Agricultural Commissioner Ken Givens along with State Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) has announced the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program. Most applications are accepted on a first come, first serve basis and should be filled out completely. Applications cannot be postmarked earlier than June 1. The deadline for submission is July 1.

According to Pitts, “Agriculture continues to be one of the most important industries we have here in Tennessee and these grants means hundreds of farms across the state have a better chance of being here for years to come.”

This year’s program offers the same menu of cost share opportunities as last year, including livestock equipment, cattle genetics, hay storage, feed storage, grain storage and producer diversification opportunities. To date, TAEP has provided cost share funds for more than 15,000 projects. A recent study has shown that for every state dollar invested, an additional $4.64 is generated in local economic activity.

Ted Givens, Commissioner-TN Dept. of Agriculture

“This year, there may be fewer total dollars to go around, but the Ag Enhancement Program remains strong and we expect to be able to put several millions of dollars on the ground to help farmers make strategic investments,” said Givens. “We expect another year of high demand for these cost share opportunities, so farmers should apply early.”

New for agritourism operators is the Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) cost share opportunity. Through TAEP, agritourism operators can receive cost share funds to purchase TODS featuring TDA’s well known red barn icon. These signs can be used along Tennessee highways to direct motorist to agritourism venues.

TAEP is a state funded program established by Governor Phil Bredesen and supported by the General Assembly to increase farm income in Tennessee by helping farmers invest in better farming practices and by encouraging diversification and innovation.

Through TAEP, farmers can qualify for 35 or 50 percent cost share ranging from a maximum of $1,200 to $15,000 on a variety of projects.

Applications are available at most farm agencies and farm supply stores including USDA Farm Service Agency, UT Extension, Farm Bureau and Tennessee Farmers Co-op locations.  Producers can get important messages and updates on the program by calling 800-342-8206.

For more information or to download an application, visit www.TN.gov/agriculture/enhancement.

State Senator Tim Barnes (D)

Senator Tim Barnes said that a grant for Houston County’s airport is the kind of investment that helps the area compete for companies with good-paying jobs.

“Our rural airports, like the one in Houston County, are important to their communities, Senator Barnes said. “They need to have their facilities  in top shape because they are part of the total package when a company is looking for a place to locate.”

Governor Phil Bredesen and the state Department of Transportation announced last week that the Houston County Airport would receive $3,150 as part of an aeronautics grant. The funding will be used for tree trimming. Senator Barnes added that this facility needs to be a competitive part of the statewide transportation network. “When a major company requires this kind of facility for its executives, we want to be in the game to compete for jobs.”

Senator Barnes represents Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery Counties. You may contact his office by email at: <sen.tim..gov> or 1-800-449-8366, extension 1-2374 or via postal mail at 305 War Memorial Bldg, Nashville, TN 37 243-0222.

]]> http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/05/28/houston-county-airport-to-benefit-from-state-aeronautics-grant/feed/ 1 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/04/15/governor-identifies-450-transportation-projects-for-funding/ http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/04/15/governor-identifies-450-transportation-projects-for-funding/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:04:19 +0000 News Staff http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=18023 Projects to be funded through Recovery Act, Bridge Bonding and Traditional Funds

NASHVILLE- Governor Phil Bredesen yesterday released a final list of projects to be funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds (Recovery Act), proposed bridge bonds and TDOT’s regular funding mechanisms. The three-tiered program represents more than 450 projects statewide touching every county in Tennessee.

“The Recovery Act is fundamentally about creating and retaining jobs during one of the toughest economic times our nation and state have faced since the Great Depression,” said Governor Bredesen. “This three-tiered program represents a record investment in Tennessee’s transportation system. The Recovery Act, along with the bridge bonding and TDOT’s regular program, will put thousands of Tennesseans to work rebuilding and strengthening one of Tennessee’s largest economic drivers, our transportation system.”

The Legislature is currently considering the transportation budget for approval. TDOT will let to contract all Recovery Act projects in May and June of 2009.

“Not only will these transportation projects help create or save tens of thousands of jobs for Tennesseans, the end result of this investment will be a more reliable transportation system,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “This three-tiered program represents a responsible, balanced and community based approach to transportation. Years of planning and study have gone into each of the projects funded for construction.”

