fri., june 1 news summary

7/31/2019 Fri., June 1 News Summary

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FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Haslam requests assistance for Hancock, Hawkins farmers (WBIR-TV Knoxville)Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has announced he has requested a secretarial designation of natural disaster Hancock and Hawkins counties due to April's freeze. Haslam made the request in a letter to U.S. SecretaryAgriculture Tom Vilsack. A secretarial designation would make farmers eligible to apply for lost income recovelow-interest loans and other disaster assistance through the U SDA Farm Service Agency. "I understand tweather is always an unpredictable factor in farming, and the unusually warm winter and spring coupled withApril freeze has no doubt impacted some farmers," Haslam said. Farmers in Hancock and Hawkins countreported significant yield and quality losses for mixed forages and heavy damage to fruit crops as a result of freeze. The area experienced a dramatic drop in temperatures and heavy frost April 7 - 24.http://www.wbir.com/news/article/221458/2/Haslam-requests-assistance-for-Hancock-Hawkins-farmers

Doe Mountain acquired in $8.8M acquisition, boost in NE Tenn. tourism eyed (APTennessee Gov. Bil l Haslam and the Nature Conservancy say they expect an $8.8 mill ion purchaseundeveloped property in Johnson County to be a boost to tourism and create jobs. The state and conservation organization announced Thursday that they have acquired the 8,600-acre Doe Mountain, jsouthwest of Mountain City. Doe Mountain, which contains miles of existing roads and trails, is one of the largremaining blocks of forest in private ownership in the Southern Blue Ridge region. It will be open to the pub"Doe Mountain offers a great opportunity for outdoor recreation and the benefits that come with opening space for people to enjoy, such as healthier communities and new jobs from tourism," Haslam said in a nerelease. "I'm pleased we as a state could contribute to this lasting legacy for all Tennesseans."http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047354/doe-mountain-acquired-in-88m-acquisition-boost-in-ne-tenn -tourismeyed

DAG Paul Phillips retiring; Phillips-Jones appointed to take over (WBIR-TV KnoxGovernor Bill Haslam has named a new top prosecutor for the 8th Judicial District. District Attorney General PPhillips has announced he will retire on September 1, 2012. The Eighth Judicial District is composedCampbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union counties. Phillips has held the job since 1982. Gov. Haslam happointed Lori Phillips-Jones to take over after Phillips' retirement. "Lori has served the citizens of the EighJudicial District well for more than 11 years as assistant district attorney general, and her extensive experienmakes her the best fit for this role," Haslam said. "I'm pleased to appo int her, and I appreciate her w illingnessserve in this capacity." Phillips-Jones graduated from the University of Tennessee Law School in 1999 and hbeen with the Office of the Attorney General, Eighth Judicial District since 1997. She has served as a crimiinvestigator and a violent crimes prosecutor as the assistant district attorney general.http://www.wbir.com/news/article/221477/2/DAG-Paul-Phillips-retiring-Phillips-Jones-appointed-to -take-over

Second round of INCITE recipients announced (Nashville Post/Duncan)Tennessees INCITE Co-investment Fund has announced its second round of investments. Three mcompanies are receiving more than $3.8 million in funds from participating private investors. This allows companies to, combined, leverage approximately $1.4 million in co-investment funding from the state. Tcurrent round of companies includes J2 Software Solutions, a Tullahoma-based company providing variopublic safety organizations with software and technology solutions to aid their operations; Consensus PointNashville company with a collective intelligence solution that can generate prospective business insights; aKnoxville-based Aldis Inc., whose product is aimed at the traffic management sector. Todays announcemcomes a little more than a week a fter the first round of companies receiving funds was m ade public.
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/221458/2/Haslam-requests-assistance-for-Hancock-Hawkins-farmershttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047354/doe-mountain-acquired-in-88m-acquisition-boost-in-ne-tenn-tourism-eyedhttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047354/doe-mountain-acquired-in-88m-acquisition-boost-in-ne-tenn-tourism-eyedhttp://www.wbir.com/news/article/221477/2/DAG-Paul-Phillips-retiring-Phillips-Jones-appointed-to-take-overhttp://www.wbir.com/news/article/221458/2/Haslam-requests-assistance-for-Hancock-Hawkins-farmershttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047354/doe-mountain-acquired-in-88m-acquisition-boost-in-ne-tenn-tourism-eyedhttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047354/doe-mountain-acquired-in-88m-acquisition-boost-in-ne-tenn-tourism-eyedhttp://www.wbir.com/news/article/221477/2/DAG-Paul-Phillips-retiring-Phillips-Jones-appointed-to-take-over


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http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/5/31/second_round_of_incite_recipients_an nounced

Tennessees millions in incentives come up short on jobs (Nashville Biz Journal)Companies moving to or expanding in Tennessee have received at least half a billion dollars in state grants astate and local tax breaks since 2006, promising to create thousands of jobs. By 2011, as the nation emergfrom the recession, an overwhelming amount of those positions had been cut, representing a negative return

the states multimillion-dollar investment. In short, the state has lost much of what it paid for. MeanwhiRepublican Gov. Bill Haslam inked an expansion last month of the states FastTrack program, offering tensmillions of dollars more for a program aimed at generating jobs.http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tennessees-millions-in-incen tives.html(SUB)

Tax credits face uncertain future under Gov. Haslam (Nashville Business JournaIt was a tool that undoubtedly helped lure some big-name, high-dollar projects to Tennessee under DemocraGov. Phil Bredesen. Think Hemlock Sem iconductor, Volkswagen and Wacker Chemie, companies that receivmillions of dollars in state tax credits and are each investing more than $1 billion in Tennessee. N ow, tax credare facing an uncertain future as Republican Gov. Bil l Haslam looks to put his own stamp on the stateconomic development effort. Namely, Haslam has said the use of tax credits through the states DepartmenRevenue will decrease by a larger amount than a recent increase in cash grants

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tax-credits-gov-has lam.html(SUBSCRIPTION)

