SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2012 Tenn.

House OKs expansion of business cash grants (Associated Press)

House Republicans insist their vote last week for a plan to expand a state economic development incentive program does not conflict with their mantra that government cant create jobs. The chamber voted 96-0 for the measure proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam and carried by Republican Rep. Tim Wirgau of Paris, who said the expanded cash grant program would help spur investment in economically distressed areas of the state. Let me make it very clear that were not going to be standing on the Capitol steps and just doling out checks, Wirgau said. The measure, which awaits a vote in the Senate before it can head for Haslams signature, would allow the state to provide Fast Track grants for retrofitting, relocation, office upgrades or temporary space for companies investing in Tennessee. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120401/BUSINESS/304010021/Briefcase-Small-businessseminar-scheduled-Tuesday-Tenn-House-OKs-expansion-business-cash-grants-Lenoir-City-consider-incentiveskeep-plant

Haslam takes issue with 'Wall Street Journal' over estate tax repeal (TN/Smietana)
The Wall Street Journal has accused Gov. Bill Haslam of intransigence in repealing Tennessees estate tax, and the governor seems a bit miffed. In a March 24 editorial, the Journals editorial board said Haslam is the main obstacle to reforming Tennessees estate tax law a curious accusation considering the governor has made rolling it back a central part of his agenda for this year. The Journal cited some contradictory statements from Haslam to back its claim. On one hand, the governor has said the estate tax drives people out of state; on the other, he says the state cant ditch the tax without creating a revenue problem that will have to be solved. Haslam responded with a letter published in Friday mornings Journal under the headline Im Not the Problem on Death Tax Reform.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010105/Political-NotebookHaslam-takes-issue-Wall-Street-Journal-over-estate-tax-repeal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Tennessee Titans, State Parks partner on NFL Play60 campaign (Examiner)

This spring Tennessee State Parks and the Tennessee Titans are partnering in a number of unique ways as part of the NFL Play60 effort, encouraging kids to stay active, eat healthy and become more physically fit all while enjoying one of Tennessees great 53 state parks. Tennessee is the first state park system to participate in the NFL Play60 campaign, which features outreach into local schools and communities to engage children with messages and activities that promote outdoor experiences, the natural world, healthy lifestyles and fun. The Tennessee Titans and Tennessee State Parks joined Gov. Bill Haslam for a visit to LP Field yesterday, in recognition of the NFL Play60 campaign and its success in promoting healthy lifestyles among Tennessees youth. http://www.examiner.com/health-beauty-in-nashville/tennessee-titans-and-tennessee-state-parks-partner-on-nflplay60-campaign

Lawmakers pass Olin loan bill (Cleveland Daily Banner)

State government has stepped up to assist Olin Chlor Alkali Products in north Bradley County. State Rep. Eric Watson, at Friday nights Lincoln Day Dinner at Cleveland High School, announced the Tennessee legislature passed a bill on Friday providing Olin a $160 million loan for a new state-of-the-art membrane cell manufacturing facility. The construction will allow Olin to meet federal guidelines on eliminating the use of mercury in its manufacturing process. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty had earlier congratulated Olin on plans to invest the $160 million in its facilities. Construction began in July and is tentatively scheduled for completion by the end of 2012. The technology change will allow the plant to meet the growing need for KOH that is important to the production of food,

fertilizers, herbicides, soaps, detergents, airplane de-icing fluids and other key products. http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/18070993/article-Lawmakers-pass-Olin-loan-bill? instance=homesecondleft

Tennessee promoting outdoor tourism (Associated Press)

Tennessee has more than 300 species of fish, with bass, crappie and catfish awaiting hungry anglers. The Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Trail offer scenic spots for ambitious hikers. Or, you can shoot the rapids on the Ocoee River, or go camping just about anywhere across the state, including backcountry camping at 12 state parks. So it's no wonder that the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is promoting the state's plentiful outdoor opportunities this spring. Elvis, Dollywood and the Grand Ole Opry are not Tennessee's only attractions for the travel dollars. The department has launched www.spring.tnvacation.com to highlight fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and other activities. The site also is sponsoring outdoor adventure-inspired contests, with the grand prize three ultimate fishing getaways throughout Tennessee, one of them a fishing trip with famed fisherman Bill Dance. Susan W hitaker, commissioner of the department, says Tennessee's outdoor activities, and music, make it easy to market the state, which has up to 50 million visitors a year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/01/tennessee-promoting-outdoor-tourism/?local

