Topic: Tre Hargett

Communities to receive financing to build or repair schools

November 8, 2009 |

CMCSS receives 20 Million for Renovation of Montgomery Central High School

Communities throughout Tennessee will receive financing to build or repair schools as a result of the Tennessee State School Bond Authority’s (TSSBA) action on Thursday.

The TSSBA finalized plans to sell up to $184 million worth of Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) as part of a program created by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bonds are tax credit bonds that provide a federal tax credit to the investor on a quarterly basis. The bonds may also pay a supplemental coupon to the bondholders on a quarterly basis.

Thursday the TSSBA selected a bond underwriting team, approved a final bond resolution and finalized documents needed to move forward with the bond sale. The TSSBA had preliminarily approved the loans in September and, after some revisions in loan amounts and the addition of the City of Kingsport as a new borrower, the revised list of project loans were approved by the TSSBA.

The TSSBA will invest the proceeds from the bond sale in the State Pooled Investment Fund (SPIF) and will disburse the funds to the communities to pay the expenses related to their school construction projects.

Montgomery Central High School after the renovations

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State Funding Board approves major reforms for municipal financing

October 21, 2009 |

The Tennessee State Funding Board has approved a sweeping set of changes implementing enhanced requirements to the guidelines that govern cities and counties that propose to enter into interest rate swaps and other exotic financial transactions.

The revised guidelines are aimed at eliminating potential conflicts of interest by prohibiting individuals or companies from representing more than one side in derivative transactions. These revisions require greater transparency in the way information is reported and communicated about the transactions and require comprehensive disclosure of fees paid.

Cities and counties will have to demonstrate that they employ people with sufficient expertise to understand these complex transactions, including a chief financial officer and an accountant. Cities and counties must also meet minimum outstanding debt requirements and have an audit committee and a capital improvement plan. «Read the rest of this article»

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State Building Commission approves West Tennessee Megasite Project

September 30, 2009 |

Citing its potential to bring jobs to an economically-struggling area, the State Building Commission Executive Subcommittee gave its approval Tuesday to the West Tennessee “megasite” project.

The subcommittee’s vote clears the way for state officials to spend $40 million to purchase about 3,836 acres near Interstate 40 in southwest Haywood County. The site is envisioned as a future home for companies which will provide a new economic engine for West Tennessee.

“As a West Tennessean, I’m proud to support this project,” said Treasurer David H. Lillard Jr., one of the subcommittee members. “Like many areas of our state, unemployment is high in Haywood County and other West Tennessee counties. Development on the megasite has the potential to change that area’s economic fortunes for the better.”

“Megasites in Middle and East Tennessee have successfully lured big businesses to those areas – Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga and the Hemlock Semiconductor plant in Clarksville,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett, another subcommittee member. “I am pleased that West Tennesseans will now have the same opportunity to reap the economic benefits associated with a TVA certified megasite.” «Read the rest of this article»

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Prevent Election Fiascoes in Tennessee – Enact Paper Ballot Law Now

August 11, 2009 |

A perfect storm is brewing for Tennessee voters for the 2010 election.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Tennessee is set up for an election debacle, thanks to the states’ reliance on paperless electronic voting. Currently 93 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines.

Unless the Secretary of State Hargett takes swift and certain prompt action, thousands of votes will be at risk in the 2010 election. Computer scientists agree that any electronic voting machine can fail without warning. SOS Hargett should pay attention to the lessons learned by other states.

North Carolina found out the hard way that paperless voting machines can lose thousands of votes. In the November 2004 Presidential Election, 4,400 votes were permanently lost by “state of the art” computerized voting machines. The AP described that election as “A Florida-style nightmare …with thousands of votes missing and the outcome of two statewide races still up in the air.” On top of that, the outcome of one statewide election contest was too close to call. There would have been a $3 million dollar “do-over” election if one of the candidates hadn’t voluntarily withdrawn. (See North Carolina Ballot Blues) «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | 1 Comment »

Odom: Goins Needs to Do His Job

August 8, 2009 |

Elections Coordinator says he doesn’t have to enact law

Rep. Gary Odom, D-Davidson County

Nashville – State Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins has again refused to comply with state law, said House Democratic Leader Gary Odom on Friday.

“Goins and Secretary of State Tre Hargett have continuously failed to enact Tennessee’s Voter Confidence Act of 2008, which mandates the purchase of optical-scan voting machines that use paper ballots,” said Odom (D-Nashville). “The use of paper ballots ensures that Tennesseans’ votes are counted correctly.”

In a letter dated July 31st, Goins, in response to several requests from Odom’s office, said that he had the sole authority to “interpret” the law and was not going to implement the Act. «Read the rest of this article»

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Odom: Hargett fought effort to implement paper balloting in elections

July 10, 2009 |

Amendment to allow use of available machines undermined by SOS

Nashville — More than $25 million in federal funding to help implement the ”Tennessee Voter Confidence Act” is sitting idle because of an effort by the secretary of state to stall implementation of a paper trail in the 2010 elections, House Democratic Leader Gary Odom said Thursday.

“This money was provided by Congress to help the states provide for fair elections and to give coordinators the ability to determine that vote counts are correct beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Odom said. “Why there is such opposition to implementing this act is beyond me.”

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R)  said in a statement issued Tuesday that “the act is very specific” in requiring the state to use machines set to 2005 standards set by the federal Election Assistance Commission.

“This is simply not true. Nowhere in the federal act does it say we must use 2005 standards. It says we must use certified standards. The certification of 2005 standards does not nullify the 2002 standards, which will be available for next year’s elections. Hargett has interpreted the act to mean that 2002 machines are not acceptable to be used.” «Read the rest of this article»

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Constitutional Officers: Secretary of State

By Blayne Clements | January 7, 2009 |

This is the final article in a three part series discussing the upcoming election of the State of Tennessee Constitutional Officers.

This year the Republican gained control of the Tennessee House and Senate; the first time in 140 years. Therefore, they have the numbers to replace the current Constitutional Officers (all appointed by Democrats). In Part 1 on this series, I discussed the Constitutional Officer of the Comptroller. Part 2 discussed the position of Treasurer.  This article will discuss the duties and candidates of Secretary of State.

Per the Secretary of State website, the Secretary of State is charged with  keeping a register of official acts and proceedings of the governor and, when required, the legislature.  Like  the other two Constitutional officers, the Secretary of State sits on numerous state boards and committees.  The most visible duty of the Secretary of State has to do with the fact that the State Election Commission, the Tennessee Ethics Commission and the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance are attached to the Department of State for administrative matters relating to receipts, disbursements, expense accounts, budgets, audits and other related items.  The Secretary of State appoints each county’s election officials. «Read the rest of this article»

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