Communities forge own way on incentives (Nashville Business Journal)In the high-stakes competition for jobs, its a primary arrow in the quiver for Middle Tennessee communiticutting companies a break on their property taxes. Middle Tennessee counties have awarded $184.4 milliontax breaks since 2005 to lure new industry to their communities and help existing companies grow, more ththree times the amount of state training and infrastructure grants given to Middle Tennessee companies durthe same time period. As Gov. B ill Haslam moves away from a complicated system of statewide tax breaks, ability of local officials to fill in that gap could become more crucial tohttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/communities-incenti ves.html(SUB)

I-24 work will close Korean Veterans Bridge (Tennessean/Hum bles)A revised detour will be in place Saturday for this weekends shutdown of a three-mile section of Interstate downtown for the Nissan Taste of Music City Festival. The section of I-24 eastbound and westbound closed bridge work from the I-24/I-65 split north of downtown to the I-24 and I-40 split east of Nashville will be closfrom 9 p.m. today to 5 a.m. M onday. The Korean W ar Veterans Memorial Bridge will be closed to through trastarting at 6 a.m. Saturday for the Taste of Music City, scheduled for 5-9 p.m. the same day. Sections of MStreet and Woodland S treet under the interstate will also be closed. The Korean War Veterans M emorial Bridand Shelby Avenue have been options for local traffic access between East Nashville, LP Field and the CenBusiness District of downtown during road closures. Alternate routes Saturday when the Korean War Veterabridge is closed include: From the Central Business District of downtown, follow Second Avenue SouthWoodland Street, then Interstate Drive to Shelby Avenhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010033/I-24-work-will-close-Korean-Veterans-Bridge?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUB)

Willed property can help pay for TennCare costs (Associated Press/Burke)The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the state can go after the family houses and propertypeople who died ow ing money for end-of-life care even if that property has been left to family mem bers in a wThe state has long had the right to go to court to make a claim against the estate of someone who died owmoney for long-term or nursing-home care. Wednesdays unanimous ruling, however, reverses a lower courdecision barring TennCare from making a claim against property that was given away in a will. The stathighest court said the property could still be used to satisfy a debt to TennCare or any other creditor. TennCadministers the federal Medicaid program in Tennessee. Tim Takacs, a Nashville-area attorney who practicelder law, said the ruling was not surprising because the state already successfully pursues claims reimbursement from the estates of people who have died after receiving long-term care. A court can order tha
http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/5/31/second_round_of_incite_recipients_announcedhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tennessees-millions-in-incentives.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tax-credits-gov-haslam.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/communities-incentives.htmlhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010033/I-24-work-will-close-Korean-Veterans-Bridge?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010033/I-24-work-will-close-Korean-Veterans-Bridge?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/5/31/second_round_of_incite_recipients_announcedhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tennessees-millions-in-incentives.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/tax-credits-gov-haslam.htmlhttp://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/print-edition/2012/06/01/communities-incentives.htmlhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010033/I-24-work-will-close-Korean-Veterans-Bridge?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010033/I-24-work-will-close-Korean-Veterans-Bridge?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1


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family home or property be sold to pay off a debt for nursing-home care. However, Takacs said a survivspouse or a disabled child w ill not be subject to losing their home to satisfy health-care reimbursement costs a family member who was on TennCahttp://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS21/306010086/Willed-property-can-help-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p(SUBSCRIPTION)

Former Hawkins County General Sessions judge indicted on 41 counts of the

(TN)A former Hawkins County judge who resigned amidst criminal allegations against him has now been indictedtheft charges by a Davidson County grand jury. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reports James "JTaylor, 41, of Rogersville, was indicted on 36 counts of theft m ore than $500 and less than $1,000, three couof theft over $1,000 and two counts of theft less than $500. Taylor turned himself into authorities Thursdmorning and was booked into the Davidson County Jail. A press release from the TBI says that betweSeptember of 2010 and July of 2011 Taylor filed numerous false claims with the Adm inistrative Office of Courts. H e allegedly requested payment as appointed legal counsel in cases where he did not perform leservices. The TBI launched an investigation into allegations of bribery and theft against Taylor at the requestthe 3rd Judicial District Attorney Generals Office in August of 2011. The theft offenses named in the indictmeoccurred in Davidson County, where the Administrative Office of the Courts is located. Davidson County D istAttorney Generals Office and Tennessee Attorney Generals Office are prosecuting the case.

http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047328/former-hawkins-county-general-sessions-judge-indicted-on- 41-counof-theft

State Rep. Eric Watson seeks re-election in 22nd District (Times Free-Press)State Rep. Eric Watson, R-Cleveland, formally announced Thursday he is seeking re-election to the 22Legislative District he has represented since 2006. Calling it an honor to serve the district, which includes ruareas of Bradley County as well as all of Polk and M eigs counties, Watson said in his announcement that durhis House tenure "we have taken many steps forward in the 22nd District and I want to continue to serve you acomplete the work we have begun together." The lawmaker said m uch has changed in the district over the psix years, pointing to economic development such as the $1.8 billion Wacker Polysilicon plant and the buildingan Am azon.com distribution center, both in Bradley and both of which received state incentives. "Whirlpool aOlin committed to remain in our district, which will preserve hundreds of more jobs," W atson added. "Volkswag

suppliers are now looking at our district as a place to locate and possibly create hundreds of additional jobsthe future." The successes came about through partnerships and cooperative efforts between various state alocal officials and agencies, he said.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/state-rep-eric-watson-seeks-re-election -22/?local

Dean criticize charter rejection, hopes for Great Hearts solution (CP/Garrison)Mayor Karl Dean, injecting himself into two M etro school board decisions, said hes deeply disappointed abthe boards vote to deny KIPP Academ ys charter expansion and hopes Great Hearts Academies would addrediversity concerns in a revised charter application. The Great Hearts academic program is understandaattractive to many Nashville parents seeking additional educational options, Dean, an outspoken chaadvocate, said in a statement Thursday evening. I encourage G reat Hearts and Metro Schools to work togetto find a solution. Deans statement comes two days after the school board Tuesday voted to approve t

publicly financed, privately led charters and to deny the applications of eight others. Rejected charter applicahave until June 13 to appeal the boards decision. School board chair G racie Porter told The City PaThursday she wasnt prepared to respond to Deans statement when asked to comment. Applicants alwahave the opportunity to reapply, she said.http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criti cizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-so lution

