Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Housing strategy could include paint, marketing, tax breaks, plaques

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E=mc2 (E Equals MC Squared), or Energy Equals Many Citizens Working Together

There’s no doubt that Oak Ridge could use a facelift. I applaud City Manager Mark Watson and our Oak Ridge City Council members for recognizing and attempting to address this need with their “Not In Our City” initiative.

I think, however, that “Not In Our City” has some problems:

  1. It’s a whole lot of stick and not much carrot.
  2. It creates an adversarial relationship between the city and its residents and potentially pits neighbor against neighbor.
  3. It is piecemeal in its approach and lacks an overarching vision.

How about this as an alternative? It even has a catchy slogan. In honor of Einstein, let’s call it E = mc2, or Energy Equals Many Citizens Working Together.

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Guest column: Report on National League of Cities conference trip

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The National League of Cities Congress of Cities and Expo differs from the other annual conference held in Washington. The Legislative Conference is focused on interfacing with federal elected officials and agencies and considering the national agenda. This year’s conference in Boston is the one that focuses on bringing together local officials from all over the country to share ideas and solutions to local issues.

This year’s foci were on promoting strong local economies, building sustainable communities, and strengthening neighborhoods and families. There were workshops on how businesses, individuals, groups, governments, and communities are being affected by the recession. There were presentations and roundtable discussions on common issues and ongoing solutions.

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Guest column: Holiday inn — Oak Ridge needs lodging for recreational visitors

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By Leslie Agron and Pat Fain

Not so much the old Holiday Inn on South Illinois Avenue next to the Skyway Drive-In Theater (with movie sound piped into the facing motel rooms!), nor even our newest hostelry on Tulsa Road… We’re reaching back to the 1942 Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire flick called “Holiday Inn” in a blatant attempt to stretch a holiday tie-in. With terrific Irving Berlin music, including “White Christmas,” for which it won an Oscar for Best Original Song, they sing and dance their way through the plot: “At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.”

Coincidentally, another 1942 event was the founding of Oak Ridge as a part of the Manhattan Project.

Often in our vision for “Something Else” for the economic revitalization of Oak Ridge we have mentioned that this city could greatly benefit from serious development of the visitor portion of our economy. This is a proposal for additional lodging in Oak Ridge to forward that end. We need to take a long, hard look at the characteristics of what is available now versus what it would take to appeal to people coming here simply to visit.

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Guest column: Historic houses a burden or a resource?

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In the 2013 city budget adopted this year is a line item of $250,000 to purchase and demolish severely deteriorated housing structures that have become a blight on their neighborhoods. This is not an intrinsically bad idea. It just has a few serious flaws.

This is a significant amount of money to simply throw at a symptom of a serious problem without ever addressing the underlying cause of the problem. Treating symptoms and pretending this will cure the disease is a common practice with governments, as well as doctors, businesses, and regular people. The problem is that we continue to be sick, go bankrupt, and remain dysfunctional.

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Column: Chamber announces Christmas parade winners, thanks volunteeers

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Beautiful weather and mild temperatures helped to make the Saturday, Dec. 8, Christmas parade a success. Approximately 100 entries participated in the parade.

Judges awarded six awards after the parade:

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Guest column: Oak Ridge should consider a homecoming

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Homecoming. No, not the Wildcats. I know the ‘Cats Homecoming was in October.

But scattered all across this planet are multiple generations of our native Oak Ridge sons and daughters. Almost to a man (or woman), they recall their youth in Oak Ridge very fondly. There is another whole army of scientists and technicians who reluctantly moved on after working in Oak Ridge because their careers demanded it. They, too, almost universally remember their years in Oak Ridge oh so fondly! That’s an outstanding record. Trust me, not every place is quite so fondly remembered.

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Guest column: UPF project at Y-12 not real Santa, ‘windfall’ short-term

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By Pat Fain and Leslie Agron

Sometime in about a year or so, when the $6.5 billion build at the Uranium Processing Facility building at the Y-12 National Security Complex gets under way, Oak Ridge could see a decided increase in revenue from sales taxes. The windfall should come to the city over a short period, but then it will then end.

During those years, however, there may be some who think that Santa Claus has taken up residence in Oak Ridge. This piece is to advise you in advance, that should you hear that sort of sentiment down the pike, it is time to check in with some five-year-olds. They will quickly remind you that Santa has always lived at the North Pole with elves and flying reindeer.

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Guest column: Vision for ‘something else’ in Oak Ridge

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By Pat Fain and Leslie Agron

This is the first of several columns about a different vision for Oak Ridge than has previously existed.

The default development plan Oak Ridge has been operating under, to rely on federal subcontractor and spin-off industry growth, has stalled. The degree to which it will revive as the U.S. economy revives remains to be seen.