Suggestions may drive safer bypass (Times-Gazette)

A newly released TDOT review of the Shelbyville bypass makes a number of recommendations to make the new highway safer for motorists. The best part about the report is that it won't cost the city a dime for improvements to State Route 437, but the city manager said the deal is not yet done. The city of Shelbyville received the road safety audit review this week from Steve Allen, director of TDOT's project planning division. According to city manager Jay Johnson, the recommendations from the state safety team will now go to TDOT's engineering division, "then to their finance people," but cautioning at the same time that "it's not a done deal." "W e've achieved a step," Johnson explained. Working together Last December, TDOT engineers took a close look at the newly opened bypass after concerns had been expressed about the intersection at Fairfield Pike, where several accidents occurred since the road opened in August 2011, and at Railroad Road, where a 4-month-old baby was killed and two children seriously injured in late October. http://www.t-g.com/story/1832146.html

Tennessee Rep. Tommie Brown leery of tougher gang law (TFP/Putman)

State Rep. Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga, expressed wariness Saturday of efforts in the state Legislature to toughen penalties for gang crimes. The Tennessee General Assembly is considering whether to include gang violence in crimes that may be prosecuted under the state's Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. Speaking at the 28th Legislative District Assembly's extraordinary session at Howard School of Academics and Technology, Brown said she's cautious because she doesn't think everyone affiliated with gangs is a criminal. Some of them are just wannabes wearing colors, she said. "Show me something other than just throwing the net and dragging our babies into jail," she said. "W hat else is out there? W here are the jobs?" Genocide comes when a society loses hope, Brown said, admonishing constituents to learn about the RICO Act and express informed opinions. For instance, she said, the city's curfew law could be used to control some gang violence if it was enforced, she said. "Too many of our babies are dying before they even know what's across the mountain. Too many of our parents don't have sufficient income to provide for their children in such a way to give them hope," she said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/01/tommie-brown-leery-of-tougher-gang-law/?local

Ten Commandments bill sponsor: It's about history (Daily News Journal)
Intent in posting biblical laws debated To state Rep. Matthew Hill, his legislation authorizing local governments to display the Ten Commandments along with other historical documents is not about religion. Its about history. Just look around his office, he said. Theres an original Tennessee state flag. A framed copy of a Davy Crockett letter. A painting of historic Jonesborough, his hometown. Were not talking about holding a church service. Were not talking about having a Bible study at the courthouse, said Hill, R-Jonesborough. What were talking about is remembering who we are, where we came from and not being ashamed of that. But not everyone agrees. The bill HB 2658 could put Tennessee once again at the center of the ongoing debate about whether it violates the U.S. Constitution to display the Ten Commandments on public property. Critics say the legislation is aimed at courting religious voters and could violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. This bill is inviting Tennessee governments to walk into a constitutional mine field and risk 2

litigation, said Alex Luchenitser, associate legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which wrote a letter of opposition to Hills legislation. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120401/NEW S05/304010024/Ten-Commandments-bill-sponsor-s-about-history? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Mortensen enters District 20 race (Tennessean/Sisk)

Robert Mortensen, a Green Hills business executive, announced his candidacy for the 20th Senate District on Thursday, becoming the latest in a string of Republicans to run for the open seat. Mortensen is the head of Camelot Care Centers of Tennessee, a company that provides counseling services for families with specialneeds or at-risk children. His opponents include Steve Dickerson, a Green Hills doctor who lost to Sen. Douglas Henry in the 21st District two years ago, and David Hall, a Goodlettsville home renovator who lost to U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in a bid for the 5th Congressional District in 2010. In what may have been a pre-emptive move, Dickerson announced Thursday that he has raised more than $200,000 for his campaign. The 20th District seat will be vacated when Sen. Joe Haynes retires after the current session. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010105/Political-Notebook-Haslam-takes-issue-WallStreet-Journal-over-estate-tax-repeal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Early adjournment worries Democrats (Tennessean/Sisk)

