Washington – In the Obama Administration’s continued effort to stimulate community development and job growth, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $620 million to over 500 communities across the country through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). To view the list the full list of grantees receiving funding under this program, visit HUD’s Recovery Act website. Tennessee will receive over $13 million (see attached list).

The Recovery Act made available a total of $1 billion through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. On July 16th, HUD announced the first round of grants under this program to nearly 700 communities, totaling $360 million. With today’s announcement, all $1 billion are now in the hands of communities, working to create jobs and revitalize neighborhoods.

“Today, I am proud to announce that HUD has moved quickly to obligate more than $10 billion in Recovery Act funds,” said Donovan. “Nearly three quarters of our Recovery Act funds are now available to communities across the country and are being put to work creating jobs, making homes more energy efficient, and strengthening neighborhoods.”

CDBG enables state and local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide affordable housing and create economic opportunities. Under the Recovery Act, recipients give priority to prudent and responsible projects for which contracts through a bidding process within 120 days of the grant agreement.

HUD is committed to implementing Recovery Act investments swiftly and effectively, with the goal of generating tens of thousands of jobs and helping the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis. The Recovery Act includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, most of which is funneled through existing programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant program. Nearly 75 percent of that funding was allocated to state and local recipients only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law. Now, just over six months later, HUD has obligated, or awarded, nearly 75 percent of that funding to states and communities across the country. $10 billion out of $13.6 billion is now in the hands of grantees, available for spending.

President Obama directed all Recovery Act funding to be spent responsibly and in a transparent manner in order to provide a necessary economic boost, create jobs, and strengthen America’s middle class. In a letter to CDBG recipients of Recovery Act funds, Donovan wrote, “In accepting these funds, it is imperative that you be good stewards of these precious taxpayer dollars by focusing your efforts on the Recovery Act goals of investing in infrastructure that will create or sustain jobs in the near-term and generate maximum economic benefits in the long-term.”

Since 1974, CDBG has provided more than $127 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the construction and improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG funds, although the program is also an important catalyst for job growth and business opportunities. Annual CDBG funds are distributed to communities according to statutory formulas based on population, poverty, pre-1940 housing stock, growth lag, and housing overcrowding.

Secretary Donovan and the Department are committed to providing the highest level of transparency possible as Recovery Act funds are administered. It is vitally important that the American people are fully aware of how their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their federal leaders accountable. Every dollar of Recovery Act funds HUD spends can be reviewed and tracked at HUD’s Recovery Act website. The full text of HUD’s funding notices and tracking of future performance of these grants is also available at HUD’s Recovery Act website.

Tennessee amounts

• Bristol: $62,790
• Chattanooga: $465,678
• Clarksville: $215,046
• Cleveland: $89,967
• Franklin City: $73,348
• Jackson: $157,518
• Johnson City: $131,467
• Kingsport: $109,233
• Knox County: $270,573
• Knoxville: $504,654
• Memphis: $2,177,302
• Morristown: $78,824
• Murfreesboro: $169,316
• Nashville-Davidson: $1,316,347
• Oak Ridge: $68,498
• Shelby County: $276,897
• State of Tennessee: $7,095,627

About the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation’s fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

Tennessee State Capitol Building

On Thursday, the Tennessee House passed House Joint Resolution 0019, as amended, onto the Senate, by a 53-40 vote. The resolution calls for a study of the financial impact of legal gambling, not related to a state lottery, upon tax revenue collections of Memphis, Shelby County and Tennessee.

The resolution was introduced by Rep. Larry Miller, District 88 and amended by Rep Fitzhugh, District 82. The amended resolution calls for the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) and the University of Memphis conduct the study and report findings to the general assembly not later than January 1, 2010.

The resolution now awaits action in the state senate.

Action Alert Network

The dangerous constitutional amendment that would take away the right to abortion in Tennessee is back again. This year two resolutions, HJR61 and HJR66, have been introduced and both will be heard on Tuesday, February 24 at 4:00 p.m. in the House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee in Room 30.

Both resolutions begin “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion…..”

HJR61 by Rep. Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville), calls for exceptions for rape, incest, and the heath of the mother. HJR66 by Rep. Debra Maggart (R-Hendersonville) does not contain exceptions.

