The issues and plans

Our blog is going to compile some of the issues that Buck Dozier has commented on.


Calls On The August 2007 Local Elections To Be A Referendum On Education

Nashville Mayoral candidate Buck Dozier today announced a comprehensive education agenda focused on making Nashville “The Athens Of Education In America.” Dozier called on other candidates running for office to join him in an open, public dialogue to
make education “a central issue” in the August 2007 elections.

“More than any other local issue we face, the education of our children has the broadest impact on families, on neighborhoods, on public safety, on our economy and on our future,” said Dozier. “That’s why I intend to use my political capital and campaign bully pulpit over the next nine months to turn this local election into what should be a referendum on education. I would encourage all candidates on the ballot to commit to
engaging in a public dialogue on ways to improve our system.”

Dozier said all candidates running next year will declare that they are “pro-education.”

He added that “what will distinguish one from the other will be what each candidate really means when they say they are pro-education.”

“I want this campaign cycle to be remembered not for clever slogans or slick TV ads, but as the moment when we as a community – and we as candidates for public office –

agreed to begin a real dialogue on education, with no sacred cows and no ideas too smallor too big to consider,” Dozier said.

Dozier said that Nashville in the 1800s was dubbed the Athens of the South because “we were home to progressive thinkers, home to numerous institutions of higher learning, and because, like ancient Greece, thinking and learning were held in high regard.”

“I advocate bringing the Athens theme back and focusing it on education,” Dozier said.

“We have the resources and we have the great thinkers. It’s time.”
Dozier said his education agenda for Nashville – designed to help Metro reach the goal of being “The Athens Of Education In America” – includes:

• More of an education activist’s role for the Mayor and the Mayor’s Office;

• Incorporating best practices throughout our education system;

• Creating more learning environment options for children;

• Ensuring safer learning environments for students and children;

• Forging stronger, more defined partnerships among resources in our community to support public education;

• Encouraging more outside-the-box thinking when it comes to instructional activities in learning environments;

• Working to secure a fairer share of federal and state funds to support public education locally; and

• Issuing an unprecedented challenge to all citizens.

http://buckdozier.blogspot.com

“The unprecedented challenge to all citizens,” Dozier explained, “is for all of us to work toward raising a $1 billion endowment over the next 10 years to support the introduction of innovative instructional activities in our public schools.” Dozier said a $1 billion endowment will generate an estimated $75 million each year in perpetuity for education, without ever touching the principal balance of the endowment.

“If we all agree that Nashville should be ‘The Athens Of Education In America,’ then each of us will have to think big and think outside the box on multiple fronts,” Dozier said.

Dozier said his proposed agenda “is an effort to take bold steps to bring other resources to the table, to seek out best practices wherever they are, and to look beyond our own inner circle for new ideas and a new way of teaching our children.”

To read Dozier’s full address on education, go to his campaign Web site at

www.dozierformayor.com.

May 10th on Buck Dozier's website

It's with great pride that I announce the birth of a new Dozier granddaughter – Greer Elizabeth Huffine – born Wednesday morning, May 9th at Baptist Hospital here in Nashville.

There is nothing more precious in life than to celebrate the birth of a child. I'm happy to report that my daughter Shannon and the baby are healthy and are heading home this week to begin to experience what I pray will be a lifetime of cherished memories.

When folks ask why I continue to want to work as a public servant, I give them what may seem like a tired old line about wanting to do what I can to leave this world in better shape for future generations. I do feel that way though, and my desire to serve becomes even more important to me when I am privileged to spend time with a young family, with children, or when I learn of a baby's birth.

Thank you for allowing me to share this joyous news with you.

Sincerely,

Buck

Congratulations to Buck!!!!!

Transparency

Council member Buck Dozier put out a news release saying "total transparency from day one" if he's elected mayor. He says he'd make all meetings in the mayor's office open to the media and public."In my opinion, what occurs in the mayor's office is the people's business, and as such there should be no hidden agendas," Dozier says.

The Nashville Scene in reporting the press release said, "Sounds like a great idea," until you read the fine print. The fine print says that there would be an exception for anyone meeting with the mayor who doesn't want anyone else to know what's said; thus the meeting would be closed. The Scene also said that Buck Dozier is more transparent than he thinks?

Was this last comment meant to be derogatory against the councilman? In my opinion just because your an elected official does not mean you control the world. Buck Dozier is reaching out to the public as much as he can. Even taking this step is a good one on his part. If someone requests a private meeting would it not be right for him to oblige? Think about this in a personal way. Would you want everything known about your life? Should it be any different for anyone else? Don't you think that the media reporting all of the things that go on in the world hurts America sometimes? Sensitive issues? Security? If the bad guy knows were coming then we're not doing our job the way it's suppose to be done.

I just think there are things that would be good for us not hear. Do we really want to know everything? Do we really need to know everything?