State government legislative update

The following is reposted from Eagle Forum and is valuable information for any political activist. 
 
LESIGLATIVE UPDATE
January 12, 2013
Tennessee General Assembly information, click HERE. For information on State Senators, including phone numbers and email addresses, click HERE; for House members, click HERE. For information on legislation, click HERE.
Don't forget that you can now watch the Senate committee meetings and floor sessions online by going HERE; House committee meetings and floor sessions online HERE.
Phone calls can go to the legislative Switchboard at 615-741-3011 or to the Toll Free number 1-800-449-8366+1 last four digits of office phone number (available online).

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No ban on solicitation for "expressive art."

Below is a segment of my report on the last  Metro Council meeting and what happened with the Metro Solicitation bill. 

SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. BL2012-283 is the new Metro Solicitation bill that would impose new regulations on commercial door-to-door solicitors. It  passed unanimously on second reading so thought would sail on through third reading. However, it does not. Not saying what the problem with the bill is, it is stated that there are "possible constitutional ramifications" with the bill. The sponsor tries to suspend the rules so the bill can be amended on third reading to address the issue, but there are objections to the rule suspension, so the bill cannot be amended. The sponsor successfully moves to rescind the passage on second reading and move the bill back to second reading. (To see this action go to 27:54)

Now we know what the problem is with the bill. The Metro Department of law determined that to withstand a First Amendment challenge the bill must provide an exemption for "expressive art."  Read the Tennessean report at this link.

Interesting. Who is to say that aluminum siding is not an expressive art? I don't see the logic of being able to ban solicitation of people selling roofing but not being able to ban people selling symphony tickets. 

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More on Steve Gill leaving the airwaves

News Channel 5, Jan 11, 2013- Steve Gill, a vocal opponent of efforts to create a state income tax and a two-time Republican congressional nominee, is giving up his radio show. 

Update: See The Tennessean report at Conservative talk show host Steve Gill to leave radio.

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A great opportunity for a high school student

Below is information and a link to learn more about a great opportunity for a local high school student.

Bank of America is accepting applications for their Student Leadership program.   Go to www.bankofamerica.com

ELIGIBILITY

The Student Leaders^® Program is an eight-week summer experience for high school juniors and seniors. The program includes a paid internship with a local nonprofit organization as well as the Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., July 8-13, 2013. The program gives Student Leaders^® the opportunity to develop and apply leadership skills through hands-on community work experience while discovering their own talents for serving their community and leading others.

To become a Student Leader, you must:......

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Metro Councilman Tim Garrett looking at running for vice mayor

Tim Garrett

The Tennessean, January 11th, 2013, by Michael Cass - Metro Councilman Tim Garrett said today that he’s “99 percent sure” he’ll run countywide for vice mayor of Nashville in 2015.

Garrett, who served on the council from 1991 to 1999 and returned in 2007 – all in an at-large seat – said his institutional memory would help to guide a council that will be full of new faces after Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors, all five at-large members and numerous district members are forced out by term limits. (link)

My Comment: I think Tim Garret would make a good vice mayor.  I don't always agree with the way Tim votes, but I don't always agree with anyone.  Even our good republicans in the council vote for things like price-fixing and resolutions praising the EPA and opposing Charter schools, so I am not so sure that the party one identifies with makes a whole lot of difference.   

Tim did support the mayors tax increase last year and I don't like that, but then all but five of the council members supported it.  Tim Garrett is a Democrat but I perceive him to be a conservative Democrat. He is a common sense legislator. He is smart, does his homework and is conscientious. In addition, Tim Garrett is just a really nice guy. Any time I have ever written Tim or called him he has called me back.

A couple years ago when we were fighting to get early voting restored, after the election commission had drastically reduced the number of voting places and days of early voting, Tim Garrett was one of the first to go to bat to get early voting restored. If Tim should be elected vice mayor, I am certain he would be fair in his committee assignments effectively and fairly conduct council meetings.

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State Senate and House Committees

To see who got the chairmanships and assignments to the various State Senate committees, follow this link.
To see who got the chairmanships and assignment in the House follow this link.

