Tommy Battle
Encyclopedia
Tommy Battle is the mayor of Huntsville, Alabama
. His term began November 3, 2008.
Battle served one term on the Huntsville City Council from 1984-1988. He made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1988. Battle moved to Huntsville in 1980 to operate Britling's Buffet, which he sold in 1989. Battle owns or is managing partner in several firms in the retail and real estate sectors. He is married to Eula Battle and has one adult son, Drew. Battle is a graduate of the University of Alabama
, from which he holds a B.S. degree in business.
Battle announced his candidacy against incumbent Mayor Loretta Spencer
on March 26, 2008. In his campaign, he sharply attacked Spencer on several issues. Among these were cost overruns and delays on a city jail constructed in Spencer's term; the city's controversial involvement in the relocation of a downtown rescue mission into a residential neighborhood; and what Battle claimed was inequitable treatment of some city neighborhoods, particularly minority areas. Prior to the first round of voting, Spencer was endorsed by The Huntsville Times
. The Committee of 100, a prominent group of business leaders, issued a joint endorsement of Battle and Spencer.
In the municipal election on August 26, 2008, Spencer led Battle by 14,871 votes to 14,486. However, two minor candidates received 673 votes, preventing Spencer from attaining a majority, forcing a runoff with Battle. During the runoff campaign, Battle sharpened his attacks on Spencer, and pointed to a "bridge to nowhere
," echoing a national controversy over a federally funded bridge designed to serve only a handful of people. The bridge in question was constructed by the city, and ended at an undeveloped empty lot. Spencer claimed the lot was expected to be developed at some point in the future. In the runoff, on October 7, 2008, Battle decisively defeated Spencer, by a vote of 21,123 votes or 56 percent for Battle, to 16,821 or 44 percent for Spencer.
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
. His term began November 3, 2008.
Battle served one term on the Huntsville City Council from 1984-1988. He made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1988. Battle moved to Huntsville in 1980 to operate Britling's Buffet, which he sold in 1989. Battle owns or is managing partner in several firms in the retail and real estate sectors. He is married to Eula Battle and has one adult son, Drew. Battle is a graduate of the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, from which he holds a B.S. degree in business.
Battle announced his candidacy against incumbent Mayor Loretta Spencer
Loretta Spencer
Loretta Purdy Spencer was the mayor of Huntsville, Alabama. Her first term began October 4, 1996, and her last term ended on November 3, 2008....
on March 26, 2008. In his campaign, he sharply attacked Spencer on several issues. Among these were cost overruns and delays on a city jail constructed in Spencer's term; the city's controversial involvement in the relocation of a downtown rescue mission into a residential neighborhood; and what Battle claimed was inequitable treatment of some city neighborhoods, particularly minority areas. Prior to the first round of voting, Spencer was endorsed by The Huntsville Times
The Huntsville Times
The Huntsville Times is the daily morning newspaper published in Huntsville, Alabama, and also serves the surrounding areas of north Alabama's Tennessee Valley region. The Times formerly operated as an afternoon paper, but moved to mornings after The Huntsville News ceased publication...
. The Committee of 100, a prominent group of business leaders, issued a joint endorsement of Battle and Spencer.
In the municipal election on August 26, 2008, Spencer led Battle by 14,871 votes to 14,486. However, two minor candidates received 673 votes, preventing Spencer from attaining a majority, forcing a runoff with Battle. During the runoff campaign, Battle sharpened his attacks on Spencer, and pointed to a "bridge to nowhere
Gravina Island Bridge
The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, with Gravina Island, an island which contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents. The bridge was...
," echoing a national controversy over a federally funded bridge designed to serve only a handful of people. The bridge in question was constructed by the city, and ended at an undeveloped empty lot. Spencer claimed the lot was expected to be developed at some point in the future. In the runoff, on October 7, 2008, Battle decisively defeated Spencer, by a vote of 21,123 votes or 56 percent for Battle, to 16,821 or 44 percent for Spencer.