Please contact members of the House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee (http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/sub-phfa.html) and your own state representative and tell them to vote NO on HJR61 and HJR66. The easiest way to identify your legislator is to go to www.capitol.tn.gov. If you type in your address and city and click “search” you will learn your state senator and state representative.

Talking Points

• HJR61 and HJR66 are both all-out attacks on Tennessee women and seekto rob them of their right to make choices about their own health, safety and personal welfare.
• Historically, the State and United States Constitutions have been amended to expand rights, not to take away rights.
• Despite what the anti-choice forces are telling legislators, there are a number of Tennessee laws which already regulate abortion, including parental consent, a ban on late-term abortions and patient informed consent.
• The number of abortions in Tennessee is declining and the focus should be on how to prevent unwanted pregnancies by providing education and resources, not on taking away privacy rights.

Background

The introduction of HJR61 and HJR66 is the result of the ACLU/Planned Parenthood victory in the Tennessee Supreme Court. We successfully challenged several restrictions in the Tennessee Abortion Statute, including the mandates that a woman seeking an abortion could only receive state-mandated information and counseling from a physician, and that she must subsequently wait 48-72 hours before returning to have the abortion performed. In September 2000, the Tennessee Supreme Court issued a momentous decision affirming a woman’s right to privacy as it pertains to her right to obtain an abortion.

Senator Thelma Harper and Senator Beverly Marrero will join Atty. Tim Barnes the Democratic Party nominee for State Senate District 22 as special guest speakers at the Early Vote Rally with the Montgomery County Democratic Party this Saturday, October 18, starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Montgomery County Election Commission.

State Senator Thelma Harper is considered one of the most powerful senators to represent the state of Tennessee. Senator Harper has for many years been a prominent and highly influential figure in the political, social, and civic lives of many.

State Senator Beverly Marrero is also scheduled to attend along with several prominent democratic elected officials and Democratic Party leaders.

After the rally party members will be going inside the election commission to vote as a group. The group will then canvass designated areas.

For more information please call (931) 801-4821 or (931) 273-7927

A collection of Classroom Paddles (www.corpum.com)

Spare the rod, spoil the child? It’s an axiom many of us grew up with. It’s in the news again, though, sparking controversy over the application of corporal discipline to children by school teachers and administrators.

Nearly half of our states, including Tennessee, still allow and use corporal punishment in schools. Tennessee is among thirteen states reportedly using corporal punishment “frequently,” according to the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. The group said Wednesday that some 200,000 children were subjected to this practice (spanking or paddling) in the 2007-08 school year.

Surprised? Many people were. Angry? Even more people were.

In the 125-page report, “A Violent Education: Corporal Punishment of Children in U.S. Public Schools,” the ACLU and Human Rights Watch found that in Texas and Mississippi children ranging in age from 3 to 19 years old are routinely physically punished for minor infractions such as chewing gum, talking back to a teacher, or violating the dress code, as well as for more serious transgressions such as fighting. Corporal punishment, legal in 21 states, typically takes the form of “paddling,” during which an administrator or teacher hits a child repeatedly on the buttocks with a long wooden board. The report shows that, as a result of paddling, many children are left injured, degraded, and disengaged from school.

The report found that in the 13 southern states where corporal punishment is most prevalent, African-American students are punished at 1.4 times the rate that would be expected given their numbers in the student population, and African-American girls are 2.1 times more likely to be paddled than might be expected. There is no evidence that these students commit disciplinary infractions at disproportionate rates. — – ACLU/Human Rights Watch

The 13 biggest offenders, according to this report, are Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. Yes. Tennessee. Mississippi reportedly uses physical forms of discipline on 7.5% of its students, with Texas taking second spot with 48,197 students being subjected to this treatment in a single school year (06-07).
More numbers from the U.S. Department of Education:

• 223,190 students received corporal punishment in 2006-07
• 342,038 students received corporal punishment in 2000-01

This unconscionable act is called “discipline” by the teachers and the systems that condone it. School officials and teachers reportedly say it is faster, more effective and more economical than detentions, in- house suspensions. They cite overcrowded classrooms as one of the culprits behind behavior problems required such a physical response.
But it is more complex than that. The statistics in this report show that black students are far more likely to be subjected to physical forms of discipline. Black students comprise 17.1% of the U.S. student population, but garnered 35.6% of the paddling in 2006-07. Black girls received twice as many hits as white girls. Boys outnumber girls when it comes to receiving physical discipline, but again, blacks have a 50% greater chance of being by teachers and staff in school than Caucasian children.