Gov. Bill Haslam will release his budget amendment this week, an annual rite that usually signals the beginning of the end of the legislative session. But not everyone at the Capitol is happy with Republicans plan to adjourn before the end of April, a stated goal of the GOP leadership since lawmakers convened in mid-January. Democrats say the rush to finish has resulted in some slapdash lawmaking. In the Senate, it seems to me that at least once a week weve got to send a bill back to committee, or weve got to adopt an amendment on the floor to fix some error, Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Lowe Finney, D-Jackson, said last week. That is becoming commonplace now, which tells me these bills are moving through the committee system much too quickly, without full discussion. Finney predicted consequences. Were going to wake up in another year that the TEAM Act (Haslams civil service bill) or another piece of legislation had some error in it that weve got to come back and fix, he said. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010105/PoliticalNotebook-Haslam-takes-issue-Wall-Street-Journal-over-estate-tax-repeal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

TN Democrats tout unity at Jackson Day dinner (Tennessean/Rogers)

Tennessee Democrats gathered to charge up the faithful at the Bicentennial Mall on Saturday evening, in an event that honored the past as it tried to stir up the troops for the future. In an event that had a strong pro-union flavor, the Tennessee Democratic Party hosted around 700 people at its annual Jackson Day dinner, mixing shots at Republican candidates for president with cries for more pride in what Democrats believe in. Chairman Chip Forrester led the call for A New Path Forward, calling for an all-inclusive values party that better incorporates the Latino, black and female contingents of the party. The re-birth of the Tennessee Democratic Party begins tonight, he said. Forrester took direct aim at presidential hopeful Mitt Romney for his vision of government that rewards the top 1 percent, and for wanting to turn Medicare into a voucher system. Speakers throughout the evening highlighted Democrats commitment to education and labor. The event was largely attended and sponsored by labor factions, including local Teamster and AFL-CIO officials, but also the American Federation of Teachers and United Steelworkers. Forrester, in recognition of those present in the audience, called labor the backbone of the Democratic Party. Actress Park Overall criticized Republicans for making union a dirty word. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010109/TN-Democrats-tout-unity-Jackson-Daydinner?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Democrats select national delegates (Tennessean/Cass)

The Tennessee Democratic Party selected its 5th Congressional District delegates to the Democratic National Convention on Saturday, picking a state lawmaker, a Metro councilman and five other party activists. The delegates to the convention, which will be held the week of Labor Day in Charlotte, N.C., are: State Rep. Brenda Gilmore Metro Councilman W alter Hunt Freda Player, a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union Kathleen Murphy, a lobbyist for Tennessee firefighters and other groups and a political consultant who has run campaigns for Councilman Ronnie Steine and Judge Mike Jameson Romel McMurry, 3

who works for Wilson County government Ivan Cerda, a Nashville State Community College student and member of the Oasis Centers board of directors James Robinson, a member of the theatrical workers union http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010105/Political-Notebook-Haslam-takes-issue-WallStreet-Journal-over-estate-tax-repeal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

More exit Shelby County than move in, census estimates indicate (CA/Charlier)
But birth rate exceeds deaths, so population rises anyway His company moves 3,000 to 4,000 households a year, so Jay Cooper has a pretty good idea where Memphis-area residents tend to go when they're relocating outside the region. "Nashville, Atlanta, even Dallas -- they're going to the cities," said Cooper, president of Memphis-based Cooper Moving. W herever they're heading, more people are moving out of Shelby County than into it, according to census estimates. From 2005 through 2009, the county sustained a net loss of more than 6,600 residents through domestic migration, with 41,641 leaving and 35,018 arriving, according to the estimates. Those figures, which are drawn from the first county-to-county migration estimates released by the Census Bureau in nearly a decade, reflect a familiar pattern. IRS statistics long have documented a steady hemorrhage of not just people, but wealth, from the county. Between 2009 and 2010, for instance, the total income of people leaving the county was nearly $180 million more than the total of those moving in. Despite the migration losses, the county's population continues to grow -- increasing from 897,472 in 2000 to 927,644 in 2010 -- as a result of a far greater number of births than deaths. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/01/more-exitcounty-than-move-in/

Bailey: Sullivan County budget process at recent norm (Times-News)