Mayor Karl Dean rips Metro school board for KIPP charter denial (Tenn./Cass)Mayor Karl Dean, perhaps the citys foremost champion of charter schools, blasted the Metro school boaThursday for rejecting a prominent charter operators application to open a second school in Nashville. I deeply disappointed that the school board denied KIPP Academys application for a second charter school, evafter the districts charter school review com mittee recommended approval, Dean said in a statement releas
http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS21/306010086/Willed-property-can-help-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cphttp://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS21/306010086/Willed-property-can-help-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cphttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047328/former-hawkins-county-general-sessions-judge-indicted-on-41-counts-of-thefthttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047328/former-hawkins-county-general-sessions-judge-indicted-on-41-counts-of-thefthttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/state-rep-eric-watson-seeks-re-election-22/?localhttp://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criticizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-solutionhttp://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criticizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-solutionhttp://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criticizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-solutionhttp://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS21/306010086/Willed-property-can-help-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cphttp://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS21/306010086/Willed-property-can-help-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cphttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047328/former-hawkins-county-general-sessions-judge-indicted-on-41-counts-of-thefthttp://www.timesnews.net/article/9047328/former-hawkins-county-general-sessions-judge-indicted-on-41-counts-of-thefthttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/state-rep-eric-watson-seeks-re-election-22/?localhttp://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criticizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-solutionhttp://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/dean-criticizes-boards-kipp-charter-rejection-hopes-great-hearts-solution


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jus t before 6 p.m. KIPP is one of the most high ly- regarded national charter organizations in the country adoes an outstanding job in an area of great need in Nashville educating our at-risk children. Year after yeKIPP students achieve great results. The school board voted 5-1 against KIPPs application Tuesday. Boamember Mark North said the existing KIPP schools students regressed in science and social studies, thouDean said they performed well in mathematics and social studies, and their gains in reading scored highesthe state among schools serving low-income students. We have made great progress as a city in our approato giving parents more choices through charters, and this denial sends a negative message to the rest of country as to our position on charter schools, the mayor added.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS04/306010085/Mayor-Karl-Dean-rips-Metro-school-board-KIPP-charter-denial?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Pot land to become parkland under unprecedented deal (Tennessean/Gonzalez)Short Mountain species, views, headwaters will be protected A remote Tennessee mountain where drug dealgrew and hid mounds of marijuana for more than a decade will soon become protected parkland. Nearly 1,0acres on Short Mountain in Cannon County will be kept free of development to instead remain wild and natufor hunters and hikers an unusual outcome for forfeited drug property. But this was no ordinary land. Tgentle slopes and craggy ridges amazed federal drug investigators who w ere in on the raid and led scientistsdiscover species of crayfish, salamanders and beetles not found anywhere else. And the water that runs off mountain the tallest point in Middle Tennessee at 2,074 feet flows down in every direction. The deaconserve the drug land, signed recently after years of negotiations, is one of just four such transfers in the natin 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Its also by far the largest. In Tennessee, such arrangement has no precedent. A huge win for conservationists, who worked for years to convince governmand police agencies of its merit, the deal preserves some of the most beautiful land in the state. Those who putogether say that made m ore sense than sell ing it off to recoup all of the money poured into the dinvestigation.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010053/Pot-land-become-parkland-under-unprecedented-deal?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Attorney: Ownby has no plans to resign commission seat (News-Sentinel/DonilaKnox County C ommissioner Jeff Ownby, arrested last week on an indecent exposure charge, will not resign frhis 4th Distr ict seat and plans to attend Monday's board meeting to vote on the proposed budget for tupcoming fiscal year, his attorney said Thursday. In addition, defense attorney Gregory P. Isaacs lambasted Tennessee Department of Children's Services for telling the News Sentinel and other local media outlets tthree foster children were removed from Ownby's home as a result of the arrest. "That is false," he said. "Tfoster children had previously been scheduled to return to their biological parents after the completion of tschool year and were removed from the Ownby home on the morning of May 24, before his arrest. An 18-yeold remains at the residence. The statement made by the Tennessee Department of C hildren's Services wfalse and was made with a reckless disregard for the truth." DCS spokeswoman Molly Sudderth, who initirelayed the information to the media, disputed much of Isaacs' allegations.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/attorney-ownby-has-no-plans-to-resign-commission/

Memphis officials study half-cent hike in sales tax rate (Comm ercial Appeal/MakiWharton, Flinn join for proposed addition, top rate allowed The Memphis City Council on Tuesday will heaproposal to increase the city sales tax rate by half a cent, to the m aximum amount allowed under state law. Suan increase, which Memphis voters would have to approve, would place the city's local-option sales tax at 2percent, up from the current 2.25 percent, and could bring in as much as $47 million annually. M emphis CCouncil member Shea Flinn will propose the ordinance with the support of Mayor A C Wharton. Flinn said tincrease would help fund "city improvements and public safety initiatives," and could capture revenue fropeople who do not live in Memphis but come to the city for work, recreation or shopping. "The sales taxsomething that everybody pays so the burden wouldn't be solely borne by Memphians," Flinn said. Flinn saidis introducing the measure now to get it on the November ballot. He said that if approved, the sales tax increawould not help the city out of its immediate budget problems. Wharton has called for a 47-cent property increase for the fiscal year that begins July 1 to cover the cost of court-ordered funding for Memphis CSchools.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/city-studies-bump-in-sales-tax/(SUBSCRIPTION)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS04/306010085/Mayor-Karl-Dean-rips-Metro-school-board-KIPP-charter-denial?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS04/306010085/Mayor-Karl-Dean-rips-Metro-school-board-KIPP-charter-denial?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010053/Pot-land-become-parkland-under-unprecedented-deal?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010053/Pot-land-become-parkland-under-unprecedented-deal?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/attorney-ownby-has-no-plans-to-resign-commission/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/city-studies-bump-in-sales-tax/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS04/306010085/Mayor-Karl-Dean-rips-Metro-school-board-KIPP-charter-denial?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS04/306010085/Mayor-Karl-Dean-rips-Metro-school-board-KIPP-charter-denial?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010053/Pot-land-become-parkland-under-unprecedented-deal?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010053/Pot-land-become-parkland-under-unprecedented-deal?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/attorney-ownby-has-no-plans-to-resign-commission/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/city-studies-bump-in-sales-tax/