Top graphic: "Paddling States" from the U.S. Department of Education; Bottom Graphic, "Lynching States" from the Charles Chestnut Digital Archive

It gets worse. The ACLU and Human Rights Watch report that those “special needs” students with mental and physical disabilities are much more likely to sustain physical discipline than their counterparts.

Students with mental and physical disabilities are also punished at disproportionate rates, with potentially serious consequences for their development. In Texas, for instance, 18.4 percent of the total number of students who were physically punished were special education students, even though they make up only 10.7 percent of the student population. -– ACLU/Human Rights Watch

While Alice Farmer, author of a report from the ACLU and Human Rights Watch, agreed that schools need effective disciplinary strategies, “beating kids teaches violence” and does little stop bad behavior. Farmer noted that “corporal punishment discourages learning, fails to deter future misbehavior and at times even provokes it.”

“Minority students in public schools already face barriers to success. By exposing these children to disproportionate rates of corporal punishment, schools create a hostile environment in which these students may struggle even more.” — Alice Farmer

The Department of Education report links physical punishment to economic conditions in many schools, conditions that include shrinking budgets, overcrowded classrooms, lack of counseling assistance, and insufficient resources to deal with students who are disruptive or who need extra assistance in their learning environment. Translation: budget woes.

North Carolina’s Enquirer-Journal, in a February 13, 2005, story, referred to Union County school paddles as the “Board of Education.”

On his webpage, Evangelical leader James Dobson, of Focus on Family, writes:

“Corporal punishment is not effective at the junior and senior high school levels, and I do not recommend its application. It can be useful for elementary students, especially with amateur clowns (as opposed to hard-core troublemakers). For this reason, I am opposed to abolishing spanking in elementary schools because we have systematically eliminated the tools with which teachers have traditionally backed up their word. We’re now down to a precious few. Let’s not go any further in that direction.”

Dobson refrains from supporting a complete ban on corporal punishment.

On his website, Focus on the Family.com, in the section of family/discipline, Dobson says:

“The spanking may be too gentle. If it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t motivate a child to avoid the consequence next time. A slap with the hand on the bottom of a multi-diapered thirty-month-old is not a deterrent to anything. Be sure the child gets the message—while being careful not to go too far.”

Some schools allow parents to “opt out” of corporal punishment for their children by signing a waiver. Some districts in the states most prone to use this practice, including the city of Memphis, Tennessee, one of the nation’s largest school districts, have banned the practice.

Acknowledging that many states “still permit the use of corporal punishment with an instrument in schools”; the American Academy of Pediatrics has proposed that “striking a child with an object” is a type of physical punishment that “should never be used” and has recommended that corporal punishment be abolished in schools.

– American Academy of Pediatrics

“A Violent Education” is based on four weeks of on-the-ground research in Mississippi and Texas in late 2007 and early 2008, including more than 175 interviews with children, teachers, parents, administrators, superintendents, and school board members.

To read the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch report, “A Violent Education: Corporal Punishment of Children in U.S. Public Schools,” please click on the “Violent Education” link.

AARP is political but non-partisan, and wields considerable influence on state and federal legislation, serving as the voice of their demographics. They do so without endorsing specific candidates and they remain issue oriented.

To educate and inform their membership. AARP publishes a monthly magazine with the largest circulation in America. the March/April edition got my attention with the cover photo of a smiling Jack Nicholson, one of the outstanding actors of our generation.

Besides an insightful article on him, the magazine from cover to cover offers articles with practical information. Two articles in particular that apply to many of us involve dealing with stress: “Riding Out a Recession” and “Finding Faith” (a search for spiritual peace).