The departure of Sullivan Countys top finance officer shouldnt cast doubt on the countys ability to develop a yearly budget, at least not any more slowly than what has become normal in the past few years, outgoing Accounts and Budgets Director Larry Bailey said last week. In fact, the development of the county budget is further along in its annual process than it was, relatively speaking, when he first took on the job about 16 years ago, Bailey said. Development of a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins three months from today, is roughly at the same point it was at this time last year, Bailey said individual county departments and organizations that receive county funding were asked several weeks ago to submit budget requests. The requested reply date passed more than a week ago. Some departments have been slower than normal turning their budget requests in and a few departments still havent submitted their requests. Bailey said. This year they were slow to come in overall. People seem uncertain what to do. For several years theyve not had increases to cover rising costs, such as fuel. And I cant see where revenue levels are going to help this year. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9044644/bailey-sullivan-county-budget-process-at-recent-norm

Rutherford may have to prep for tax increase (Daily News Journal)
County officials doubt theyll be able to balance next years budget with reserves again, a reality made clear during a recent discussion about staffing. Right now thats not critical in the scheme of things we have facing us, and thats the property tax increase that we need to get our arms around, Mayor Ernest Burgess told members of the Rutherford County Commissions Public Safety Committee this past week. Since becoming the mayor in 2006, Burgess has presided over a commission that raised property taxes by 4.9 percent in 2008 and by 6.8 percent in 2009. The 21-member commission and Burgess have managed to avoid a property tax increase the past couple of years, including last year when they used $16.3 million in reserves to balance the budget. The rainy day money, however, hasnt grown back enough to be drawn from again. This year, the county and its residents wont be so fortunate. Weve been able to use those reserves substantially over the last several years, Burgess said during a phone interview Friday. That tool is not going to be available to any real degree this year. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120401/NEW S05/304010034/Rutherford-may-prep-tax-increase-reserves-too-lowdraw-from-again?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Alexander blasts health-care law (Tennessean/Bewley)

He may have been speaking on an education panel, but Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander still managed to squeeze in a few jabs at President Barack Obamas health-care reform law Tuesday. At an education event 4

hosted by The Atlantic, Alexander said the 2010 law which was argued in the Supreme Court last week will indirectly reduce funding for education. Thats because starting in 2014, the law will force states to spend more on Medicaid, the joint federal/state health insurance program for the poor, which he said means funding for education will fall and tuition at public universities will increase. Tennessee would add more than 330,000 new enrollees to TennCare as a result of health-care reforms expansion of Medicaid in 2014, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The federal government will cover the entire cost of insuring newly eligible recipients initially and 90 percent of the cost starting in 2020, but that still leaves the state with more than $716 million in extra bills between 2014 and 2019, according to Kaiser. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS02/304010105/Political-Notebook-Haslam-takes-issue-WallStreet-Journal-over-estate-tax-repeal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Congressional candidate Taylor draws bead on campaign donations (TFP/Carroll)

On the final day of a political fundraising quarter that included a $2,500-per-plate dinner for U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., Democratic challenger Bill Taylor invited donors to shoot guns for 100 times less. Taylor hosted his "Candidate Shootout Challenge" Saturday at Shooter's Depot in Chattanooga, daring people to fire eight rounds with him in exchange for a $25 campaign donation. The gist of the Second Amendment agreement: If Taylor hit the bull's eye more often than his donor, the donor owed the campaign an extra $10. Taylor and Maynardville, Tenn., physician Mary Headrick are competing for the Democratic nomination in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District in the Aug. 2 primary. Fleischmann, a freshman, is hoping to fend off four Republican challengers. The Democratic and Republican primary winners will face off Nov. 6. An Ooltewah resident who manages physician offices, Taylor said he raised about $1,000 Saturday, adding that some donors gave him "a lot more" than his campaign asked for. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/01/congressional-candidate-draws-bead-on-donations/?local

Washington Post likes Weston W amps chances (Times Free-Press/Carroll)

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann is ranked No. 3 on The Washington Posts list of the top 10 House incumbents who could lose their primaries this year. In a Friday article examining what could be one of the most antiincumbent years in decades, the newspaper noted that the Chattanooga Republican won a tough 2010 primary after former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp vacated Tennessees 3rd Congressional District seat to run for governor. But now, the Post wrote, Fleischmann faces a serious primary from another Wamp Weston Wamp, the 25-yearold son of the former congressman. The piece makes no mention of the younger Wamps views on policy, instead noting the strength of W amps last name and fathers connections in Washington. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/01/washington-post-likes-wamps-chances/?local