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Luttrell signs $1.2 billion budget despite qualms over spending (CA/Connolly)Shelby County M ayor Mark Luttrell says he has signed the county's $1.2 billion annual operating budget, despthe fact that the County Commission added $980,000 in spending that he opposed. The biggest chunkadditional spending was $495,000 for the homeless. The commission voted last week to finalize its approvalthis and other routine spending for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The budget process wraps up relatively eathis year: In 2010 and 2011, commissioners approved the budget in June. Luttrell's administration presencommissioners a balanced budget, and the additional spending means the government will dip into savings.

bothers me because of unknowns," Luttrell said. He cited education as one unknown factor affecting counfinances. He spoke outside a meeting of the Transition Planning Commission, which is working to manage tcomplex merger of the city and county school systems. The county is contributing $361.3 m illion to schools tyear, and the full financial consequences of a merger are unclear. Luttrell also said the fact that the cougovernment will reappraise properties for tax purposes next year adds to the uncertainty.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/uneasy-luttrell-signs-budget/(SUBSCRIPTION)

Budget com mittee reallocates revenue away from education (State Gazette)In a surprising turn of events, the Dyer County Budget Committee unanimously approved to reallocate 6 cefrom property tax revenue currently designated for education into the debt service fund. In addition, 3 cents frthe school transportation fund will also be reallocated into debt services. The move m ade it possible for the dservice and education budgets including the transportation budget to be approved at the end of Wednesda

meeting by the budget committee. "I am more in favor of this option, which moves money from transportatiosaid Dyer County M ayor Richard Hill. "We don't want to do anything to impact the county or the city classroomHill had stated just 24 hours earlier in Tuesday's budget m eeting with a room full of education supporters thatwas a voting member of the budget committee and that he would not vote to take money away from educatioThe decision made on W ednesday reduces the county school expected general fund revenue by $200,230 eayear and the city school expected general fund revenue by $155,146. Also, the school transportation fund, whis operated by the county schools, will be reduced by $17 7,687.http://www.stategazette.com/story/1855286.html

Expert: Mosque ruling 'reinforces' Sunshine Law (Daily News Journal)Tennessee Press Association attorney agrees with chancellor's decision Chancellor Robert Corlew IIIs rulthat the Rutherford County government failed to provide adequate public notice before approving a mosque seSunshine Law precedent, an open meeting expert said. In affect, hes plowing new ground, said Knoxvi

attorney Rick Hollow, a 40-year-plus legal counsel for the Tennessee Press Association. This ruling issignificant ruling strengthening the open meetings law because it reinforces the notice requirements areinforces the importance of the totality of circumstances that the Tennessee Supreme Court tacked onto it. were affirmed by a court of appeals or the supreme court, it would be a very significant decision with the publright to know, and thats the only way I look at it. While county officials weigh their options on whether to appor accept the ruling that voided the mosque decision, construction workers continue to build a new IslamCenter of Murfreesboro on Veals Road off Bradyville Pike. A crew supervisor said Thursday theyll continuebuild until either the county government or the congregation asks them to stop. The supervisor also said county government told the construction company to continue to build the $2 million Phase I project thasupposed to be 12,000 square feet.http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/NEWS/306010016/Expert-Mosque-ruling-reinforces-Sunshine-Law?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_c heck=1

Sen. Bob Corker says tax reform is gaining traction in Congre

(Tennessean/Cass)U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said Thursday he senses a growing consensus in Congress that the nation needsreform the tax code while also restructuring entitlements like Social Security and Medicare. I really do think tthe sweet spot for our country is pro-growth tax reform, Corker told reporters after addressing the TennessBusiness Roundtable. Thats lowering marginal rates but doing aw ay with loopholes (in order to) generate mrevenues and certainly economic growth linked to long-term entitlement reform. I do feel consensbuilding around that concept on both sides of the aisle, and our first best opportunity to deal w ith that is goingbe during the lame-duck session. I am convinced that over the next couple of years, this issue is going to addressed. The Tennessee Republican, who is up for re-election this fall, said he believes the amount
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/uneasy-luttrell-signs-budget/http://www.stategazette.com/story/1855286.htmlhttp://www.stategazette.com/story/1855286.htmlhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/NEWS/306010016/Expert-Mosque-ruling-reinforces-Sunshine-Law?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/NEWS/306010016/Expert-Mosque-ruling-reinforces-Sunshine-Law?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/uneasy-luttrell-signs-budget/http://www.stategazette.com/story/1855286.htmlhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/NEWS/306010016/Expert-Mosque-ruling-reinforces-Sunshine-Law?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/NEWS/306010016/Expert-Mosque-ruling-reinforces-Sunshine-Law?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1


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revenue lawmakers will be willing to put on the table w ill be tied to the amount of real reforms of the tax coBut he acknowledged the process will be tricky once Congress gets down to details.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS01/305310108/Sen-Corker-says-tax-reform-gaining-traction-Congress?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Corker voices optimism (Jackson Sun)Senator hopeful that parties will work together to solve nation's fiscal problems U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said he

optimistic that Democrats and Republicans in Congress will be able to come together to solve some of tnations fiscal problems. He said that is something that must be done if the United States is to prosper in tworld economy. We need to deal w ith our own fiscal issues and get them off the table, Corker told the JacksSun Editorial Board on Thursday. Im more optimistic than ever ... Im optimistic over the next 24 months wegoing to do something great for the nation, and I want to be a part of that. Corker said that although Congrehas been in a sustained gridlock on many fronts, he sees evidence that there is some consensus building amoDemocrats and Republicans around the issues of pro growth tax reform and entitlement reform. Consenscould set the stage for some meaningful changes that will spur the economy and reduce the national debt. If could get this (fiscal) uncertainty behind us, we are set for a tremendous boom, Corker said.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010010/Corker-voices-optimism?nclick_check=1