For example, the State of Tennessee is promoting reduced taxes for seniors with annual incomes below $24,000. property taxes support city and county infrastructures. Without that income, our schools, law enforcement and social services would be on life support.

This issue gives guidance on property taxes in answer to this question:

“I just got my tax bills, and with home prices dropping, I say my house isn’t worth nearly as much as the town assessorseems to think. What can I do?”

The broad answer, if a citizen appeals, is as follows: “Don’t delay. Gather the evidence,. Hire an appraiser. Look for unique factors.” For a fuller explanation, refer to AARP (Mar/April, p 14; “Lower That Too!”)

Nuggets of helpful, realistic and utilitarian information is disseminated in these pages.

The Clarksville Montgomery County AARP invites all residents age 50 and up to their monthly meetings, which are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Hilldale United Methodist Church. Each meeting includes a guest speaker. Through their meetings, one hears first hand the progress in improving and protecting lives of seniors and political actions at the local, state and federal level.

“Right to hunt” constitutional amendment passes 105th General Assembly

House Joint Resolution 108 passed on the House floor this week with overwhelming aproval. The constitutional amendment would add provisions to the state constitution establishing the right to hunt, fish, and harvest game subject to “reasonable rules and regulations.” An excerpt from the resolution reads:

Hunting and fishing are honored traditions in the state; citizens have enjoyed the bounty of Tennessee’s natural resources from the time prior to statehood, including hunting and fishing for subsistence and recreation; therefore, hunting and fishing is a vital part of the state’s heritage and economy and should be preserved and protected.

Having already passed the Senate this year, the amendment must now win the approval of the 106^th General Assembly next year by a two-thirds vote. The measure could be on the ballot for referendum as early as 2010.

“Pass the bottle” clears committee

The “Pass the Bottle” legislation, which would ban open containers in vehicles, and one of several DUI bills rolled out as a comprehensive effort to combat drunk driving, passed subcommittee this week and will next be heard in the State and Local Government Committee. The bill has met resistance for the last several weeks, however, members who previously seemed to oppose the bill wrangled over amendments, one of which lessened the charge for having an open container in a vehicle to a misdemeanor and a $50 fine.

If the bill is signed into law, federal funds to the tune of over $13 million could be returned to the road building account, and used in much-needed areas of maintenance such as road paving. Currently, the state receives the federal funds, but is restricted in how the money is spent. Due to these restrictions, much of it is now used for public safety campaigns.

Legislators participate in “Ag Day on the Hill”

Legislators participated in “Ag Day on the Hill,” an event sponsored by the House Agriculture Committee to raise awareness regarding the many things Tennessee farmers contribute to our economy and identity. Representatives from the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and produce, dairy and beef producers were all on hand to meet with legislators and discuss their initiatives and products. Below are some highlights:

Tennessee Farmers Cooperative: Despite a difficult year in which farmers were plagued with drought conditions, the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative reported a successful year due to the hard work and determination of their farmers. All of the state’s feed manufacturing facilities were designated Safe Feed/Safe Food Certified Facilities by the American Feed Industry Association, a rigorous process ensuring safe food.

U.S.D.A.: Although the number of farms in the U.S. decreased slightly, cash receipts from farm marketings increased by 11 percent. The top commodity in the state of Tennessee proved to be cattle.

Produce and Dairy: The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has rolled out a new website, http://www.picktnproducts.org/, that features great gifts, seasonal recipes, games, and where to find fresh produce, and hardy plants.

Dairy farmers reported that Americans are consuming more dairy than ever before. Per capita consumption of total milk has climbed to 605 pounds today from 552 in 1983. Tennessee is part of the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, which also recently rolled out a new website, http://www.southeastdairy.org/.

For more information, please visit www.tennessee.gov/agriculture.