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Video and summary of the 1/8/2013 School Board meeting

This meeting is 1 hour and 45 minutes long. There is very little of a broad general interest that occurs at this meeting and there is no controversy.

There is a discussion of School security including plant design, protocol and the cost of armed guards (see 1:07:08- 1:30:32)

Board member Amy Frogge announces she will be bringing an anti State charter authorizer resolution to the Board at the next meeting.

Announcement: I am looking for someone to take over the job of reporting on education matters for this blog. Your post would carry your byline.  I would want someone who has a passion for education and who would be diligent and timely. I would prefer someone with conservative values similar to my own, however if a person was more liberal than I, but could report on education matters with objectivity they would be considered. If interested, contact me. Rod 

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Cops against grocery store wine

Police group opposes wine in grocery stores bill

The Tennessean, Jan 9, 2013 -A group of Tennessee police officers urged lawmakers not to embrace a proposal to let grocery stores sell wine, fortifying their position ahead of a renewed push for the bill this year in the state legislature.

Calling themselves Tennessee Law Enforcement for Strong Alcohol Laws, police chiefs, sheriffs and other officers from around the state held a press conference Wednesday to argue that changes to the state’s liquor laws could encourage binge drinking and divert police resources. (link)

A response  from:

Earlier today, a group of law enforcement officials held a news conference at Legislative Plaza to come out against the sale of wine in retail food stores. Their main argument was an increase in underage drinking, which studies have shown is not an effect of allowing wine in retail food stores in the 36 other states already allowing these sales.

Today’s conference is the first time in the five years the issue has been debated that law enforcement members have officially come out against the issue. We look forward to a continued discussion with them and representatives of the liquor stores about increasing Tennessee wine sales, and we look forward to Tennesseans’ having the opportunity to vote on it.

Below is a statement from Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association president Jarron Springer in response to the conference:

It is disappointing that the liquor retailers would hide behind law enforcement officials in an effort to keep Tennessee consumers from having a voice in the wine in retail food stores debate.

A vote by the legislature in favor of the proposed bill will not place wine in our stores. Passage would only allow local communities to decide through a referendum as to whether wine would be available at retail food stores.

We respect law enforcement and have worked closely with them on the issue of underage drinking. The issue of wine in retail food stores has been debated for five years, and the statements made today mark the first time that a group of law enforcement officials has officially come out against the measure. We can only take that as a sign that the liquor lobby is concerned about the possibility of the bill passing and led the effort to bring the group together this morning.

If law enforcement is concerned about increased access to alcoholic beverages, then surely they will be opposed to future referendums on liquor-by-the-drink and package store availability, which are also handled on the local level.

The statement that increased access to wine is a public safety issue has been proved false by numerous sources, including the FBI. Wine sales in retail food stores are not linked to drunk driving or underage drinking. A study issued in December 2011 by the American Association of Wine Economists and Cornell University showed that “states with higher rates of wine consumption as a share of total alcohol consumption have lower rates of traffic fatalities.”

In addition, states that allow the sale of wine in grocery stores had an average of 21.7 fewer youth liquor violations per 100,000 residents than did states without wine in grocery stores (FBI).

Tennessee’s retail food stores asked for and helped to pass the Responsible Vendor Law. Under this law, all customers purchasing alcohol at a retail food store must show proof of age. Liquor stores do not have to abide by the same requirements.

Again, retail food stores look forward to a healthy and civil legislative debate on the subject of wine in retail food stores and the bill to allow local referendums. Upward of 70 percent of Tennesseans want to purchase wine where they shop for food. We urge the Tennessee General Assembly to let Tennesseans vote on this issue.

My Comment: The argument by these law enforcement officers does not hold water. We now have beer in convenience markets and malt based "wine cooler."  Are we really to believe that having wine in convenience stores will increase illegal and irresponsible teen drinking? The same Responsible Vendor Law that now applies will still apply. 

Both the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor support wine in grocery stores and we have a Republican super majority in both chambers. There is no excuse for wine in grocery stores not passing this year.