The projects will fund 122 construction projects in our TDOT region which includes: Bedford, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson and Wilson counties.

Of Local Interest

Four projects are located in Montgomery County including:

• Bridge Rehabilitation, Montgomery SR-12 SR-12 over Little McAdoo Creek at LM 4.04
• Road Resurfacing, 4.1miles  Montgomery SR-12/US-41A SR-374 to Kentucky State Line
• Bridge Replacement, Montgomery SR-13/US-79 SR-13 (Wilma Rudolph Blvd) Northbound lane over Red River at LM 21.57
• Road Resurfacing, 8.2miles Montgomery SR-238 SR-76 to Kentucky State Line
• Road Right of Way, 3.8 miles Montgomery SR-149/13 Proposed SR-374 to Zinc Plant Road

The City of Clarksville is also in line for multiple public transportation related grants.

For more information on Tennessee’s transportation portion of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act visit www.tn.gov/tdot/recovery.

• Budget proposal presented to lawmakers
• Stimulus funds will foot much of the TennCare bill
• Higher Education may dodge a bullet
• Unemployment Insurance
• Testimony on “wine in grocery stores”
• Is the Tennessee Plan constitutional?

After months of uncertainty while the United States Congress wrangled over details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Governor presented his initial budget proposal Monday night to a Joint Convention of the House and Senate. Because of the unprecedented economic situation facing Tennessee, the Governor is proposing a multi- year approach, and laying out possibilities for the next four years. He explained that much of the ARRA money, which totals approximately $5 billion over two years for Tennessee, comes with strings attached and has essentially already been earmarked by Congress.

According the Administration, about “two-fifths” of the money are “Tennessee” funds—monies that will allow the state some leniency regarding where to use them—while the remainder are “Congressional” funds that have multiple strings attached.

Stimulus funds will foot much of the TennCare bill

Of the $2.1 billion in “Tennessee” funds, more than half will temporarily foot the bill for TennCare—the state’s Medicaid program—to free up the state dollars to fund programs elsewhere. While other states will be required to use this money to plug holes in their Medicaid programs, TennCare is in a stable position. Additionally, TennCare had approximately $500 million in their reserve account at the beginning of the year.

Higher Education may dodge a bullet

Although large reductions were expected in higher education, the ARRA dedicates $500 million specifically to higher education, meaning that the anticipated cuts are no longer necessary. Reductions that had already taken place will now be restored to the tune of $100 million this year. The budget proposal stipulates that higher education will be fully funded for the next 21 months from stimulus funds. However, House Republicans expressed prudence when discussing changes to the higher education system, which will be facing a possible $180 million shortfall in the future. Republican leaders have expressed their desire to leave nothing off the table when discussing possible different approaches to higher education.

Unemployment Insurance

One of the priorities that the Governor said the Administration will focus on is
keeping the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund solvent. Although the Governor considered turning down the unemployment portion of the federal stimulus package, citing as a concern the obligation to continue higher spending when the federal money runs out in two years, the state will accept the $141 million
injection to the Unemployment Trust Fund.

Accepting the money will mean that Tennessee has to adopt three federal mandates at a projected outflow of $30 million annually. A part-time worker definition, alternative wage base calculations and dependents allowance must be adopted by the General Assembly in order to qualify for the stimulus funds.
Republican lawmakers are cautioning that if adopted, there may be a need to end these mandated benefits once the federal monies are exhausted to sustain the fund in the future.

House State & Local Committee hears testimony on “wine in grocery stores” bill

The State and Local Government Committee heard testimony this week concerning the “wine in grocery stores” bill, which has emerged as one of the key issues this year. While the fate of the bill is unclear, the legislation has spurred discussion over Tennessee’s liquor laws.

The bill would essentially create a “wine at retail food store license,” which would allow the sale of wine at retail food stores. The license would be issued by the Alcoholic Beverage Commission and only in a county or municipality that has authorized the sale of alcoholic beverages. Businesses who obtain the license would still be subject to  rules and regulations governing current liquor and beer laws, and would also be subject to the “Responsible Vendors Act,” which requires mandatory carding.