Talk of reform affects Memphis health care (Commercial Appeal/Sells)

The public got a healthy dose of the health care reform law that was argued before the Supreme Court last week, and a ruling is expected in June. But whether the two-year-old Affordable Care Act is struck down or parts are reworked by Congress, it has already fundamentally changed health care in Memphis, many local health industry officials agree. Some here say it's been a frustrating time full of uncertainty and others say that the bill hasn't much affected their day-to-day operations because many provisions won't take effect until 2014. But many acknowledged the reform has changed the city's healthcare landscape, especially for health care quality initiatives like raising payments for better health outcomes. "Both the state and hospitals and larger physician groups have spent a lot of money and put a lot of time and effort into implementing these provisions and many of these were needed anyway," said E. Gene Thornton, an attorney with Evans Petree PC. "With all that, it's very unlikely that you're going to go back to the way things were done before. In many respects, you'd have to spend money, time and effort to go back to the way it was before." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/01/talk-of-reform-affects-local-health-care/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Some Christians see mandate as attack on religious freedom (TN/Smietana)

Conservative Christians say mandate tramples on their rights Jessica Sanford wants President Barack Obama to keep his hands off her church. A Missouri Synod Lutheran from Clarksville, Tenn., she wore a blue Dont Tread on Me T-shirt to the recent Stand Up for Religious Liberty rally that drew more than 500 people to the state Capitol. Sanford is angry about a mandate from the Obama administration that would require church-run schools, colleges, hospitals and other agencies to provide contraception coverage for their employees. The president is trying to tell us what our conscience should be, Sanford said. I dont think he should do that. The contraception 5

mandate has struck a nerve among conservative Christians, who feel that their influence in American culture is dwindling and that theyre being forced to violate their beliefs. A recent poll from the Washington-based Public Religion Research Institute found that 39 percent of Americans believe their religious liberties are under attack. The contraception mandate became a flashpoint for those Christians, attracting even members of denominations that dont have moral objections to birth control. Other Christians fear the contraception mandate could destroy a health-care law that otherwise fits with their religious ideals, like helping those who suffer. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/NEWS06/304010114/Birth-control-mandate-hits-nerve? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Solar officials don't want TVA to put the brake on incentives (N-S/Marcum)
Changes made to TVA programs raise concerns Sitting in a side yard off Middlebrook Pike, soaking in the sun on a bright March day, the solar system at the offices of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a testament to the economic potential of the solar industry to Tennessee, said Stephen Smith, executive director of the organization. The panels in the 9.36-volt array were made by Sharp at a facility in Memphis. The system itself was designed and installed by Knoxville-based Green Earth Solar LLC. When the Hemlock Semiconductor plant in Clarksville, Tenn., comes online later this year, the polysilicon making up the panels in systems like this will also be produced in Tennessee, Smith said. It will be possible to have a solar system with the production of raw materials, manufacture of individual components, and design and construction of the system all accomplished by workers in Tennessee companies. "One reason we have been really pushing TVA to be supportive of this industry is that Tennessee is well-positioned to be a leader in the solar manufacturing world," Smith said. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/01/solar-officials-dont-want-tva-to-put-the-brake/

Decline of Memphis airport area raises alarms (Commercial Appeal/Bailey)

Tammy's essentially abuts Memphis International Airport and the FedEx hub. The adult bookstore sits at the dead-end of Brooks Road, which slices through the airport office submarket. Heading west on Brooks from Tammy's through the office district, the next business is another adult shop, Airport Bookmart. Next door at Brooks and Airways stands the vacant Executive Inn, a property so shattered and ugly that it suggests Doomsday. Next is a new government-built oasis, the sleek Airways Transit Center for Greyhound and MATA buses. Next door is a strip club, El Cabaret Dulce Amante. The next property -- still close enough to the airport to see planes taxi -- is a four-story, 57,000-square-foot office building that is 40 years old but still looking modern with its veneer of amber glass. The building, called 3171 Directors Row or Executive Tower, is gated and empty except for the commercial real estate broker, G.F. "Jerry" Harkins, working in his ground floor office. His job is to find tenants for the building that once housed everyone from FedEx to Isaac Hayes to the National Weather Service to Swift Transportation. "W e need some help out here," Harkins says. Across the street, business today is "very, very, very slow" for At The Bistro, owner Terra Smith says. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/01/time-for-a-revamp-more-image-than-substance/ (SUB)