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Council meeting of 1/8/2013 with summary and notation

Council votes against Charter Schools, fair board to issue RFI, Council keeps lifetime healthcare benefit as it is.



This meeting is only 41 minutes long. Below are the highlights with notations of where to go in the video to see the good stuff. If you want to follow the action and relate it to the agenda, follow  Metro Council Agenda . From the agenda, you can link to the analysis.

Bills on public hearing: 

BILL NO. BL2012-264  by Josh Stites, amends the code by specifying that in regards to grandfather-in PUDs (planned unit developments which were approved prior to 1998 when the current code was adopted), “… when legislation modifying the planned unit development is approved by the metropolitan council that expressly includes provisions that are not consistent with the chapters of this code, such express provisions shall govern.”

While this may seem minor, this bill could keep someone from losing their property rights. With this bill, a property owner could develop according to a plan already approved, not the current code requirements. This applies to the development rights of the property, not building codes or fire codes. This passes unanimously without discussion. This is a good bill.

 BILL NO. BL2012-302 by Karen Johnson is an amendment to a portion of the Nashboro Village Planned Unit Development Overlay. I was never sure if this was a down zoning or not, but suspect it was. Anyway, if was deferred indefinitely. 

All of the other bills on public hearing were simple rezoning bills that would concern no one except the immediate neighbors. None of them seemed particularly controversial. 

Resolutions on the consent agenda including all memorializing resolutions pass and none are pulled off of the consent agenda. A resolution is on the consent agenda if it passed the committees to which it was assigned unanimously. Bills on the consent agenda are usually not controversial and tend to be routine matters. Resolutions on the consent agenda are passed by a single voice vote of the Council rather than being considered individually. If one is present and does not ask to be recorded voting "no" then they are assumed to have voted "aye."  Any member of the body may have a bill pulled off of the consent agenda.

I am appalled that  RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-556 by Councilman Glover was not pulled off of the consent agenda and defeated. It opposes the creation of  a state charter school authorizer.  With the recent history of the School Board's refusal to approve Great Hearts Academy and Nashville losing a quality charter school and a major investment in education in our community, I think it is time to approve a State charter school authorizer. It is hard to believe that given the sorry state of education in Nashville, that there is not a single supporter of charter schools on our Metro Council! I am disgruntled and disgusted!

All Bills on First reading pass except for one which the sponsor withdraws. 

Bills on Second reading:

• BILL NO. BL2012-293 by Dominy and others would require the fair board to "issue a request for information (RFI) to gauge interest from the private sector regarding the future operation of the fairgrounds property. The RFI is to assist the fair board in the identification of potential options to partner with the private sector to make significant capital improvements to the fairgrounds property in exchange for a long term lease of at least twenty-five years with a portion of the revenue generated on the property to be shared with the Metropolitan Government. The RFI should specify that the existing property uses (fair, expo center, flea market, race track and livestock exhibitions) are to remain, and should seek interest from the private sector for the long-term operation of each of these functions.”

Councilman Dominy moves for indefinite deferral, explaining that the fair board was willing to issue the RFI without this legislation and the bill was no longer necessary.  This is good news.  (See his explanation at 23"26.)

Bills on Third Reading:

SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. BL2012-283 is the new Metro Solicitation bill that would impose new regulations on commercial door-to-door solicitors. It  passed unanimously on second reading so thought would sail on through third reading. However, it does not. Not saying what the problem with the bill is, it is stated that there are "possible constitutional ramifications" with the bill. The sponsor tries to suspend the rules so the bill can be amended on third reading to address the issue, but there are objections to the rule suspension, so the bill cannot be amended. The sponsor successfully moves to rescind the passage on second reading and move the bill back to second reading. (To see this action go to 27:54)

BILL NO. BL2012-320 by councilman Phil Claiborne would have reduced the health insurance subsidy for future former councilmember's. Previously Councilman Claiborne had attempted to completely abolish the benefit but failed. This benefit currently costs Metro approximately $300,000 per year. Due to term limits, there are a growing number of former metro council members and former council members are younger than they were when this benefit was first awarded to Council members. This cost of this benefit is going to continue to increase. Councilman Claiborne explains that the present value of the current program is between $9 and $10 million dollars! 

