work there. You may quarrel with the large salary (and the raises given to several of the assistant chiefs), but he is entitled to have a job there -- and you cannot say he's unqualified for the position.

I'm naturally skeptical about the gummint 'finding money' especially when a property tax increase might be forthcoming in light of the KCSD pension vote.

If County Commission keeps the "unwanted, unneeded, office park over a sinkhole", hat tip to Commissioner Mark Harmon, there must be a property tax increase. A big one.

The voters approved the KCSD pension. It is the will of the people. but the Midway Industrial Park was not wanted by the voters. It was not wanted by the people of the Thorn Grove community. It is unneeded and in a poorly suited place over the worst geography in the entire county.

Both projects cost 57 million dollars. How is it only the KCSD pension makes property taxes go up? The News Sentinel and Mayor Ragsdale are both guilty of that distortion. Every time you read that or hear it know it is a distortion. Both projects cost the same.

There can only be one, unless taxes go up. Both have been approved. What should County Commission do?

what Ennui said.
I don't know why that's so hard to grasp.
He has worked there for 30-plus years. Under Knox County's version of civil service (the merit system, in this case), he is entitled to a job. Seems fair to me (not speaking to the position/salary of his new job, just for the principle of the thing).
Plus, it's the law.

The chasm between "Haslam doesn't accept his salary as mayor" to "Only millionaires can now run for mayor" is wider than anything Kierkegaard would have attempted to leap.

Mr. Mean, let's say for fun that down the way a Mayoral candidate says, "I will do the job for $95,000." His opponent counters with, "I will be your Mayor for $75,000."

Why not just have a bidding war to see who becomes Mayor?

The taxpayers will save money and only people who really, really want to be Mayor will apply.

Ironically the people who are defending Mayor Haslam are also some of the ones who support the "working wage". Not very consistent.