Much of the testimony in favor of allowing wine in grocery stores centered around the possible revenues the state and local governments would receive if the bill is passed. The Fiscal Review Committee is estimating that passage of the bill would mean $16 million for the state’s General Fund, and an $11 million boost for local government revenues.

The Sheriff of Madison County testified against the bill, stating that he believed the legislation would lead to an increase in underage drinking, and to an increase in crime and panhandling outside of convenience stores. In the same vein, a liquor store owner projected he would lose 15 to 20 percent of his revenues if the bill passed, resulting in the loss of one full time employee and possibly an additional part time employee.

The bill’s fate has yet to be decided, as neither the House nor the Senate has officially taken the legislation up for members’ debate. The Associated Press performed an informal poll of every member of the General Assembly last week, with the results showing 23 members were supportive, 31 members were against the legislation, and 78 members were undecided

Subcommittee hosts presentation: Is the Tennessee Plan constitutional?

The Civil Practice and Procedure Subcommittee hosted a presentation this week, asking the question: “Is the Tennessee Plan constitutional?” Judge Holly Kirby of the Tennessee Court of Appeals and Brian Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, made presentations.

The Tennessee Plan is the mechanism by which the state appoints judges to the
State Supreme Court, the State Court of Appeals, and the State Court of Criminal Appeals. When the plan was implemented in the 1970’s, advocates hailed the plan as a way to keep partisan politics out of the judiciary.

The Judicial Selection Commission, a panel composed of 17 members, offers the Governor a slate of three candidates to fill a vacancy on the court. If the Governor rejects all three candidates on the first slate, he can request another. If this occurs, the Governor must then make a selection from that list of prospective nominees. After being appointed, judges are subject to “yes/no” retention votes every eight years.

Fitzpatrick said he firmly believes the Tennessee Plan and the Judicial Selection Commission is unconstitutional. He pointed out that should the legislature decide they prefer the commission and the subsequent retention vote, a constitutional amendment would be necessary—which would require not only the approval of two General Assemblies, but also a voter referendum.

Judge Holly Kirby suggested in her testimony that the legislature should look to the intent of the writer’s of our State Constitution. Did they, she asked, intend to limit the power and authority of the legislature to determine the type of elections for appellate judges? She argued that the judicial and executive branches have the most limited authority, and the broadest possible authority was granted to the legislative body, which directly represents the people of this state.

At the center of the debate over the Judicial Selection Commission is the provision in the constitution that states, “The judges of the Supreme Court shall be elected by the qualified voters of the state.” The state Supreme Court has ruled that the yes/no retention vote qualifies the system as constitutional, but the debate came to a head in 2007, when the Governor rejected the first two slates of candidates given to him by the Judicial Selection Commission. His actions prompted questions as to whether or not the system was effective and relevant.

The Judicial Selection is currently in “wind-down” due to legislature failing to pass a bill last year extending it. Unless legislation passes this year to extend the commission, it will cease to exist as of June 30, 2009.

In case you missed it…

House committee discusses “Secret Ballot Protection Act of 2009”: The House Employee Affairs Subcommittee heard testimony this week regarding the Republican-sponsored “Secret Ballot Protection Act of 2009.” The legislation is an initiative that seeks to preserve the right of voting by secret ballot when it comes to deciding whether or not to elect an exclusive bargaining
representative.

The sponsor argued that the bill is a counter measure to the Democrats’ dangerous card check legislation, which could possibly subject employees to intimidation by making any vote for a union public. Republicans also believe the right to a secret ballot is sacred whether in the voting booth or in the workplace and that the bill is consistent with Tennessee’s Constitution and court decisions that provide that all elections in Tennessee shall be by a method guaranteeing ballot secrecy.