Council Bedne moves to defer the bill indefinitely which effectively kills the bill. This deferral motion passes on a voice vote.  (See the discussion at 32:56) The proponents of this bill should have demanded a roll call, so we would know who was for it and who was not. (We do know how they voted on second reading however.) Councilman Claiborne did a great job in making his case.  Unfortunately, there are not enough council members who agree with him. He is to be commending for trying. If you listen to the discussion, you will see that there still may be a hope that this issue will be revisited.

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The New York Times praises Nashville!

A statue of Elvis Presley between souvenir shops in downtown Nashville. The music industry is, in many ways, the bedrock of the city’s economy.

 Nashville’s Latest Big Hit Could Be the City Itself

By KIM SEVERSON,  January 8, 2013, NASHVILLE — Portland knows the feeling. Austin had it once, too. So did Dallas. Even Las Vegas enjoyed a brief moment as the nation’s “it” city. Now, it’s Nashville’s turn.

Here in a city once embarrassed by its Grand Ole Opry roots, a place that sat on the sidelines while its Southern sisters boomed economically, it is hard to find a resident who does not break into the goofy grin of the newly popular when the subject of Nashville’s status comes up.(link)

My Comment: Great piece! I love this city and love to see other people recognize us for the great city we are. I love our music scene, the honky tonks and writers nights, the Grand Ole Opry, and our parks, and historic old neighborhoods, and the Capitol building and Union Station and the Customs House and a lot of other old building, and the little "meat and three's" around town, and all of the ethnic eateries. I like that we have a great symphony and a great symphony hall, I like the Country Music Hall of Fame, the music industry, and being in a city with a lot of universities, and our riverfront, and Art Crawl, and a lot more.

Many of my conservative friends opposed the building of the new convention center. Had I been in the Council, I would have most likely supported it. The details matter in a deal like that so I can't say with certainty, but I buy the idea. When I was in the Council, I supported the building of our current convention center.  I have never regretted that decision. Sure, to build the new mammoth convention center is not without risk. If it is not kept full it could cost us, but any investment is a risk. Recently, Conde Nast Traverler named Nashville one of the top five cities in the world to visit. That says something.  Other cities were Amsterdam, Seoul, New Orleans and Toronto. We are in pretty good company.  I would have opposed building the convention center in my city if I lived in Knoxville, or Asheville, or Lexington. But I think Nashville can do it.

Nashville, must be more than a tourist destination however and we can not put all of our resource downtown and ignore the communities and people who live here. However, I am not joining those who criticize the Mayor for making a capital budget priority the improvement to the backside of Bridgestone Arena. With the investment in the convention center we need to continue to make Nashville attractive to visitors. Conventioneers do not need to walk out of the front of the convention center and see an ugly blank wall. We need to get them to walk out of the convention center and spend money.  We need them to leave Nashville with a positive experience and a desire to return. We must continue to make downtown attractive and convenient.  We also need to encourage more development downtown, especially in the underdeveloped area south of the new convention center.

While doing all of this, we must not give away the store to sports franchises and incentives to entice companies  to stay here or relocate here. We must make sure we are spending the taxpayers dollars wisely. Also, we should not violate the rights of others by engaging in abusive eminent domain condemnations and price fixing.  We do both. We must be careful that we do not raise the tax burden to a level that discourages development and pushes people out of the county.

Overall, I think the city has done a pretty good job of creating what we have.  I think we have had wise land use planning and basically good management and I think our Metropolitan form of government has served us well. We do have our problems, of course. I wish we had a better quality of education, and I worry that we will grow to the point that we lose that character that makes us a unique city. I wish you could still get anywhere in fifteen minutes.  There is always room for improvement, but I would not want to live anywhere else. I choose to live here and feel fortunate that I do.





 

Top Stories

School board hoping for $160 million to begin projects

Antioch, Overton clusters need elementary schools, 'hypergrowth' causing need for 12South area.


The Tennessean, Jan 8, 2013- Nashville school officials signed off on a $1 billion wish list for new buildings, renovation projects and equipment Tuesday evening, spending they said was justified by new growth.(link)

View the full capital improvement plan (PDF).

