Similar to Riebeling, who previously worked at Fifth Third Securities and Morgan Keegan Co., Evans also has a background in finance.The last two years council chambers has been more of a tool shed than a civic forum for robust debate on Mayor Dean's policies. Emily Evans has been one of the few critical, independent thinkers willing to break from the herd.
She contends Riebeling’s decisions are too often based on opinion instead of quantitative facts, and said she “sort of ends up in the mix” because Riebeling’s professional field overlaps her own area of expertise. “I tend to know enough about it to ask questions,” she said.
According to Evans, a “pattern” of financial trouble has emerged in recent years. “When you look at the seven or eight front-page stories that the administration has weathered the last two years, they all have to do with financing,” Evans said. “They all have to do with the management of the financial part of our city — budgets and things like that.”
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Monday, November 23, 2009
Exactly the kind of difference council members should make on behalf of Nashvillians
In stark contrast to CM Ronnie Steine, whom I referenced yesterday as the Mayor's unquestioning go-with guy on spending Metro revenues, I refer you to CM Emily Evans:
One of the things that strikes me is not just the large number of CMs who don't ask questions, but the few CMs who seem to be proud of the fact that they don't ask questions. This is a huge project that the city will be tied to for decades and there is a lot to question.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate CM Evans willingness to ask questions and I'm glad there is someone who's capable of asking smart questions. Just because its complicated doesn't mean we just trust the Mayor's office. They are not neutral in this, they have been pushing this hard since they came into office. I'm sure they believe it will succeed, but I get sense of smug self-assuredness on this (and other issues) that worries me.