Let's address a few of the mayor's statements.

Lenoir City mayor Tony Aikens:

He (Aikens) said his main goals are to keep property taxes as low as possible, improve safety and traffic issues on major roadways and continue to help the city grow in a positive way....

Aikens said he plans to keep city taxes low....

Aikens said one of his top priorities is for Lenoir City to continue growing....
News Herald 1/3/24

Since being on city council and as mayor, Aikens has voted for/supported four property tax increases, passed the Rain Tax, supported a sales tax increase in 2018 and now again in 2024.

“Since being mayor, I’ve been to a lot of community meetings and a lot of meetings where growth has been an issue, as far as affordable housing and apartments and things of that nature,” Aikens said. “I do believe Lenoir City is growing in the right direction, and a town needs to grow to be successful.... News Herald 1/3/24

What would Aikens think growing in the wrong way would look like? He loves to say, if a city isn't growing, it's dying. Someone on social media had a good take on that statement saying that's a kin to saying if I'm not getting fat, I'm dying. Aikens only plan to solve the traffic problems is to get the traffic lights on Hwy. 321 better timed. Not sure how that's going to reduce traffic.

“I don’t want Lenoir City to be like our sister city, Pigeon Forge, and it’s not going to be,” he added. “But I do believe a good, positive growth where you give people affordable housing and a place to raise their family is a good thing, and I think we’re on that path. There’s some out there that could disagree with that, and that’s their opinion, but a town has to grow to be successful....”
News Herald 1/3/24

Unless Aikens is talking about the 700 income based, apartments already in the city, where's the affordable housing he's talking about? All the new apartments that have been approved thus far are $1,200.00-$1,750.00 per month. Affordable?

Aikens doesn't want to be like Pigeon Forge but he's sure giving them a good run for their money. I doubt Pigeon Forge traffic is as bad as Lenoir City's. Apparently though, he does want to be like Farragut, Hardin Valley and most of West Knoxville.

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According to Loudon City mayor/realtor Jeff Harris:

Harris has been a Realtor in East Tennessee for more than a decade...

He said he is looking forward to breaking ground on the Lakeshore Loudon development...

Lakeshore Loudon has been in the works since 2021, with the overall goal of providing affordable housing downtown. Harris said he hopes to begin excavating by March, with a completion timeline of an estimated three years....

He said the addition to downtown will house hundreds of families and eventually add more restaurants and shops.... News Herald 1/3/24

Harris is referring to the development that is to locate on the old Hutch property in down town Loudon. It's been approved for 180 low or moderate income, multi-family apartments and 32 single-family homes. The project was suppose to have broke ground in the first quarter of 2022 and have been completed in two to three years. The project has yet to begin.

(Harris said) At the end of January, LUB will break ground on a $70 million expansion of the current water plant — a facility now operating at maximum capacity. News Herald 1/3/24

Obviously, Harris can't connect the dots or do the math. With growth comes costs. There's 70 million just off the bat.

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County mayor Buddy Bradshaw:

The biggest financial burden Bradshaw said faces the county this year is building a new school.
News Herald 1/3/24

Just one example, the county will have to pick up a huge part of the tab for the two city's irresponsible growth and zoning policies. As mayor Bradshaw said, the county is going to have to build a new school to accommodate the city's lack of planning.

I continue to ask the question, why are Aikens and Harris so obsessed with jamming so much residential growth down the throats of current residents? Akins and Harris seem to have a lot in common.