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Education Reformers rank Tennessee among the best

Tennessee earned a C- on the education policy report card released Monday by StudentsFirst. A "C-" may not sound that great but no state go an "A" and only two sates got a "B". Most states got Ds and Fs. Notice that this was a ranking of the State, not Nashville. Nashville probably pulled down the state average.  After last night's vote against Charter Schools by our Metro Council and the School Board's recent deviance of the State and success in keeping Great Hearts from opening a school in Nashville, Nashville would have probably gotten a well deserved F-.

The Tennessaean, Jan 8, 2013- A national education reform group ranks Tennessee among some of the best on a list of states where policies promote the traditionally Republican agenda of more charter schools, private school vouchers and increased ability of parents to make school choices.(read more)

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Another example of the EPA war on the American economy

 The Economic Punishment Agency

"Georgia Power ... announced this week that it is asking state regulators for permission to shut down 15 electrical generating units -- the closure of four power plants in all. The utility company says new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency -- known as the Utility MACT rule -- will simply make the plants too expensive to run. The regulations in question are intended to reduce the amount of mercury released into the air. But in fact, they have every appearance of being a back-door attempt to regulate carbon emissions -- precisely the kind of scheme that then-Sen. Barack Obama had in mind when he acknowledged in 2008 that 'electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket' under his energy plan. (link)

Our metro Council loves the EPA and their regulations and has gone on record urging the EPA to vigorously enforce the clean air act including the Co2 standards which Congress never authorized the EPA to regulate but authority the EPA assumed. 

The Council should pass a resolution rescinding their previous EPA support, should condemn the EPA's unauthorized power grab, and condemn job-killing and unrealistic EPA regulations.

To read the resolution the Council passed and learn more about this issue see the following:
Josh Stites is not guilty of endorsing the EPA
The unanimous Council support for EPA CO2 regulation.
Robert Duvall and Duane Dominy explain their pro-EPA vote 
Update on the 11/13/12 Council Meeting: Lifetime health care for Council members approved, EPA endorsement, fairgrounds ...

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Summary of the Council Agneda for 1/8/2013. What to watch for.

You can get your own copy of the Metro council meeting agenda at this link: Metro CouncilAgenda. From the agenda you can usually link to the analysis, but for some reason you can’t this time. You can find the analysis at this link: Metro Council Agenda Analysis.

Council meetings can be really, really boring if you don't know what the Council is voting on. With an agenda and analysis, they are just really boring.

There are eight bills on public hearing. All are zoning bills except for one.  I am listing those that might have broader interest than just affected neighbors.

• BILL NO. BL2012-264  by Josh Stites, amends the code by specifying that in regards to grandfather-in PUDs (planned unit developments which were approved prior to 1998 when the current code was adopted), “… when legislation modifying the planned unit development is approved by the metropolitan council that expressly includes provisions that are not consistent with the chapters of this code, such express provisions shall govern.”

While this may seem minor, this bill could keep someone from losing their property rights. With this bill, a property owner could develop according to a plan already approved, not the current code requirements. This applies to the development rights of the property, not building codes or fire codes. This will probably not be controversial. It was unanimously approved by the planning commission. This is a good bill.

• BILL NO. BL2012-302 by Karen Johnson is an amendment to a portion of the Nashboro Village Planned Unit Development Overlay. I don’t know what is wrong with this bill.  There is no analysis of it. I am listing this as a bill to watch however, because last month Councilman Johnson tried to down-zone a piece of property in Hillsboro village against the wishes of the owner and because this bill was deferred indefinitely by a 9-0 vote of the Planning Commission. 

There are twelve resolutions, all of which are on the consent agenda at this time. A resolution is on the consent agenda if it passed the committees to which it was assigned unanimously. Bills on the consent agenda are usually not controversial and tend to be routine matters. Resolutions on the consent agenda are passed by a single voice vote of the Council rather than being considered individually. If one is present and does not ask to be recorded voting "no" then they are assumed to have voted "aye."  Any member of the body may have a bill pulled off of the consent agenda.

