County Commission candidate Mitzi Yates expressed appreciation for today’s ringing endorsement from the “Times” side of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. She also noted that the “Free Press” editorial page spent almost as many words praising her ideas as it did endorsing her opponent.

Said the “Times” endorsement in part: “Yates…could bring sorely needed focus to the commission's arrogant misconduct by simply asking for, and advocating, more transparency. Other proposals she suggests include posting more information on the commission's website regarding schedules, proposals and public hearings on a range of vital issues, from proposed commercial developments to quality of life issues…

“Hamilton County government needs new energy and responsible concern about public transparency. Yates would bring some of that, at last, to the job. We strongly endorse her election.”

Said Yates, “I will work hard to deserve the confidence the ‘Times’ editorial expresses. I am also appreciative that the “Free Press” editorial endorsed several of my ideas—strongly showing voters there is a choice in this campaign for the 3rd District commission seat.”

The “Free Press” editorial concludes by saying: “We also, however, thoroughly endorse Yates' ideas for making county government more accountable, transparent and accessible to the residents of Hamilton County. We encourage the county commission to adopt her recommendations.”

Although early voting ends today, Yates encourages everyone who has not voted to make the effort to do so on Thursday, Aug. 2.

Janis Hashe, Fri Jun 29, 2012

Mitzi Yates, candidate for County Commission, District 3, spoke out today on an aspect of the County’s budget that she finds patently unfair. “The Hamilton County Commission has decided to raise taxes on the sickest people in our county. Ambulance service charges are almost doubling. The Basic Life Support charge is being raised from $745 to $1,080. Mileage charges are going from $10 per mile to $20 per mile, “ said Yates. “It is simply disgraceful that they treat the critically ill as a profit center. This is a tax on the sick and the elderly.”

Janis Hashe, Mon Jun 18, 2012

Mitzi Yates, candidate for County Commission, District 3,voiced several concerns over the upcoming vote by the commission on the proposed fiscal year budget. "First, as has often been said, a budget is a moral document. It points to where the heart of a people and its elected representatives truly reside,” the candidate stated.

"There's a lot to be studied here," said Yates, referring to the document, "but several items just seemed to leap from the pages. First, a 45 percent increase in ambulance fees appears excessive. Having the second largest tax or fee increase borne to a great extent by the elderly and the sick—those who can least afford it—simply doesn't sound like something the folks I know in District 3 would approve of,” Yates said.

"But what concerns me most, and should be a concern of every citizen of Hamilton County," she continued, "is how little opportunity any of us will have to even begin to understand either the budget or the process of adopting it."

Yates pointed out that County Mayor Jim Coppinger said he had met “individually with each commissioner,” and that the commissioners will have a “public” opportunity to discuss the budget between now and June 28th, the day a vote is scheduled.

Janis Hashe, Thu May 31, 2012

Mitzi Yates, Democratic candidate for the Hamilton County Commission District 3, spoke out strongly in agreement with a recent editorial. The editorial "Annexation, or What?" (Chattanooga Times Free Press, May 29, 2012) clearly states the issues of annexation, tax rates, infrastructure, fairness of use of services, metro government, and home rule are important and timely topics,” said Yates.

“The editorial also discusses current county officials’ refusal to consider countywide services, their disdain for the City of Chattanooga’s well being and the need for enlightened, fair-minded, forward-looking officials at the county level,” Yates stated, noting that these are major campaign issues for her.

“The ‘grandfather’ of the problems outlined in this editorial is the disconnect between the communities of suburban and urban Hamilton County,” said Yates. “Many of our current county commissioners represent the cultural divide of ‘us’ and ‘them’. But the time has arrived when ‘us’ and ‘them’ face the same problems,” she said.

“Our suburbs are aging, the suburban population is aging and the need for services is growing. The quality of life that many suburban residents treasure is being threatened by the use of our green areas for development and the favoring of newer, wealthier suburban communities over older and/or working-class suburban communities in the allocation of resources. The political control that ‘old warriors’ and their henchmen have will doom suburban and unincorporated Hamilton County to a bleak future,” Yates stated.

A memorial service was held for victims of gang violence at St. Paul's AME Church, located at 2514 Williams Street in Chattanooga on Sunday, April 15, 2012.

Janis Hashe, Mon April 2, 2012

Mitzi Yates, candidate for County Commission in District 3, last Thursday publicly questioned the current county commissioners about the lack of transparency and public input used in the appointment of a replacement for Everett Fairchild.

Stated Yates at the March 29 County Commission meeting: “Gentlemen, now that you've completed your process of appointing Mr. Fairchild's replacement to the School Board, with your permission, on behalf of the voters I spoke with on this issue, I'd like to make sure I understand the way the selection was made. Please correct me if I am in error.