Corker Expects Battle Over Which Loopholes To Close (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker says theres widespread support for closing tax loopholes, as part of a potendeal to rework entitlements like Social Security and Medicare. But Corker jokes the fight over exactly whloopholes lawmakers close will amount to a permanent employment plan for lobbyists. Speaking to busineleaders in Nashville, Corker said figuring out which loopholes to close would pit such executives against eaother. And every lobbyist in America will be hired, because what is one mans loophole is another manswhatever. Its their existence. Corker says one particular battleground could be tax breaks for when companprovide health benefits for workers. And he says dealing with tax breaks on mortgages would invoke ire frowhat he called the housing industrial complex. And by the way, Corker said, those are on the individual siWait until you get on the corporate side.http://wpln.org/?p=378 22

Corker: European Crisis Foreshadows U.S. Debt Fallout (WPLN-Radio Nashville)Tennessee Senator Bob C orker is tempering his longstanding call to cut government debt with a warning. Cor

worries the U.S. will follow down the path of the European debt crisis. Corker points to so-called austemeasures in Europe: unpopular government cuts in areas like healthcare and education. Corker acknowledgits not a perfect comparison, because right now the U.S. can borrow easily. But he warns investors might always be so fond of American debt. The fact is were seeing what happens when austerity and other kindsthings have to occur. And were seeing, by the w ay, politicians be elected out who have tried to correct the fissituations that exist in these countries, which does not bode well. Corker told a group of business leadersNashville Thursday that in January he thought the European issue was in the rearview mirror. As to the politchallenge of winning support for austerity, Corker sees it as a question of maturity, and getting voters to taklong view. So far that hasnt got much traction in places like Greece, where unemployment is at 20 percehttp://wpln.org/?p=378 07

Roe says VA is exempt from automatic spending cuts (Times News)

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe said Thursday the Department of Veterans Affairs will be exempt from automatic spendcuts called for in the 2011 Budget Control Act. Roe, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, nothe VA wont be held to sequestration or about a half-trillion dollars worth of defense and non-defendiscretionary spending cuts scheduled to begin early next year. Its pulled out. Its not part of those automacuts. ... We have so many veterans in our district, Roe, R-Tenn., said in a conference call with reporteCongress and veterans advocacy groups had pressured the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issuruling exem pting the VA, w hich runs a medical facility and outpatient clinics in Roes 1st Congressional DistrThe OMB made that ruling in late April. With the OMB ruling out of the way, Roe said Congress is expectedpass an appropriations bill funding the VA for the coming federal fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047338/roe-says-va-is-exempt-from-automatic-spen ding-cuts
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS01/305310108/Sen-Corker-says-tax-reform-gaining-traction-Congress?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS01/305310108/Sen-Corker-says-tax-reform-gaining-traction-Congress?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010010/Corker-voices-optimism?nclick_check=1http://wpln.org/?p=37822http://wpln.org/?p=37822http://wpln.org/?p=37807http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047338/roe-says-va-is-exempt-from-automatic-spending-cutshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS01/305310108/Sen-Corker-says-tax-reform-gaining-traction-Congress?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS01/305310108/Sen-Corker-says-tax-reform-gaining-traction-Congress?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/306010010/Corker-voices-optimism?nclick_check=1http://wpln.org/?p=37822http://wpln.org/?p=37807http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047338/roe-says-va-is-exempt-from-automatic-spending-cuts


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Scottie Mayfield pledges term limit of 10 years (Times Free-Press/Carroll)Scott ie Mayfield promised Thursday to serve no more than 10 years i f e lected to the U.S. HouseRepresentatives, making a pledge his top opponents recently refused or evaded. Mayfield campaign spokesmJoe Hendrix said his boss decided to address term limits after reflecting on prior conversations with mem bersCongress. They told him theyd like to support certain legislation or initiatives, but choose not to vote for [thebecause it would hurt their re-election, Hendrix said. Having term limits ... creates the opportunity to vote what the mem ber believes is right. A dairy executive challenging U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in Tennesse

3rd District Republican primary, Mayfield would be 72 at the beginning of a hypothetical fifth term. He wobecome eligible for a full congressional pension after holding office for five years, according to the CongressioResearch Service. A single House term is two years. Fleischmann is seeking his second term. In a May debate, he avoided a direct question about a term-limits pledge, saying that elections every two years alreamake House members accountable to voters.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/scottie-mayfield-pledges-term-limit-10-ye ars/?local

Salazar renews waterfowl commitment during Nashville visit (Tennessean/WilsonU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed an ag reement updating an international waterfowl conservatagreement with Mexico and Canada during a Nashville convention Thursday. The update to the 25-year-regulations, called the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, was signed by Salazar at the DucUnlimited convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. The U .S., Canada and Mexico

adhere to the plan, which sets out to conserve wild and m igratory birds across the continent through habprotection and by other means in all three countries. Wildlife doesnt know political borders the way we knpolitical borders, Salazar said. They dont carry green cards or anything else. The habitats of waterfoincluding ducks, geese and swans, would have added protections across the continent as a result of the plaMore than 15.7 million acres in the three countries have been protected through the agreement so far, Salasaid. These lands can benefit the waterways from a habitat, as well as hunters and outdoorsmen who taadvantage of these areas. The signing of this agreement is an important one because it recognizes that ducand other waterfowl are continental birds, Salazar said. So Canada, the United States and Mexico signing tagreement is a great step forward to make sure the hunting heritage and habitat for ducks and other waterfowsomething that is preserved.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS11/306280001/Interior-Secretary-Ken-Salazar-renews-waterfowl-commitment-during-Nashville-visit?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7C text%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUB)

