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Cameron Brooks (Knoxville City Council At Large Seat A, Tennessee, candidate 2023)
Cameron Brooks (Nonpartisan) ran for election to Knoxville City Council At Large Seat A in Tennessee on August 29, 2023.[1]
Elections
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cameron Brooks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brooks' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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In 1999 I was a student activist at the University of Tennessee, and became involved in a campaign to support worker's rights and a living wage there. That effort became United Campus Workers, which affiliated with the CWA in 2003. I was hired as UCW's first organizer in 2003, a position I held until 2013. Our team built the organization from 18 members to several thousand across Tennessee in the next decade. This is where I learned the importance of worker's rights and economic justice, as well as grass roots organizing. I take this background and commitment in my race for city council here in Knoxville. This background makes me committed to pursuing an agenda that advances the interests of working families and the middle class. Other positions I have held include serving six years on the Knox County Election Commission, 2 years as Vice Chair of the Knox County Democratic party, and two years as Chair of the Knox County Democratic party. I am married to my husband Wes Knott and we have three rescue dogs, Annabelle, Samuel, and Lyndon. I love working out and gardening, and am a fan of the Las Vegas Raiders.
- Creation of Living Wage Jobs
- Increasing Home Ownership in Knoxville
- Affordability for Working Families
Job creation, particularly creating more jobs that lift people out of poverty into the middle class. Also concerned with how do we create more homeownership opportunities in Knoxville, which is a key factor for thriving in the middle class. I am also a strong supporter of public education and am opposed to any effort to decrease city expenditures through the sales tax for our public schools.
Change Tennessee Sierra Club TN Voter Project
My first job was in the summer of 2003 working for McDonalds. I held in through the summer until school started.
It was 1998 and I had family members involved closely in Michael Dukakis's run for the presidency.
I have a particular admiration of LBJ, who shepherded through a tough Congress Voting Rights, Civil Rights, Medicare and Medicaid, housing and anti-poverty initiatives.
I think residential involvement is key in governmental decision making. I am a supporter of grassroots community organizing where ordinary people come together to manifest their power. If elected I would be supportive of such efforts. Additionally, I would host regular town halls throughout the city during my term.
I would support infrastructure, like road improvement, traffic improvement, flood control, and other areas that are necessary for a healthy community.
I support community policing, where officers get to know the communities they work in which fosters trust.
I already answered this.
The downtown area has issues with homelessness and high cost of living. I think a healthy downtown would be welcoming of every socioeconomic class.
I support the city's approach to public safety. I believe our front line officers need to be paid adequately so they can not only support their families but be part of a thriving middle class.
I have none at this time, but would listen to the community for input on this.
I was frustrated that in the university area many bars were overpacked with people in the heart of the pandemic, and thought the city should have done more to enforce existing policies that prevented mass gatherings of people which increased the pandemic's reach.
As I stated earlier, I would have town halls and gatherings throughout the entire city to get and listen to community feedback. I would also have a strong constituent services operation that would listen to and respond to constituent's concerns.
One particular effort I would like to see strengthened is the planting of more trees in vacant areas in the city, as well as publication education and the promotion of pollinator gardens in residences. I think more work needs to be done with addressing flooding.
I supported listening to the experts, the local health department and CDC, and supported their guidance in dealing with the pandemic.
Public records requests must be handled with efficiency to any body that requests them. I am fully supportive of transparency in all areas of government.
I think crime rates are remaining steady but at an unacceptable level. There are parts of Knoxville where people are affected more by gun violence and theft than other areas, and the citizens in those communities need to be listened to.
Local government is the closest to the people and has vast influence on the quality of life of the citizens. With the power of taxation, zoning decisions, and public safety city government has very unique qualities.
The ability to overturn unpopular decisions made by the planning commission.
The ability to listen and work with others to reach common ground.
Honesty; Listening to people; advocating for what is right even if it meets resistance from powerful entities. Speaking Truth.
Listening to the people Understanding all expenditures in the city budget and their impacts Being easily accessible to the people and responsive to their concerns A willingness to speak out when wrong decisions are being considered.
The Robert Caro books on President Johnson
I am a very loyal person and believe this is the highest trait in people. I believe in taking care of people and working to get things done. I am a good listener and am very empathetic of people.
I'm Still Standing by Elton John
Any of the Robert Caro books on LBJ- fascinating to see how someone from poverty worked there way up in the world to impact others and become President.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
External links
[1] ↑ Submitted to Ballotpedia's candidate survey in 2023.
