If you spend enough money advertising, you can sell any product. If you tell enough lies, you can convince someone two and two make three.

That’s obvious in the campaign by the American Water Company to sell the people of Chattanooga that they are the "good guys" and the city’s elected officials are the "bad guys." They have even convinced some people the future of the city is better handled in a New Jersey boardroom than by the neighbors answerable daily to the voters, chosen by the people.

Estimates of the company’s ad campaign range from $1.5-million to $2.5 million, maybe as high as $5-million with the magic of a pencil. A lot of brain washing has been going on. Even a member of City Council—Marti Rutherford—was affected.

Two ironies of their campaign is they stress "our water company" as if we are in New Jersey and own the waterworks with City Hall in some alien country and they keep saying "Let’s Vote." Will the people of this city vote at the American Water Company board meetings? Or does the New Jersey company plan to relocate in Chattanooga, become residents and vote in local elections.

Sounds ridiculous, but people are buying it. All the hype has swayed some people. Who knows? Next they may want us to buy the Brooklyn Bridge. There will be some who fall for it.

The high dollar Madison Avenue ad agency stresses that our city leadership can’t be trusted and doesn’t have sense enough to operate a water works. It a New Jersey board chairman can make a profit in Chattanooga, why can’t the city for the benefit of its people?

The underlying goal, of course, is to have Chattanoogans work against their own best interests and for the out of state ownership, to accept an inflated price that takes money from local pocketbooks and enriches strangers who could care less for the Scenic City.

Some actually believe the water company cares about Chattanooga and its people. Their only motive is the almighty dollar and corporate greed.

If it hadn’t been for their vicious campaign, if they had sat down quietly and rationally to discuss it with city officials, this could have been avoided. If it hadn’t been for the big bucks spent, the average person would yawn through the negotiations.

Fortunately the city has strong, firm leadership.

Best thing that can happen for Sen. BILL FRIST is for Rep. HAROLD FORD to be his opponent in the upcoming race for the US Senate. From a Memphis funeral home operator family, Democrat Ford is too far left of mainstream Tennessee to suit their taste, and he would discourage a more viable candidate from representing the party.

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New chairman of Chattanooga’s Taxi Board has a job ahead of him if he’s going to have the industry leave the horse and buggy mentality of gypsy cabs and be ready for the 21st Century. Attorney DON AHO took the helm of a newly formed board which replaces one that hasn’t met in a year and a half. He won’t get much cooperation from Police Chief JIMMIE DOTSON, who doesn’t want the police department involved in supervising cabs. He recently reassigned Sgt. JIM APPUGLIESE who had spent some five years as taxi inspector. In his place, the chief put Lt. DOUG MEDLEY, a veteran of 26 years with the force who is looking toward retirement. The chief tried to send management of cabs back to CARTA which was burned once before the chore and wanted no part of it. Answer is simple—rewrite the ordinance with one that makes sense and let the cab companies thrive in a field of fair competition.

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Gov. GEORGE W. BUSH should take lessons from Rep. ZACH WAMP when he’s asked about any history with drugs. Zach came forward early in his campaign and faced the issue. He admitted he once had problems with substance dependency, and had overcome it. His courageous admission won him respect and support.

Fifty years ago, a small Columbia, SC, weekly was jointly owned by a Republican and a Democrat. The paper was divided equally with stories favoring conflicting philosophies. In Chattanooga, readers wonder how long the Times-Free Press will have two separate editorial pages which often butt heads. The Times supports city ownership of the water company, for instance, while the Free Press opposes it. Best bet is the Free Press view will absorb the Times’ thinking. Oh, for the days of newspaper conflict and competition.

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When word went around a new news publication was coming, readers anticipated something special from the Chattanooga Outlook. But it turned out to be just another advertising piece. The Chattanooga Fax does produce some controversial writing, but they lack the balance of presenting issues without bias.

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Good news for Chattanooga is that some of the old heads of Pioneer Bank plan to open a new financial institution.

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The arrogance of the Veterans Affairs office is without limits. In spite of overwhelming support for keeping Alvin C. York VA Hospital open, they persist in plans to shut it down. VA Administrator TOGO WEST was fired for not caring about veterans. Who’s next?

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