Runoff Endorsements
As expected, runoffs will be held Sept. 9 for vice mayor, three at-large Council seats, and nine district Council positions. Our endorsements for these offices are:
Vice Mayor: Ronnie Steine
Steine, executive director of the Oasis Center, faces Tim Garrett, a state legislator and district Council member. On social issues, Steine will seek progressive solutions to complex urban problems. On fiscal matters, we are convinced he will be attuned to the needs of taxpayers. As far as being the manager of a body that is often fractious, undisciplined, and chaotic, Steine will provide a leavening impulse. Ronnie Steine is a man of unquestioned integrity, and let’s face it, no one loves the city more.
At-large Council seats: Howard Gentry,
Carolyn Tucker, David Briley
Howard Gentry ran impressively last week, showing that his support is wide and deep. Gentry, the former athletic director at Tennessee State University who now works in the college’s administration, is a mature, seasoned campaigner. His rational voice would be an asset to Metro Council.
Carolyn Tucker is one of the more refreshing individuals to enter the political arena. A longtime educator who now oversees much of the city’s public elementary education system, she will know which city schools’ initiatives will actually work, and which will not. With extensive knowledge of the city’s underprivileged population, her contributions will be extraordinary.
David Briley, an attorney, would bring to Metro Council a first-hand understanding of the city’s burgeoning Hispanic population, since he represents many Hispanics in his law practice. Briley is well-educated, articulate, and a reasonable fellow.
District Council seats
District 5: Lawrence Hall Jr.
District 8: Lawrence Hart
District 21: Edward “Whit” Whitmore
District 23: Bob Bogen
District 24: John Summers
District 29: Saletta Holloway
District 30: Deborah Duncan
District 31: Don Knoch
District 34: Lynn Williams
