Tommy Battle for Mayor of Huntsville
I had a hard time choosing who to vote for in the Huntsville mayoral race on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Loretta Spencer has been a fine mayor and will likely go down as one of Huntsville’s best. However, in the last few years her administration has made some mistakes and decisions that make me question whether she is the right person to lead our city for the next four years. Tommy Battle has experience as a city councilman and has been successful in the private sector. His campaign has been message oriented and he is eager to address some of the issues that have come about recently.
I’m voting for Tommy Battle.
As I said earlier, Spencer has served Huntsville admirably. She was instrumental in creating the Research Park – the 2nd largest in the country. Her tenure has been largely free of scandal. The list could go on, but this election isn’t a lifetime achievement award. We have to vote based on the best choice looking forward, not backward.
One of the biggest issues for me is the metro jail that the city is building. The original budget was $26 million, but overruns have pushed the total cost to nearly $70 million. It has been a complete disaster and a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. Is Loretta Spencer personally responsible for this? No, but it did happen on her watch. I look at it this way, though. Spencer once had freshly installed playground equipment removed in favor of more pleasing colored equipment. That is called micro management. The mayor of a city the size of Huntsville has bigger fish to fry than jungle gym colors. Why wasn’t Spencer micromanaging the jail project that spiraled out of control? She obviously had time to kill if she could bother herself with teeter totters.
More recently was the bungled relocation of a homeless shelter. I have my doubts that the final outcome would have been any different, but the city, including Spencer, did an abysmal job of making the move transparent. All involved had to know that the decision was going to be extremely controversial and making it seemed like a back room deal left a bad taste in everyones mouth. Again, was Spencer solely or primarily responsible? No. But she could have, should have, led the efforts to make the process more open.
There are other things that could be done better: roads, schools, etc. Some projects and decisions are outside the jurisdiction of the mayor, but the mayor has a very formidable bully pulpit to help shape the actions of others.
I’ve had a number of opportunites to talk with Tommy Battle during this campaign. I’ve found him to be knowledgable, eager, and ready. He will get my vote.
Can he win, though? I think so, but more importantly some influential individuals think he has a strong chance. Both the Committee of 100 and the local teachers union split their endorsements between the two candidates. You don’t see movers and shakers hedging their bets like that unless they think the race is too close to call.
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Not seen much mention of this but crime has really gone up on HSV the last few years.
The back room deals involving her own home, and Hampton Cove, showed me all I need to know about her. Hays, Enfinger, and Steele with the Mayor have done a number of deals that perhaps have ultimately have benefited the community, but the underhanded way it was done is stinky.
Brian, if I lived in Huntsville Id probably be voting for Battle as well. He comes across very professional like in his ads and interviews. By the way, I think Mayor Spencer shouldve put Haley Somerville in all of her ads. She’s got Battle and especially Spencer beat in the looks department.
3 murders this weekend – HSV is heading for a new record.
I’ve asked each of the candidates about crime – did not receive a great response from any of them. Battle gave the best non-answer, saying that when the jail is finished, it should help. I’ll note that in Sunday’s Times, none of their 10 questions to the candidates were about crime.
I’m voting for Battle, even if his campaign is focused on Hope, Change, and The Future… Plus, Battle has campaigned many times at venues where I am politically comfortable…
Battle has campaigned at lots of venues of all types. He has acted like he wants the job more than Loretta.
Agree with you 100% about the jail. I’m not 100% behind Battle on the issues – he swings completely the other way on the pendulum and I’m see some benefit to an aggressive growth policy as well as a hesitant-growth policy. I think we have all the growth we can handle for the next couple of years. We do need to be concerned about our local universities – what can we do to help them succeed? Because from them will spring the next generation of local business innovation. Don’t hear either of them talking about that much.
what about this ad “BRAC never would have come to HSV if not for Loretta.”
Loretta Spencer has grossly abused the citizenry through the abuse of imminent domain.
The next time you think the development you have seen was good for the community, ask yourself where the land mysteriously came from. Did they sell because they wanted to or did they sell because they were forced to.
Did they get fair market value?
Or were they swindled with a low ball deal and people made money on the backside of the deal.
Other than developments and ribbon cutting ceremonies for same, identify something else good the administration has done.
There, I can’t think of anything either.
I’m voting for Tommy Battle. YES, Huntsville is ready for change. Give us a break already.
That change is not looking so hot now.