This morning between 9:00 am and 10:00 am on The Ed and Bob Show on WNOX FM 100.3 the three candidates for City Council At Large Seat B debated. The candidates are Buck Cochran, Bill Owen and a 33 year old Attorney.
Here’s the link to listen to the debate.
Buck Cochran is 100% Republican as Shock And Awe previously reported,
here. Buck Cochran stated he is voting and supporting Ivan Harmon for Mayor. He wants red light cameras abolished. As City Councilman, Cochran will only accept $1,000 a month in salary. He will return the rest to the City general fund, because City Council is a part time job.Bill Owen a former State Representative and State Senator has been an activist Democrat. Owen supports making Knoxville a “wifi city”. He says “Get out and Get online”. Chattanooga is implementing a wifi city as are other communities. It can be accomplished by private enterprise (ie. att or comcast) by public and private or as a total public cost. Owen proposes that it will be done with out additional revenue. Bill Owen is supporting both Mark Padgett and Madeline Rogero. He stated that jobs and a wifi city are his biggest issues.
The 33 year old Attorney said this is his first race and he is staying out of the Mayor’s race. He said that the biggest issue is bringing communities to the city. What does that mean? More annexations? He said that having a “wifi city” is “hard to do. Hello, the city is not electing you to do an easy job. But, his analysis is wrong and is a smoke screen because you didn’t think it. The Attorney believes that the homeless problem is “a county problem” and that the “county should help fund the solution”. He stated that litigation should be avoided, because it only helps Attorneys. Wait, he is an Attorney!
Bill Owen pointed out that the 33 year old Attorney has not voted in the City of Knoxville Mayors race. Did not vote for Haslam. Has not voted in the City Council at Large race. Has not voted in a city primary. The Attorney said he voted in 2005, (Owen said once) 2006 (Owen said once) 2008 (Owen said once) and 2010 (Owen said once) Owen said you voted in 5 elections but there were 20 elections during those times. The Attorney was eligible to vote in 1997, he registered in 2000, but didn’t vote until 2005. Again, never voted in a City primary, the City Council At Large or City Mayor’s race.
The 33 year old Attorney impugned the integrity of Ed and Bob during the closing remarks in asking them if Bill Owen was going to dictate the show. Them there are fighting words here at Shock And Awe. No morning talk show is more fair to everyone than Ed and Bob. I am intentionally not publishing his name here, because he has impugned the integrity of MY friends, Ed Brantley and Bob Thomas. It is my blog, I can do that.