Demand for storm-related businesses increasing in Middle Tennessee (L-C)

Bad weather means good business for some entrepreneurs in Middle Tennessee. The area was hit with tornadoes in late February that were followed by severe storms, golf-ball size hail and more tornadoes. Afterward, National Storm Shelters in Smyrna couldnt answer phone lines quick enough. Meanwhile, waiting rooms at Lyk-Nu Collision Centers in Donelson and Lebanon were full as customers waited to get their cars repaired. Business owners told The Nashville Ledger (http://bit.ly/GW6A4r) that demand rose sharply for their services after the storms pounded the state. And with national weather forecasters predicting the South will see more severe weather than usual over the next couple of years, demand is increasing for storm-related services. Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee spokesman Dan Batey says storm-related insurance claims in the state were more than $1 billion last year and the recent storms will create about $90 million. Id call that one heck of a stimulus package (for businesses helping storm victims), Batey said. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120401/NEWS01/304010027/Demand-storm-related-businessesincreasing-Middle-Tennessee

Charter school appeal hearing set for Tuesday (Jackson Sun)

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Public may comment on proposed school A hearing to determine whether the proposed charter school Connections Preparatory Academy will receive approval of its application to open a campus in East Jackson will be held on Tuesday. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Jackson-Madison County Board of Education, at 310 North Parkway. The hearing is being conducted by the Tennessee State Board of Education. The public will be allowed to make comments during a portion of the hearing following the statements from JacksonMadison County Schools officials and Connections Preparatory Academy. Members of the public also will have a week after Tuesdays hearing to submit written comments before a decision is made. Written comments must be received in the State Board of Education office by 4:30 p.m April 10 to be considered. Comments should be mailed to Dannelle F. W alker, general counsel, Tennessee State Board of Education, 9th Floor, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243; faxed to (615) 741-0371; or e-mailed to Dannelle.Walker@tn.gov . http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120401/NEWS01/304010011/Charter-school-appeal-hearing-set-Tuesday

OPINION Free-Press Editorial: Bad time for heavy spending (Times Free-Press)
With Tennessee showing faint signs of economic recovery, it is perhaps predictable that there would be voices calling on Gov. Bill Haslam to back down from proposed budget cuts to various social service and other programs. But that would be the wrong thing to do, for a number of reasons. It is true -- and obviously encouraging -- that in the first seven months of Tennessee's current general fund budget, tax revenue outpaced projections by about $238 million. But it is also true, as pointed out by state Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes, that all but $30 million of that already has been accounted for by the governor's proposed budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1. In other words, the governor cannot just use that $238 million as if it were "free money" to fund a range of programs, however desirable some of the programs may be. Most of that money already is spoken for in his upcoming budget. In addition to that, it should be pointed out that state tax revenue which is rising today could just as easily be falling again tomorrow. The recovery is proceeding at a snail's pace, and skyrocketing gasoline prices or any number of other factors could reverse even the limited economic progress that Tennessee and the United States as a whole are seeing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/01/bad-time-for-heavy-spending/?opinionfreepress

Beth Harwell: TN moves to end harmful estate, gift taxes (Tennessean)

Benjamin Franklin once said, In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. Those words of wisdom ring particularly true in Tennessee, where you pay taxes, die, and then pay taxes again. Your Tennessee General Assembly is working to change that by moving forward with two key proposals: phasing out the death tax entirely by 2016 and the complete elimination of the states gift tax this year. Tennessee is one of only 19 states in the country, and two in the Southeast, that impose a death tax. Even worse, we are one of only two states in the entire country, the other being Connecticut, that levy a gift tax. Both tax policies send a terrible message to Tennesseans: Squander what you have today, lest the government confiscate it tomorrow. However, if you work hard your entire life, live frugally, create jobs and seek to pass your legacy on to your family, we will punish you for doing so. We know that these policies drive people out of Tennessee and into states like Florida that do not penalize people for their hard work. The wealthiest among us do not pay the death tax, because they move. Instead, these taxes mostly affect cash-poor farmers and small-business owners who are faced with breaking up the farm or business to pay their tax bills. Keep in mind these difficult decisions come at the most unpleasant of times: the passing of a loved one. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/OPINION03/304010068/TN-moves-end-harmful-estate-gift-taxes? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Tom Humphrey: Talking about sex spices up this year's legislative session (N-S)
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner, naturally, got a fair amount of media attention when he declared recently that Republican legislators are "preoccupied with sex" and in a restrictive mode on the subject. "They've got a real thing with sex. We're about ready to put the turbans on, I think, and put the women in burkas here if we keep going at this rate," he said. There have been, indeed, several pieces of sexuality-related legislation with Republican sponsors in the 107th General Assembly a rewrite of the state's school sex education statutes to put more emphasis on abstinence, the much-ballyhooed-by-both-sides "don't say gay" bill, 7