The U.S. Department of Energy says the Uranium Processing Facility they are just starting is their last big build in Oak Ridge. Upon its completion the number of employees in this function will decrease by about one-third. Given this and other concerns, it behooves us to consider other possible engines to fuel the Oak Ridge economy. We think that any successful replacement development plan will be woven from a combination of elements, rather than from one major thread alone.

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Guest column: America needs ‘purple ideas’ to solve national problems

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The election a week ago had been called the most important in our country’s history, and if you are like me, you were more than ready for it to be over. The extreme polarization of our nation has never been more real than it is today. Attack ads, mudslinging, lies, distortions, empty promises, and more than a billion campaign dollars have worn down the American people.

I wonder when we will see our political system mature past grade-school tactics so that we can come together and develop real solutions to the very real and serious issues that face us as a people.

Unfortunately, we are not viewed as Americans anymore, but as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Instead of seeking truth and commonality, we are being led down a destructive road of allegiance to ideology rather than allegiance to this great nation we live in. The labels and language that now proliferate are divisive and derisive. What ever happened to “We the People”?

Let’s face it. We are up against a massive tide of problems that threaten our future. Massive debt compounded by out-of-control spending. Public health epidemics, such as obesity, that cause already high health care costs to rise even more. Infrastructures like bridges, power plants, drinking water piping, and wastewater treatment have received near failing grades from the American Society of Civil Engineers. (The ASCE 2009 Infrastructure GPA was a D.) Gas and food prices have escalated significantly in recent years, squeezing ever-tightening family budgets. Environmental concerns escalate as we continue to realize the consequences of our decisions.

Our morality has taken a nose dive to the depths of our infrastructure’s GPA…or lower. More than 20 million are unemployed and under-employed. And our national security (physical, fiscal, and technological) seems shaky at best. But what do we do?

We lack the leadership to tackle these issues in a truly bipartisan manner, and there is no sign of that changing. Our political leaders continue to fall in line with their respective parties, whether it is good for the country or not. Even our journalists, who have traditionally been viewed as the fourth branch of government, spout ideology rather than truth.

We have been painted up as red states and blue states. But I believe that there is a growing majority of us that long to be painted a different color, one that looks past party affiliation and realizes that the issues we face are American issues. Oh, for a renewed view of America that blends red and blue together and emerges united and together…that is purple. We need purple ideas to solve the purple problems that are before us.

This election was important as the two candidates for president, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, offered very different visions for what America would look like. As with every vote, it was important for each voter to choose the candidate that aligned most closely with their individual principles and ideals. But now that it is over, it is vital for us to embrace each other as brothers and sisters, looking past ideological barriers that have constrained us, so that we can move forward united, strengthened by the diversity that has always made the United States of America a great nation. It is in the color purple that we will find ourselves again.

Kevin P. Bradford

Oak Ridge

Guest column: Residents encouraged to serve on city boards, applications due Friday

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By Oak Ridge City Manager Mark S. Watson and City Clerk Diana R. Stanley

It might sound like a cliché, but it certainly applies in Oak Ridge these days—exciting things are happening in our town!

The new Kroger Marketplace and the new Weigel’s development will impact economic growth through our Planning Commission. The added beauty and recreation opportunities with the construction of the new Melton Lake Water Pavilion are a major accomplishment of our Recreation and Parks Board. Let’s also not forget about the historic Alexander Inn, which is getting a new lease on life due in part to the work of the Industrial Development Board.

The city’s ongoing pursuance of a Manhattan Project National Park designation and the utilization of the Not in Our City campaign to address neighborhood improvements are also big projects for many other city boards. Make no mistake about it; exciting things are happening in Oak Ridge.

Our city board and commission members play an important part in not only the above projects being achieved, but also in many more. Board members volunteer their time, experience, and expertise to help guide projects, foster ideas, as well as interact with citizens and local businesses to help our community grow, and we would like to thank them publicly for their service.

The city’s boards and commissions oversee a variety of issues to fit the different public interests of our residents. For example, the Trade Licensing Board sets standards and procedures for the qualification, examination, and licensing of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors; the Parks Board advises City Council and city staff on the recreation and parks needs of the city, while the Traffic Safety Advisory Board reviews traffic safety issues and gives advice to the city on other matters concerning traffic flow and speeds within the community.

We all want Oak Ridge to be the best it can be and our best resource for achieving it is the people of our community. We would like to urge residents to be a part of the “Something Big” by applying for membership on a city board or commission.