Thousands in Tennessee to get health insurance rebates (C. Appeal/Sells)Thousands of Tennesseans can expect a check from their health insurance company in August as insurecomply with a provision of the still-controversial and still-undecided Affordable Care Ac t. Insurers in Tennesswill pay around $29.5 million in rebates this year to 223,583 Tennesseans, according to the Kaiser FamFoundation, to meet a spending threshold set by the health reform law. The threshold, called the medical loratio, was set to require insurance companies to spend a minimum of 80 percent of their premiums on heacare, not on other business costs like executive pay or marketing. The rebates bridge the gap of what tcompanies actually paid for health care in 2011 and the 80 percent threshold. Insurers must report the amouof these rebate payments to the government today. The majority of the Tennessee rebates -- about $22.3 mil-- will go to 134,629 with individual policies, the Kaiser study said. About $4.4 million will go back to 65,9insured with small groups, like small businesses. About $2.8 million will be refunded to 23,046 insured in lagroups. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the state's largest insurer, announced Thursday it will pay $8million to about 73,000 individual policyholders in August. The insurer reported the figures a day ahead of tfederal deadline.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/bluecross-blueshield-refund-86m-73000-individual-p/(SUB)

Y-12 suspends some work because of safety concerns (News-Sentinel/Munger)The government's contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant Thursday indefinitely suspended a numbermaintenance activities at the plant because of poor performance in certain safety-related procedures. B&W Y-a partnership of Babcock & Wilcox and Bechtel National, halted all "lock out/tag out" activities at the Oak Ridplant, where nuclear warhead parts are manufactured and dismantled and where the nation's largest stockpile
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/scottie-mayfield-pledges-term-limit-10-years/?localhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS11/306280001/Interior-Secretary-Ken-Salazar-renews-waterfowl-commitment-during-Nashville-visit?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS11/306280001/Interior-Secretary-Ken-Salazar-renews-waterfowl-commitment-during-Nashville-visit?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/bluecross-blueshield-refund-86m-73000-individual-p/http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/scottie-mayfield-pledges-term-limit-10-years/?localhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS11/306280001/Interior-Secretary-Ken-Salazar-renews-waterfowl-commitment-during-Nashville-visit?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/NEWS11/306280001/Interior-Secretary-Ken-Salazar-renews-waterfowl-commitment-during-Nashville-visit?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/bluecross-blueshield-refund-86m-73000-individual-p/


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bomb-grade uranium is stored. Lock out/tag out procedures are set up to disable equipment and dangeromachinery to help protect service and maintenance employees from electr ical and other hazards wperforming their jobs. The plant's lack of adherence to proper lock out/tag ou t procedures has reportedly beeproblem for years. In a Feb. 3 memo, staff of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said there had becontinuing issues at Y-12 since at least 2007. The National Nuclear Security Administration, according to thsame memo, had identified 14 negative events since April 2010. Thursday's suspension of lock out/tag oactivities was ordered after three additional incidents that took place recently, according to Y-12 spokeswomRyn Etter. She said nobody was injured in the incidents each associated with isolation of electrical power maintenance projects bu t they prompted the contractor to take additional steps to correct the problem.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/y-12-suspends-some-work-because-of-safety/

Nissan to hire 1,000 (Daily News Journal)Job fair for Smyrna plant scheduled for Saturday Yates Services is hosting a job fair to fill many of the 1,0open positions for Nissans Vehicle Assembly and Electric Vehicle Battery Plant in Sm yrna. The fair will be fr9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Murfreesboro Career Center on 1313 Old Fort Pkwy. The company is recruitto fill long-term, full-time positions. Yates Services is hiring for off-shift positions, including nights, afternooweekends, and rotating shifts for the following jobs: Assembly/Production $15.25 progressing to $19.25 oshift Material Handling forklift experience required; $13.25 progressing to $15.75 off shift IndustMaintenance graduate and have a diploma through an Industrial Maintenance course; off-shift starting prate $19.75 progressing to $28.25 Tool and Die Maker experience required in welding, CNC, and/or hagrinding Warehouse/Production Support Off-shift start ing pay rate $12 progressing to $13http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS/306010017/Nissan-hire-1-000?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Showcasing need: Knox Schools makes argument for funding increa

(NS/McCoy)Adrian Burnett Elementary is busting at the seams with almost 675 students walking its halls intended for o500. "We do not have one extra inch of space in this school," said Kathy Duggan, the school's principal. "have a lot of shared space here. There are lots and lots of needs." On Thursday, school officials gamembers of the media a tour of Adrian Burnett, Shannondale Elementary and G ibbs High three of the facilitthat would see improvements if the school board's budget is approved by the Knox County Commission nweek. That budget includes a request for an additional $35 million to be spent on a number of initiativincluding technology and capital improvements. For next year's budget, $28 million would be designated technology and capital improvements and the remaining $7 million would be added to the district's operatbudget. "When we think about the school board's budget obviously there are some critical education initiatives and facilities improvements are part of that," said Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre at the beginning of ttour.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/showcasing-need-knox-schools-makes-its-argument/

Schools Group Lists "Bloody" Options To Close Funding Gap (M. Daily News)The group planning out a consolidated countywide school system found a way to balance the budget of tschool system to come. But it would come at the expense of m uch of the work the group has done to buildimproved and merged school system. The schools consolidation planning commission approved Thursday, M31, an option list totaling $54 million in cuts it could make to balance the expenses and revenues of the schosystem that debuts in August 2013. But the group also said the list was not a recommendation. They termed itreluctant contingency plan that they hope will cause Shelby County government and state government leadto consider additional funding instead. The group earlier gave preliminary recommendations that would saveadditional $97 million. Most of that would come from closing 21 schools and outsourcing custodial servicesschools as w ell as transportation of students The list of options includes increasing the student-teacher ratioone from the current Memphis City Schools ratio to save $20 million. The $20 million is the highest dollar figitem on the list and it mean 280 fewer teachers as well as an additional three to four students in the averamiddle school and high school classroom .http://www.mem phisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/y-12-suspends-some-work-because-of-safety/http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS/306010017/Nissan-hire-1-000?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS/306010017/Nissan-hire-1-000?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/showcasing-need-knox-schools-makes-its-argument/http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/y-12-suspends-some-work-because-of-safety/http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS/306010017/Nissan-hire-1-000?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/BUSINESS/306010017/Nissan-hire-1-000?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/showcasing-need-knox-schools-makes-its-argument/http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/


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lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/