a repeal of the Nashville city ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by city contractors, etc. But it is absolutely certain that there is no danger of turbans and burkas becoming Tennessee Republican fashion. There has been ample Republican-sponsored legislation arguably promoting JudeoChristian religious themes generally display of the Ten Commandments, the "Religious Viewpoints AntiDiscrimination Act," for example and perhaps attacking Muslims, at least if you believe immigrant-rights activist assessments of last year's "Sharia law" bill and this year's bill to limit immigrant employment in charter schools. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/mar/31/tom-humphrey-on-sex-related-subjects-at-the/

Tom Bohs: Don't hide teacher evaluation scores from public (Jackson Sun)
I believe teacher evaluation scores and Tennessee Value Added Assessment System teacher scores should be made public. Its not a popular point of view, especially among teachers. But I think their concerns are overstated. Tennessee lawmakers are working to pass legislation to close teacher evaluation records. TVAAS teacher scores already are not public. This short changes the people taxpayers who pay for public education. It is important to hold public servants accountable, and we go to great lengths to do so in every other area of public life. Lawmakers must stand or fall on their voting records, personal behavior and the words they write or text, sometimes even outside of their official duties. Law enforcement officials are regularly called on the carpet to account for their action or inaction. Mayors, city councilmen and county commission members are required to operate in the open and to keep their records open to public inspection. Meetings must be held in public so the public can see and hear what is going on. Public expenditure and public salary figures are open to public inspection. But somehow, those delivering the most expensive, and important, public service public education are immune from this kind of public oversight. Why? http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120401/OPINION/304010002/Bohs-column-Don-t-hide-teacher-evaluationscores-from-public

Editorial: Time to revisit appointing some Knox offices (News-Sentinel)

The Knox County Charter Review Committee should look closely at turning a number of independent offices into appointed positions in order to streamline government, strengthen oversight and reduce the number of fiefdoms in the City County Building. If this proposal seems familiar, it is one we supported in a charter referendum in 2008. Voters rejected the effort then, but four years have passed, many of the players then are not involved in the Charter Review Committee and it's time to re-examine the merits of the issue. The county clerk, register of deeds, property assessor and trustee don't make policy they perform administrative functions without any dayto-day accountability. The offices easily can become nests of cronyism. Allowing the county mayor to appoint the positions, with confirmation from the Knox County Commission, would streamline government by placing a formal chain of command to these administrative offices. Spending in the offices would be reined in by the regular county budget process. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/01/editorial-time-to-revisit-appointingsome-knox/

Wendi C. Thomas: Patience of Job needed for job (Wall Street Journal)
Wanted: A superintendent for what could be one of the country's largest school districts. The unified Memphis City and Shelby County school system seeks an ambitious, charismatic miracle worker to do what has never been done in the history of urban education: Launch the performance of students from all backgrounds into the stratosphere. The district will serve the 102,000 students currently in Memphis City School system and if the suburbs have their way, not a single one of the public school students in Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown or Lakeland. The fate of students in Millington and unincorporated areas is uncertain. The preferred candidate, Helen Keller's teacher, is not available. Jesus, Allah and other divine entities have failed to return calls, texts, tweets and messages sent by carrier pigeon and stagecoach. This job has since been opened to the public. The ideal candidate: Must possess the genius of Steve Jobs and the patience of Job, the likeability of Rachael Ray and a smidge of Paula Deen's "aw shucks" attitude. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/01/patience-of-job-needed-for-job/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Editorial: Creating an aerotropolis (Commercial Appeal)