Oak Ridge residents interested in membership are asked to complete an online 2012 Boards and Commissions Application at http://tiny.cc/12boardsapp. Paper copies can be obtained in the City Clerk’s Office). Applicants may also submit cover letter or resumes in addition to the application. The deadline for all materials is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16. Interested individuals may view the 2012 Election Notice by visiting the City Clerk’s departmental website for a list of the boards seeking members, terms of office, and special qualifications.

Margaret Mead once wrote “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world: Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Positive changes are happening in Oak Ridge, so come and join your City Council in helping Oak Ridge achieve excellence in the years to come.

Guest column: Oak Ridge has growth potential in sales tax revenue

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Editor’s note: The following is an edited version of a statement Oak Ridge City Council member Chuck Hope made during a candidates forum before the Nov. 6 election.

Why do I want to be on City Council? Because Oak Ridge has given me so many opportunities and provided for my family for over 30 years, I want to make sure that the next generation has those same opportunities.

How do we make sure those opportunities are available for the next “Oak Ridgers”?

We start by making sure we keep a close watch on our revenue and expenditures. We need to understand that we really only have two main sources of revenue that come into the city. They are our property taxes and our sales tax revenue.

As most of you know, our property tax rate is higher than our surrounding cities and towns. However, compared to other “full service cities,” ours is comparable. There are only a handful of these “full service cities” all across Tennessee.

But before we can start to really change the rate, we must first find revenue from other sources. Where we have the most potential for growth in revenue is in the sales tax revenue we generate. For a city our size and with the economic drivers that we provide to the region, we should be bringing in a substantially larger portion of sales tax revenue.

We must find ways to increase our sales tax revenue before we can start to reduce our property tax rate. This is where I will focus my energy. To do that, we must continue to find ways to bring in more retail options (both restaurants and shopping choices), continue to work closely with the Industrial Development Board, Chamber of Commerce, and Economic Partnership to bring additional private investment capital and jobs, then make sure the Economic Diversification Fund is working for us.

Once we get the sales tax revenue growth improving, we can then start to look at ways to reduce our property tax rate so we can be competitive within our region. All the while making sure we are diligent and remember our expenditures and stay within our annual budget. We are always looking for ways to streamline our costs while maintaining our quality-of-life services.

But one of our biggest attributes the city needs to pay close attention to is our school system. It is still the biggest reason young families come to Oak Ridge, and it is the benchmark all other education systems set the bar to. But if we don’t continue to work with the school board and find solutions to some real issues before us, other communities will close the gap, and we may never be able to set the bar high enough again.

As you can see, City Council has many challenges before them, and I believe I can contribute to finding solutions to these issues. With your support and input, I will bring my business sense to council.

Chuck Hope

Oak Ridge

Guest column: Does Oak Ridge have a revenue or spending problem?

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We here in Oak Ridge are repeatedly told that we do not have a debt problem, we have a revenue problem. All of our issues can be solved simply by increasing our revenue. Translation: The city needs more of your money.

The truth is, revenues aren’t down. They are actually up by $55 million for the last 10 years.

The data shows that our root problem is not revenue-based but spending-based. Oak Ridge is the single highest taxed full-service city in the state. We have priced ourselves out of consideration, sight unseen, to new residents and businesses. Every year for the last decade, we have knowingly budgeted to spend more than we bring in (see tables below). How do we make up the self-created deficit every year? Simple. We incur debt, and we deplete reserves.

Over the last decade, over 21 million of your tax dollars have been spent in the name of economic and community development. This is in addition to the dozens of tax breaks that we’ve given to select businesses. Every way that there is to throw money at our problems, we have done it.

Yes, we have some recent developments that we can celebrate. But we need to be realistic about their impact. For each new store, how many have quietly closed up shop and left town? And how many years before we see the projected new revenues?

It is time for a serious strategy change. We cannot possibly expect to attract new residents and new businesses as long as the very people who live here say that they can no longer afford to stay. If we are to achieve any substantial progress, we have to become competitive. It is time to stop throwing money at our problems. There is only one way that city council can truly improve our economy and that is by leveling the playing field with our competitors by lowering our property tax rate, lowering our debt, and lowering our spending.

 

Ten Year Snapshot

2002

2012

Total Revenues

$118M

$173M

Total Expenditures

$135M

$179M

Total Debt

$104M

$186


City of Oak Ridge Budgeted Revenue and Expenditures

 

Revenues

Expenditures

2002

$118M

$135M

2003

$120M

$152M

2004

$126M

$134M

2005

$126M

$134M

2006

$131M

$177M

2007

$137M

$184M

2008

$145M

$184M

2009

$164M

$183M

2010

$172M

$179M

2011

$173M

$179M

2012

$173M

$179M

Source: City of Oak Ridge Final Budget for years 2002-2012

http://www.oakridgetenn.org/department/Finance/content.aspx?article=1853