The World According to Oatney

Ragsdale Runs Like a Frightened Cat

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, whose corruption and lack of moral compass have been well-documented in this space, has of late decided to run for cover by not even attending the County Commission hearings over his own budget:

Commissioner Craig Leuthold said it's the mayor's budget and he should have been at last week's initial budget session to explain his proposal.

Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert said it appeared Ragsdale's representatives at the meeting "didn't know a lot" and seemed unprepared.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported neither Chief Administrative Officer Dwight Van de Vate or mayoral spokeswoman Susanne Dupes returned telephone calls about why Ragsdale did not appear at the hearing on his $1,179,000 budget proposal.

The Knox County Commission is supposed to be composed of some of the most dreadful characters, amongst whom Mayor Ragsdale is supposed to look like a saint-that is if you believe certain elements of the major Knoxville press. What is Ragsdale running from that he felt so singularly uncompelled to appear before Commission to answer for his own budget proposal? After calls by certain citizens for his ouster in testimony before Commission less than two weeks ago, the latest actions (or lack thereof) by the Mayor and his staff smack of an avoidance of public scrutiny.

The man who would be Governor now runs from his accusers as though he were a frightened alley cat. What a sad ending it would seem is coming to a once promising Tennessee political career.

Labels: Local politics, Tennessee politics

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 3:21 PM