In brief…

• Schools: The House voted unanimously this week to pass legislation that requires school principals to grant students excused absences for up to 10 days for the purpose of visiting a parent who is stationed outside of the country. Currently, if a student’s parent, custodian, or other person with legal custody or control is a member of the United States armed forces or National Guard, a public school principal must give the student an excused absence for one day when the member is deployed and another day when the service member returns from deployment. Having already passed the Senate, the bill will now be sent to the Governor for his approval.
• Public Records: House Bill 2750 passed the Local Government Subcommittee this week, and will now be heard in full committee. The measure will allow elected bodies to set up websites where they can “instant message” one another, making the “conversations” available for the public and the media’s viewing. The bill was filed in response to the problems associated with the state’s Sunshine Law.
• Energy: The House voted this week to support House Joint Resolution 838, a measure that encourages the governor to establish a goal of reducing fuel consumption by at least 15 percent in the state’s vehicle fleet by June 30, 2010. The resolution was embraced by House members on both sides of the aisle. The sponsor said he believed that 2010 was a realistic goal to reduce the fuel consumption.
• Education: A bold education initiative called “Education Pays” was passed out of the House Education Committee, winning bi-partisan approval. The bill’s sponsor said he was extremely pleased that the Education Committee is thinking outside the box. The Education Pays Act creates a pilot program to give cash rewards to encourage academic achievement among at-risk students.

The week ahead…

• House Bill 3519 exempts home-based kitchens where non-potentially hazardous foods are made and the sale of such foods at farmers’ markets from department regulation. (Agriculture)
• House Bill 3715 requires meat or milk from cloned animals and all food for human consumption that has been genetically altered or modified to be labeled as such and that notice be appropriately given to the public. (Agriculture)
• House Bill 3865 requires all birthing hospitals to provide educational materials for parents of premature newborns. (Health and Human Resources)
• House Bill 3059 creates a Class B misdemeanor offense of consuming alcoholic beverage while driving motor vehicle on public highway and Class C misdemeanor offense of possessing open container of alcoholic beverage within passenger area of motor vehicle on public highway. (State & Local Government)
• House Bill 4023 prohibits the diminution in value of gift cards and gift certificates. (Consumer & Employee Affairs)
• House Bill 3991 creates new Class E and D felony offenses of assault on law enforcement officer; and Class B felony offense of aggravated assault on law enforcement officer. (Judiciary)
• House Bill 4042 authorizes human resource agencies to apply for grants and implement statewide an intervention program called “Moral Kombat.” (Education)
• House Bill 0009 creates K-12 lottery capital outlay special account; establishes grant program for capital outlay projects for K-12 educational facilities administered by comptroller of the treasury. (Education)
• House Bill 4185 adds a new classification of limited resource waters to the Water Quality Control Act of 1977. (Conservation & Environment)

In the two weeks leading up to this event, I found myself bombarded with emails, resumes, political bio’s, as well as campaign novelties from potential candidates supporting Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They were trying to get myself and the other 141 delegates from across the district to select them to serve as a delegates for the state of Tennessee at the National Democratic Convention which will be held later this year in Denver Colorado.

I personally support Barack Obama. However, this did not stop delegates and supporters of Hillary Clinton from attempting to get me to lobby on her behalf. Whew! For a little while the action was like my being in the middle of the New York stock exchange. However, when I got the hang of it, I found the rules to be quite simple.

Because Senator Clinton had won the state of Tennessee she was allowed 3 delegates and those selected were: Barbara Brown from Montgomery County; Randall Rice from Hardeman County; Paul Simpson from McNairy County; and 1 alternate Andrieene Pakis-Gillon from Shelby County.

Senator Barack Obama was allowed two delegates a male and a female. The lucky winners were Maggie Faill from Williamson County, and Keith Norman from Shelby County (at left).

Local attorney Muriel Bullock Neal was selected to serve on the rules committees for both the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton caucuses and delegate elections.

There were Congressional District Democratic Conventions taking place simultaneously across the state of Tennessee, each adopted and agreed to abide by the following representation goals set forth by the Tennessee Democratic Party with approval of the Democratic National Committee. Out of the 85 member Tennessee delegation to the national convention they wanted to have representated 24 African Americans, 3 Hispanics or other ethnic minorities, 2 GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender), and 9 younger Democrats (35 or younger).

With over 20 delegates and non voting guests, the Montgomery County Democratic Party was well represented at the 7th Congressional District Convention. It was a great learning experience and it reaffirmed my beliefs that if most Americans would just take a little time to attend these events they would understand the political process a lot better and fully understand that their vote really does count!