Around the world cities, including Memphis, are using their airports to promote their municipalities as aerotropolises. It's a catchy word that denotes an airport is the hub of an economic development wheel which has spokes bringing real or potential economic development to the surrounding area. But as a story by business 8

writer Tom Bailey Jr. on the cover of today's Viewpoint section makes clear, Memphis has been great at marketing itself as an aerotropolis, but lacks the financial muscle needed to make the concept more than a marketing fad. The Greater Memphis Chamber describes an aerotropolis as "a city or an economic hub that extends out from a large airport into a surrounding area that consists mostly of distribution centers, office buildings, light manufacturing firms, convention centers, and hotels, all linked to the airport via roads, expressways, and rail lines." The chamber created an Aerotropolis Steering Committee to capitalize on the region's logistics assets and initiate revitalization efforts of the neighborhoods bordering the airport. The committee, according to the chamber's website, meets regularly to discuss its progress on many social and physical infrastructure issues affecting Memphis. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/01/editorial-creating-an-aerotropolis/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Editorial: Leadership failure on economy worsens (Tennessean)

Amid the nonstop national debates about health care, reproductive rights, church-state separation, gun laws and what to do about Iran, perhaps it needs to be said at least one more time: The American people are first and foremost concerned about the economy. Although the U.S. is in a recovery, millions more people are out of work than five years ago. We still face brutal economic conditions here, with even more uncertainty looming from Europe. We need congressional leadership to set us on a sound fiscal course right? Well, we are not getting it. Congress, and President Obama, for that matter, are far too concerned with raising money for re-election, making anti-tax pledges and demonizing their opponents, and not all concerned with sitting down and seriously hammering out a compromise on their long list of differences. It does not appear to matter that the vast majority of people who elected them want and need them to get to work. This travesty was on full view on Thursday, when House Republicans pushed through a vote on a $3.5 trillion budget plan that will essentially kill Medicare for younger Americans and starve safety-net programs such as food stamps while preserving unnecessary tax cuts for wealthy Americans. Their plan is drastically out of balance and has no chance of advancing in the Senate. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/OPINION01/304010100/Leadership-failure-economy-worsens? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Schools must protect students with disabilities from harm (TN)
The National Disability Rights Network released its latest report on the continued use of restraint and isolation in schools that has led to physical injury of students with disabilities. Among the examples included in the report are scream rooms in Connecticut and the tragic case of a boy who was stuffed in a duffel bag in Kentucky. These examples show the need for the U.S. Department of Education to be proactive in setting forth policies and consequences of using restraint and isolation since federal legislation continues to be blocked. Regardless, I want to commend the Tennessee legislature for responding to concerns for the need to protect students with disabilities in schools. In 2009, passage of the Special Education Behavioral Supports Act took a big step by outlining ways to prevent inappropriate use of restraint and isolation. Last year, the legislature strengthened this law by clarifying that restraint and isolation are procedures of last resort, and must be used only in emergencies where it is necessary to prevent physical harm to the student or others. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/OPINION02/304010087/Schools-must-protect-students-disabilitiesfrom-harm?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Richard

J. Grant: Even

without mandate, Affordable Care

Act will fail

(Tennessean)
It is not necessary for the U.S. Supreme Court to find the individual mandate portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be unconstitutional in order to strike down the entire act, but it would be sufficient. It is also the most visible legal weakness in the act, which is why supporters of the ACA have now suggested that the mandate is severable from the remainder of the act. The ACAs supporters hope that by sacrificing the mandate they can keep the rest of the act alive. Where theres life, theres hope; and the hope in this case is that the remainder of the acts provisions will become sufficiently integrated into the system that they become politically entrenched. Then, a future Congress could find another, less constitutionally offensive method to serve the same function as the mandate. That other method would most likely be an overt tax. The economic impact of the remaining portions of the ACA would make such a tax necessary. Although popularly sold as a means of reducing overall health-care costs, the creators of the ACA knew that the inclusion of such provisions as the 9

mandatory coverage of pre-existing conditions and the setting of premiums based on average costs rather than actuarial costs would necessarily increase the total cost of such coverage. Everyone who kept their insurance coverage would pay more. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120401/COLUMNIST0110/304010070/RichardJ-Grant-Even-without-mandate-Affordable-Care-Act-will-fail?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p ###

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