Memphis-Shelby County schools merger reaches rough patch (CA/Kelley)For members of the Transition Planning Commission, the thrill is gone. Members of the group crafting a plan the merger of Memphis and Shelby County Schools had no trouble with their first item of business Thursdapproving a set of financial projections that left a $67 million gap between available revenue and proposspending for the first year of operation. Neither was it hard to approve a set of initiatives that would narrow t

gap by $29 million, although they're dependent on some successful lobbying at City Hall and the state CapitThe going got tough, however, when it came to approving a list of cuts and revenue increases, mainly cuts tthe unified school board can pick and choose from, if it decides to take that route -- $54 million worth in all --balance the $1.2 billion budget. The commission's Reginald Green was among the opponents, suggesting thsurely there could be ways to balance the books w ithout such drastic measures as increasing class sizes, hirfewer librarians and assistant principals and cutting $14.3 million from the central office staff. How can yincrease class sizes, asked Commissioner Kenya Bradshaw, and expect students to adapt to new stamandated common core academic standards?http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/(SUB)

The Jones Factor (Memphis Flyer)Martavius Jones, who with Tomeka Hart was one of the prime movers in the December 2010 decision by

Memphis City Schools board to surrender its charter, thereby initiating city/county school merger, hconsistently been an advocate ever since of maximizing the contours and possibilities of the Unified SchoDistrict that will become reality in August 2013. As a current member of the provisional Unified School Board aof the Transition Planning Commission created by the 2011 Norris-Todd Act to advise on the MCS merger wShelby County Schools, Jones has resisted all efforts to facilitate the creation of separate suburban municischool districts, threatening suit against future attempts by such districts to acquire existing school buildings fof cost or to enroll students from unincorporated areas of Shelby County. But Jones' position in regard to a Ju11th meeting called by Billy Orgel, president of the U nified D istrict's interim 23-member board, has otopponents of the suburban breakaway distr icts puzzled.http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571

Greene County Schools $1.2 million shortfall (Times-News)With a $1.2 million budget shortfall, Greene County school leaders are looking for ways to cut costs withoeliminating an elementary school. In a school board meeting this afternoon, Director of Schools, Dr. Vicki Ksaid members discussed cutting two driver's education positions, a music teacher position, and extracurricupositions, along with suggesting that employees may have to pay m ore for insurance benefits. Closing GlenwoElementary is an option, but Dr. Kirk says, it's a last resort. Dr. Kirk says, "But you see when you're budget83% personnel, and the rest of that are things like electricity, diesel, and textbooks that have already been cthere's not a lot left to cut that's not people." The school boa rd has not gotten a final figure from the commisson how much the county will be able to give the school system. Once that happens, Dr. Kirk says, modecisions will be made. And in an effort to help the school system, some members of the Greene CounCommission proposed an increase in the county's wheel tax. One supporter of the increase is Commissioner TWhite. He wants the wheel tax increased from 20 dollars to 40 dollars. He says, that w ill help some, but not althe school system's financial problems.http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-19564 64/

Schedules Get a Makeover in Schools Across the Country (Stateline)Many states, driven by budget woes, a desire to boost tourism or a determination help low-performing schooare contemplating changes in the amount of time their students spend in class. Some California school distrmay be forced to trim the school calendar to save m oney. In Alabama and Virginia, the issue is whether a lonsummer vacation will bolster the tourism industry. Meanwhile, Michigan wants to add days to the school calento help its lowest-performing schools. The issue in California, as it has been for several years, is money. Earthis month, Governor Jerry Brown proposed an 8 percent cut in education spending that would take effect unlevoters approve a November ballot initiative that includes an income tax hike on the states wealthiest citizens a
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-1956464/http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-1956464/http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-1956464/http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/1/schools-group-lists-bloody-options-to-close-funding-gap/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/merger-reaches-rough-patch/http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-jones-factor/Content?oid=3195571http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-1956464/http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/31/2/greene-county-schools-12-million-shortfall-commiss-ar-1956464/


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an increase in the sales tax. To cope with the 8 percent cut, school districts would be allowed to cut up todays from the school calendar over the next two years. The new reductions in the school year would cometop of previous cuts in the past several years. Schools were given the option to reduce the school day by fdays starting in the fall of 2009, and then an additional 7 days during the last school year.http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/schedules-get-a-makeover-in-schools-across-th e-countr85899395274

MORE

OPINION

Editorial: Taxes for schools an investment in future for Nashville's youth (Tenn)

As a Nashville native, homeowner, parent and a public schools product and advocate, its difficult to understawhy anyone would say no to any investment in Nashvilles future. I was raised to believe that we all holdstake in our community and that an investment in education is never an investment lost. So its particuladifficult to understand when that no comes at the expense of our public schools, which stand to beneenormously from Mayor Karl Deans budget proposal. Of the 53-cent property tax increase proposed in tbudget, nearly half would go to education an enormous investment in teachers, classrooms and our childrand a clear statement that shows that our community cares deeply about its mem bers and its direction. Nashvis growing fast. Over the past decade, we have added the second-most people of any county in the state. Peoare coming here from across the country and around the world, drawn by our quality of life, vibrant culture agrowing business and entrepreneurial opportunities. Unfortunately, they arent attracted by our schools, somewhich have struggled to keep up w ith federal and state benchmarks as well as factors wholly outside the conof teachers and principals

1
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http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/306010054/Taxes-schools-an-investment-future-Nashville-s-youth?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1(SUB).