All of the bills on the consent agenda appear routine and I would not expect any of them to be pulled or see any that I think need to be pulled.

Bills on First reading almost always pass. They are considered as a group and are seldom discussed. First reading is a formality that simply allows the bill to be considered. Bills are not assigned to committee or analyzed by council staff until after they have passed first reading. There are eighteen bills on first reading.

Here are bills of interests on first reading:

• BILL NO. BL2013-338 by Tygard and Dominy looks very similar to a bill which Councilman Dominy recently unsuccessfully tried to pass. This bill says that "no sole source contract for the purchase of goods or services, including contracts for economic development initiatives and services, with a total contract amount in excess of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) may be entered into unless and until such contract has been approved by resolution duly adopted by the council by twenty-one affirmative votes.” 

I don't know how this bill differs from the previous bill on the same subject, but I am glad to see Dominy is not giving up the fight. I am glad to see Councilman Tygard join as cosponsor. This is a good bill that needs to pass. One of the few sole source contracts that metro has is the city's contract with the Chamber of Commerce for the Partnership 2020 program. 

Partnership 2020 is a public-private partnership developed by the chamber whose purpose is to recruit new businesses to the Nashville area. Metro’s appropriation for this program in recent years has been $300,000 a year. While the program serves a ten county area, Metro funds a greater share of the program than the other nine counties combined. Many feel that Metro funds the program, yet the bulk of new relocations to the Nashville area go to surrounding counties. 

•  BILL NO. BL2013-339 and BILL NO. BL2013-340 are more bribes incentives to private business to get them to expand in or relocate to Nashville. I would hope the Council would consider the wisdom of this policy. If this continues, every business of any size that could relocate will have a reason do so unless paid not to so. For more on this, see here. 

• BILL NO. BL2013-354 deletes “Historic Home Events” as a use and to adds “Special Events Center” as a new use to be permitted in certain zoning districts and permitted with conditions in certain zoning districts. I really don't know what this does, it just got my attention. There are certain large historically significant home which are permitted to serve as bed and breakfasts or banquet facilities or places for wedding in residential neighborhoods. They operate under a conditional use. There are always some neighbors who want to drive them out of business. I don't know that this is what this change is all about but it caught my attention. This may amount to nothing significant, but it is worth watching.

Bills on Second Reading. It is on Second reading, after bills have been to committee, that discussion usually takes place. Below are bills of interest on second reading. 

• BILL NO. BL2012-293 by Dominy and others would require the fair board to "issue a request for information (RFI) to gauge interest from the private sector regarding the future operation of the fairgrounds property. The RFI is to assist the fair board in the identification of potential options to partner with the private sector to make significant capital improvements to the fairgrounds property in exchange for a long term lease of at least twenty-five years with a portion of the revenue generated on the property to be shared with the Metropolitan Government. The RFI should specify that the existing property uses (fair, expo center, flea market, race track and livestock exhibitions) are to remain, and should seek interest from the private sector for the long-term operation of each of these functions.”

This bill was recently deferred by Dominy to give the fair board an opportunity to do this, which they could do, without being mandated to do it. Apparently they would not do this voluntarily. The skids are being greased to get rid of the fair grounds. If you think that the referendum on the fairgrounds last year protected the fairgrounds from being sold, you are wrong; it only made it a little more difficult. To read more about this see here and here.

I know for a fact that a private interest would like a long term lease on the fairgrounds and in return they agree to greatly improve the site and maintain all of the current uses and they plan to create an additional tourist attraction that could enhance the local economy.  This bill needs to pass.

Bills on Third Reading: Third Reading is the final reading. If a bill passes third reading it becomes law unless it is vetoed by the Mayor, which has only rarely happened. Below are the bills of interest on third reading.

• SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. BL2012-283 is the new Metro Solicitation bill that would impose new regulations on commercial door-to-door solicitors. It  passed unanimously on second reading so I expect it to sail on through third reading. While this bill is not a bad bill and while I know aggressive sales people can be an annoyance and while I know some are unscrupulous, I do not think I could support this bill. We are grownups. We do not need to look to government to remove every annoyance from our life. I am disappointed there was no debate on this bill on second reading.