Aggressive driving bill moves out of Transportation Committee: A bill to curb aggressive driving passed out of the House Transportation Committee this week, and will now face the Finance, Ways and Means Committee. House Bill 18 creates a new violation of aggressive driving if the driver is guilty of at least three of the following violations in one continuous episode of the following:

• Overtaking on the right
• Overtaking and passing in no passing zones
• Following too closely
• Failing to yield for emergency vehicles
• Failing to yield to pedestrians
• Failure to signal turn
• Speeding
• Stopping, standing, or parking in prohibited places
• Following fire trucks
• Improper use of HOV lanes

Constitutional Amendment adding “Right to hunt and fish” passes subcommittee: A constitutional amendment that would add the right to hunt
and fish to the Tennessee Constitution passed out subcommittee this week, and will now face Conservation and Environment Committee. House Joint Resolution 149 has already been passed by a majority in the 105 th General Assembly, meaning that it must now pass the 106th General Assembly with a two-thirds majority before appearing on the ballot in a referendum in 2010.

The week ahead…

• HOUSE SESSION: 5:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2009 in the House Chambers

• HOUSE SESSION: 9:00 a.m. Thursday, April 2, 2009 in the House Chambers

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

• Calendar & Rules Committee, 8:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Higher Education Subcommittee, 8:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Consumer Subcommittee, 8:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 30
• Professional Occupations Subcommittee, 8:30 a.m.,Legislative Plaza 31
• Commerce Committee, 9:15 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Agriculture Committee, 9:15 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Family Justice Subcommittee, 9:15 a.m.,Legislative Plaza 30
• Health & Human Resources Committee, 10:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Consumer & Employee Affairs Committee, 10:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Utilities & Banking Subcommittee, 10:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 30
• Environment Subcommittee, 11:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• State & Local Government Committee, 12:00 p.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Civil Practice & Procedure Subcommittee, 12:00 p.m., Legislative Plaza 31
• Finance, Ways & Means Committee, 1:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Employee Affairs Subcommittee, 1:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Rural Roads Subcommittee, 1:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 31
• Wildlife Subcommittee, 2:15 p.m., Legislative Plaza 30
• Transportation Committee, 3:00 p.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Public Safety Subcommittee (After Trans), Legislative Plaza 16
• Public Health Subcommittee, 4:00 p.m., Legislative Plaza 30

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

• Calendar & Rules (TBA), 8:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Children & Family Affairs Committee, 8:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• State Government Subcommittee, 8:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Judiciary Committee, 8:30 a.m., Legislative Plaza 31
• Local Government Subcommittee, 9:15 a.m.,  Legislative Plaza 29
• K-12 Education Subcommittee, 10:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Government Operations Committee, 10:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Industrial Impact Subcommittee, 10:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 30
• Elections Subcommittee, 10:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 31
• Education Committee, 11:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Budget Subcommittee, 11:00 a.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Criminal Practice & Procedure Subcommittee, 12:00 p.m., Legislative Plaza 31
• Parks and Recreation Subcommittee, 12:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Domestic Subcommittee, 12:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Healthcare Facilities Subcommittee, 12:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 30
• Finance Budget Hearings, 1:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 16
• Agriculture Subcommittee, 3:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 29
• Judiciary Committee, 3:30 p.m., Legislative Plaza 31

In large organizations, whether public or private, teamwork is often talked about more than actually practiced.  From day one of this administration, Governor Bredesen has insisted that all departments work together to maximize the effectiveness of state government, and hopefully achieve goals that benefit all of Tennessee.  Here at TDOT, we continue to enjoy extremely productive relationships with other departments and are constantly searching for innovative methods of integrating teamwork into the business we do everyday.

Commissioner Matt Kisber and his team at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development have brought many new and exciting industries to our state, along with thousands of job opportunities for our citizens.  We have striven to provide the transportation components which supplement the state’s efforts to recruit manufacturers like Volkswagon, Nissan, Denso, and most recently, Hemlock Semiconductor.  Through TDOT’s State Industrial Access program, the department can help facilitate the development of industry by building access roads or even interstate interchanges.  The goal of this program is to efficiently invest budgeted program funds into the state’s economy to advance growth and the local economy while providing new employment opportunities.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation also wants to do everything it can to support state’s tourism industry.  To that end, we work with Commissioner Susan Whitaker and the Department of Tourist Development in such projects such as production of the state map and visitors guide or placing tourist-oriented guide signs along our roadways.  We also partner with the Department of Tourist Development in the construction and maintenance of Tennessee’s 15 Welcome Centers.

