Brad Anders Vision for Knox County

Business development

 Knoxville/Knox County has been ranked among the best places to live and work. We live in a beautiful area of the country with many natural resources.  It is the natural beauty of our community as well as our interstate system, existing business and industry, and location of colleges and universities in the area that help attract new businesses.

We have several empty parcels of land that belong to the county that can be utilized for new or existing companies. We have had several new car plants built in the region and we know that part manufacturers and other entities will also be relocating to the area as a result. We need to be more forward thinking and trying to get these new companies to build here to increase our tax base and provide new jobs. We must also attempt to retain businesses here so that the jobs already  in the area will not suffer.  In the coming years, we need to be ready to accommodate all these companies with good infrastructure, great schools and a community that people are willing to move their families to.

Schools

Knox County Schools have some of the best educators in the country and are producing some great students. However, we must not be satisfied with where we are at in the numbers of students that leave our system and do not move on to college or technical training. We need to be more innovative in our thinking and prepare our students for life after high school. We must encourage and promote learning in a way that graduates are ready to enter the workforce or further their training after they leave Knox County Schools. We must also use the BEP money and any capital available in a smart and economical way as to provide the best education for the dollar in the region.

We need to be smarter on how we build our new schools and the timing in which we do so. Usually before we act, we are at a crisis before the first brick is laid and the first lesson is taught in the new school. We must have better vision in order to keep up with our growing County.

I am committed to working with the school board and superintendent of schools to come up with innovative and exciting ideas to better our schools, increase graduation rates, and help influence students to continue on to higher education.

Government Accountability

We must have more accountability where tax payer money is used. All expenditures must be accounted for and spent in accordance with the law. We must be open in all of our dealings and the public should be aware of the goings on in the County government. I will assure you that all of my decisions will be made out in the open and I will always explain the choices I make.

I will have regular community meetings to make sure that the needs of the community are being met and the voice of the voter is being heard. I will return your phone calls, answer emails, respond to your concerns, and be accountable to the people of the 6^th district.