• BILL NO. BL2012-320 by councilman Phil Claiborne would reduce the health insurance subsidy for future former councilmember's. Previously Councilman Claiborne had attempted to completely abolish the benefit but failed. This benefit currently costs Metro approximately $300,000 per year. Due to term limits, there are a growing number of former metro council members and former council members are younger than they were when this benefit was first awarded to Council members. This cost of this benefit is going to continue to increase.

On second reading this bill passed by a vote of 25 to 13. so if five council members sit on their hand or switch their vote, this bill could fail. I was disappointed that some of the "good" councilman opposed this bill. Here is how members voted on second reading:

“Ayes”  Barry, Steine, Garrett, Tygard, Banks, Scott Davis, Westerholm, Pridemore, Jernigan, Glover, Stites, Stanley, Claiborne, Tenpenny, Allen, Baker, Langster, Weiner, Holleman, McGuire, Harmon, Blalock, Dominy, Todd, Mitchell (25);

“Noes” Maynard, Matthews, Harrison, Hunt, Bennett, Pardue, Moore, Gilmore, Evans, Johnson, Potts, Bedne, Dowell (13).

Memorializing Resolutions: There are ten memorializing resolution on the agenda.  Unless someone opposes a memorializing resolution in committee, memorizing resolutions become part of the consent agenda.  However, any councilmember may have a resolution pulled off of the consent agenda and have his vote recorded.

Memorializing resolutions do not have the force of law and are often not taken very seriously and most often they do nothing more than congratulate a sports team for a victory or a person for being honored or congratulate a person on their retirement. The Council staff does not even analyze memorial resolutions. However, memorializing resolutions do represent the will of the Council and when they advocate a policy position they should be taken very seriously.

A few month ago, the Council passed a resolution praising the EPA and urging strict enforcement of clean air standards including the job-killing regulation of co2 which Congress never authorized. The Council played into the hands of a left-wing organization that was pushing this same resolution nation-wide. (For more on this see here, here and here.)

A couple years ago, the Council passed a memorializing resolution praising students for their pro-gay agenda activism. Somehow, memorializing resolutions taking a conservative position never come before the council but liberal memorializing resolutions always pass unanimously. 

There is one memorializing that needs to be defeated:

 RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-556 by Councilman Glover opposes the creation of  a state charter school authorizer.  With the recent history of the School Board's refusal to approve Great Hearts Academy and Nashville losing a quality charter school and a major investment in education in our community, I think it is time to approve a State charter school authorizer. 

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Dean files $110M mid-year capital spending plan

City Paper, January 4, 2013, - Mayor Karl Dean has submitted a mid-year capital spending plan including $110 million in proposed spending, his office announced Friday. A majority of the funds in the plan will go to the city’s stormwater program and the new Lentz Public Health Center, the mayor’s office said.

The plan also includes funding for improvements to the Bridgestone Arena, and a new police Central Precinct, which is currently located inside the arena. (link)

Comment: The Capital improvements budget does not actually appropriate any money but is nevertheless very important. If it is not in the plan, it will not get funded unless the plan is amended. This sets capital spending priorities for the city. The Capital Improvements Budget will be before the Council on January 15. As soon as it is available, I will post a link.

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What's on the School Board Agenda for January 8, 2013

Follow this link to see the agenda.

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MNPS looks at reopening Waverly Belmont near 12South

City Paper, By Andrea Zelinski, January 6, 2013 - To make up for the swelling student population in public schools, district officials want to operate a school in the building once home to Waverly Belmont Junior High School and kick-start construction work to open and expand other schools across the district. (link) 

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Mom w/guns save lifes, shoots intruder.

In the wake of the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut, there are some who think guns are the problem and advocate banning them.  Guns don't kill people; people kill people, but most often it is people with guns killing people. The killing can be a deranged gunmen massacring innocent children or a mother protecting herself and her infant from an intruder. Watch this video.  What do you think would have happened if this young mother had not had a gun?

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