Editorial: School budget No. 1 priority should be technology (Jackson Sun)As budget discussions between Jackson-Madison County school system officials and Madison Coucommissioners continue, it is important to keep priorities in line with funding decisions. Chief among thedecisions is how much to spend on technology. We remind everyone involved that the school boards No

priority is improving school technology. For many years, the school system has spent about 1 percent of annual budget on technology, and often less. The result is that the school system has fallen behind whcompared to school systems where technology investments have been as much as 10 percent of annbudgets. One problem faced over the years was that many teachers were not prepared to use the lattechnology, and sizeable investments in computers and other education technology met with resistance froofficials and educators. But much has changed in recent years as the accelerating digital age brought the wounprecedented access to the Internet through myriad devices from computers to Internet-connected projectointeractive Promethean boards, and most recently through mobile technology. For todays school systemtechnology is no longer an option. School systems such as Jackson-Madison County that have fallen behind nmust make up for lost time. That means putting technology spending at the top of the priority list and keepinthere for years to come.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/OPINION/306010002/Our-View-School-budget-No-1-priority-should-technolog y

Times Editorial: Positive home sales growth (Times Free-Press)Economists and real estate officials no doubt wish the April numbers were higher, but the 2.2 percent increaseHamilton County and North Georgia and the 3.4 percent national rise in home sales compared with a monearlier are positive signs that local and national economies on the rebound. The across-the-board increases ato already growing evidence that home sales, an important indicator of consumer confidence, continueaccelerate, though not at an equal pace in all areas of the country. Indeed, analysis of Aprils numbers reveaseveral important trends. Sales increases, in fact, were reported in each of the nations four geographic regioSales to first-time buyers increased from March to April. Median sales prices generally increased across tcountry, though there were some local and regional fluctuations. There were other positive signs, as well, tthe housing market is starting to build momentum after almost five years in the doldrums. Among the moimportant was the reported decline in the proportion of distressed property sales homes in default or thorepossessed by lenders. Home prices generally rise as the number of distressed properties sold declines.April, homes in that category totaled 28 percent of sales. Thats still high, but it is a considerable improvemeover the 37 percent reported in similar sales a year ahttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/positive-home-sales-growth/?opiniontimes

Greg Johnson: Hybrid pension plan no real change (Knoxville News-Sentinel)The city of Knoxville's work to find a solution for its ever-increasing pension plan obligations may have beexhausting, but it was far from exhaustive. In fact, the "Hybrid Max Plan" promoted by Mayor Madeline Rogewhich she claims com bines a defined benefit plan with a defined contribution element, falls short of real chanTo review, under a defined benefit plan like the one currently in place, city employees and retirees like percent of public employees nationwide are guaranteed a payment in retirement based on salary and lengof service. Taxpayers bear the burden for funding shortfalls or poor investment performance. In a defincontribution plan, employees make contributions, and the employer invests a "defined" amount. Em ploycontributions belong to the employee. Em ployer contributions "vest" to the employee after a set period of yeaThe employee gets the reward of owning the assets while accepting most funding risk and all investment riNationally, more than 80 percent of private sector employees must make do with a defined contribution planother words, the vast, vast majority of workers in Knoxville must take responsibility for their retirement incomWhy should they also be responsible for funding most of the retirement income of city employees, a sm all, smminority of the population?http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/greg-johnson-hybrid-pension-plan-no-real-change/

Editorial: Government leaders hold taxes down in tough times (Daily New

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http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/306010054/Taxes-schools-an-investment-future-Nashville-s-youth?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/306010054/Taxes-schools-an-investment-future-Nashville-s-youth?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/OPINION/306010002/Our-View-School-budget-No-1-priority-should-technologyhttp://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/OPINION/306010002/Our-View-School-budget-No-1-priority-should-technologyhttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/positive-home-sales-growth/?opiniontimeshttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/greg-johnson-hybrid-pension-plan-no-real-change/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/306010054/Taxes-schools-an-investment-future-Nashville-s-youth?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/306010054/Taxes-schools-an-investment-future-Nashville-s-youth?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/OPINION/306010002/Our-View-School-budget-No-1-priority-should-technologyhttp://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120601/OPINION/306010002/Our-View-School-budget-No-1-priority-should-technologyhttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/positive-home-sales-growth/?opiniontimeshttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/01/greg-johnson-hybrid-pension-plan-no-real-change/


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Journal)Rutherford County government leaders should be comm ended for proposing spending plans for fiscal 2013 twont require a property tax. Initially, the Rutherford County School Board was backing a budget proposal twould force a 6.2-cent increase in county taxes. And one schools official suggested the system needed an 1cent increase. That latter figure would tack about $41 onto the average annual property tax bill of $924. But evthough that sounds like a minimal amount maybe a trip to the movies with the kids property tax payersRutherford County need a break. As the region continues to crawl out from under recession, people still do

have the extra cash they did before the economy crashed in 2008. Job prospects are improving, but unemployresidents are still looking for decent work in order to survive, and household budgets remain stretched. Thawhy it was necessary for schools officials to settle on a no-frills spending plan that will enable the systemmeet growth requirements without putting a greater burden on taxpayers. The $279.6 million proposal is percent more than the current budget of $267.1 million. It makes up a large part of the countys overall budge$443.9 million, which is expected to take effect July 1.http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/OPINION01/306010008/EDITORIAL-Government-leaders-hold-taxes-down-tough-times

Editorial: Hands off the Internet (Com mercial Appeal)Here's a bad idea that keeps recurring: Turn control of the Internet over to the United Nations. A groupnations, led by the usual suspects -- China and Russia -- and joined shamefully by Brazil and India, are plann

to try to amend the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union treaty, to bring the Internet under a Uagency. Backers of the plan say the agency would impose controls, ostensibly for privacy and cybersecupurposes; allow governments and national telephone companies to tax Internet traffic; and take over functions now handled -- and handled rather well -- by a loose confederation of private agencies, includengineering standards and assignment of addresses, names and domains. The agency could also regulainternational traffic. There is no demonstrated need for this regulatory format, especially not by a Ubureaucracy of the kind that made such a corrupt hash out of the oil-for-food program with Saddam HusseiIraq. For an example of what that regime might be like, we need look no further than the Chinese governmewhich has been engaged in a nonstop game of whack-a-mole with free spirits on the Internet.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/hands-off-the-internet/(SUBSCRIPTION)

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http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/OPINION01/306010008/EDITORIAL-Government-leaders-hold-taxes-down-tough-timeshttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/OPINION01/306010008/EDITORIAL-Government-leaders-hold-taxes-down-tough-timeshttp://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/hands-off-the-internet/http://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/OPINION01/306010008/EDITORIAL-Government-leaders-hold-taxes-down-tough-timeshttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120601/OPINION01/306010008/EDITORIAL-Government-leaders-hold-taxes-down-tough-timeshttp://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/01/hands-off-the-internet/

fri., june 1 news summary

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