TDOT has worked closely with the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation to improve the environmental permitting processes. In November, 2007 Commissioner Jim Fyke and I signed the Tennessee Environmental Streamlining Agreement which is designed to mitigate potential delays to transportation projects.

We are also working more closely than ever with our partners at the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to coordinate efforts during emergencies.  Upon the request of TEMA Director Jim Bassham we have a TDOT employee permanently assigned to TEMA. This embedded presence at TEMA proved invaluable in responding to the deadly tornadoes that swept through the state in February 2008.

When we have incidents on our roadways, the Department of Safety works to makes sure the most current and accurate information is relayed to TDOT’s 511 Motorist Information line and to the TDOT SmartWay website.  In the state’s urban areas, our HELP operators assist the Tennessee Highway Patrol and local law enforcement in clearing accidents.  Commissioner Dave Mitchell and THP Colonel Mike Walker realize that this relationship is a vital component of our efforts to keep traffic moving on our highways.

In today’s difficult financial times, state departments must rely on each other more than ever.  Through teamwork, we can face these challenges together and work to keep Tennessee in motion.

A

President Hall took the time to personally communicate both the increase and his plan for making up the remaining budget shortfall to all of APSU’s students. In his plan, the budget for instruction is to be held sacred and remain untouched. Similarly, the President hopes to avoid cutting any teaching positions, filled or vacant (for the purposes of the budget, money is allocated as if these positions will be filled), another erstwhile goal. Unfortunately, this leaves two areas that will receive big cuts, maintenance and operations, two areas in which Austin Peay has already been struggling in recent years to meet needs. Announcements of various service interruptions in things such as water, electricity, or heat and air due to failure of campus infrastructure are common enough that students expect those emails.

However, President Hall isn’t at fault here. As much as he can do, he does not have control over how the Tennessee Legislature appropriates funding, and he is simply doing the best he can to compensate for their bad decision making. The figures on pork spending for this session aren’t in yet, but looking at last year’s expenditures reveals more than 260 million dollars in spending that is questionable at best, and an amount that is more than enough to cover the shortfalls in essential budgetary items.

Top on the list is Boll Weevil eradication, yes, you heard right. Fiscal year 2007-2008 (that’s last year) featured 6.5 million dollars to combat the little buggers. Yes, they don’t do very much for cotton crops, but according to most estimates there are less than 9,000 of the quarter inch long insects alive in the state in total, meaning taxpayers are spending $730 dollars per insect to attempt to kill them. The kicker, the Boll Weevil population has been stable for roughly a decade. Fortunately, its biggest proponent, Senator Wilder (who coincidentally was president of the Tennessee Cotton Ginner Association in the past and still owns Longtown Gin and Supply Co.) has gone the way of the dodo in the Senate. Hopefully this abysmal waste of resources goes with him.

Next up, 70 million dollars over five years (12.2 million dollars per year) to pay farmers to grow switch grass (a type of prairie grass that most farmers would call a weed) instead of corn to produce ethanol. Before the environmentalist nut-jobs start pointing out this is investing in alternative energy, let’s take a look at something. Ethanol is NOT, I’ll repeat NOT, a viable alternative to gasoline. For starters, ethanol is more expensive to make than gasoline, period, end of story, not changing in the near future, which means it WILL cost more per gallon that gasoline. Second, ethanol contains approximately 30% less energy than gasoline per unit volume. This translates to the Ford Focus at 29 miles to a gallon on gasoline achieving only 20 miles per gallon on ethanol, meaning you have to buy and burn more ethanol to go the same distance. That leads to point number 3, biofuels made from Switch grass grown on land intended for corn production (a staple crop in Tennessee by the way, and a highly profitable one) leads to a 50% increase in carbon emissions as compared to growing the corn and using the gasoline instead. Point 4, this also makes no economic sense. According to the United Nations there is a global shortage of staple food grains including corn. So, instead of growing corn, which could be sold on the world market to help such a shortage, Tennessee wants its farmers to cease corn production (exacerbating the shortage) and grow economically unviable (if it was profitable on its own, why would we pay them?) switch grass. Axing this alone would cover almost the entire budget cut that the TBR system raised tuition to cover.

Corruption also rears its ugly head in Tennessee, at least last year. Rep. Janis Sontany (D-Nashville), put in for $52,000 in earmarks to various organizations, she sits on the board for all of them. She also sent $10,000 to Seth Norman’s drug court. He provided her with generous campaign donations. Rep. Mary Pruitt (D-Nashville) set aside $55,000 for a group she helped found, plus she’s an ex-officio board member. Rep. Barbara Cooper asked for $61,000 for organizations that her own campaign claims she is a key member of.Rep. Joe Towns (D-Memphis) pushed for $10,000 for his college fraternity (which is even more suspect and worthless than the previous examples). This doesn’t even begin to include kickbacks given because of friendship or political contributions.

Speaking of corruption, how about how legislators have been using their general office funds (taxpayer funded general fund that is meant to cover things like paper, printer cartridges, schoolhouse flags, etc) to pay for their campaigns. Again, Rep. Towns takes the cake for the most egregious offender, spending $2,251 to send out campaign newsletters. At least four other legislators have done so. Legislators are also very fond of abusing their Per Diem allowances. House Speaker Pro-Tempore Lois DeBerry (D-Memphis), Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville), and the Mister Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington) all billed the state for more than $30,000 in Per Diem. All three of them billed the state for a trip to China. Speaker Pro-Temp DeBerry billed the state a total of $31,967 with 14 out of state trips. That is, she billed the state for her full allowance for 199 days. That’s far longer than the legislature is supposed to be in session, by about 109 days, actually. Just what were the taxpayers funding on those extra days exactly? Sen. Doug Jackson (D-Dickson) and Rep. Towns both claimed more than $25,000 is Per Diem. In total 22 legislators claimed more in Per Diem than their $18,123 base salary (Speaker Naifeh has a base salary of 3 times that, by the way and he was still in the top 3 for Per Diem billing). Speaking of outrageous though, how about Reps. Sherry Jones and Brenda Gilmore (both D-Nashville) who live less than 10 miles from their offices at legislative plaza and still claimed better than $22,000 in Per Diem allowances. These ladies sleep in their own homes every night, so how they managed to spend $22,000 on room and board traveling to Nashville will forever remain a mystery.

Also, cronyism is alive and well in Bredesen’s administration. State employees received a 3% raise last year; Bredesen’s cabinet received raises that averaged 23%, for not doing their jobs. DCS failed to investigate child deaths in a timely manner, then failed and refused to share the findings with prosecutors and judges. The commissioner received a 63% pay raise. Economic Development failed to collect final reports on over $865,000 worth of grants. Are we rewarding good service, or handing out bones here?

On loose ends in parks and recreation, the state lost over 1.4 million dollars on golf courses, $500,000 on a feasibility study of making a “fishing trail” and “stocking it with fish.” Grant, on a technicality, most parks cost the state money for no profit, but the golf courses charge for use and are supposed to be self sustaining. Only two of the fourteen courses were self sustaining, the two located in urban areas. The other 12 scattered across rural Tennessee in such odd places and Chester County lost money at insane rates. As for the fishing trail idea, the feasibility study is half a million, wagers are open for how much the actual project, the environmental impact studies, continual stocking expenses, etc will cost the state, for no apparent reason.

Another odd project is the resurrection of the Tennessee River ferry between Houston and Benton counties. It cost the state 1.2 million dollars to put the service in operation again, and costs approximately $1,380 per day to operate. Twenty-three people per day pay $.87 to make use of it, meaning the taxpayers are subsidizing 98% of each passenger’s fare (if one were to charge those 23 people the $59 and change their tickets would need to cost to equal the cost of running the service) for something that 99.99… of the people in this state will never hear of, much less use.

This brief rundown cannot even begin to account for every piece of unneeded spending in Tennessee. The lavish and decadent spending at the Governor’s mansion remains, the so-called obligatory spending on the abysmal socialist failure that is TennCare remains unchecked, and there is still no guarantee that money legitimately and wisely appropriated to different agencies was spent wisely or well, or will be in the coming fiscal year. Perhaps instead of asking for hard decisions on spending cuts, Governor Bredesen and the General Assembly should look to remove some of these outrageous and unneeded items of spending first that no one will notice or miss.