This week in coronavirus: Tennessee climbs to the top of the worst list
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Saturday, September 04, 2021
In Tennessee, only 53% of educational funding makes it into the classroom, 7% below the national average.
- In Tennessee, only 53% of educational funding makes it into the classroom, 7% below the national average.
- Since 2012, after inflation, the average teacher’s salary has actually decreased by 1.5% while the average superintendent’s salary has grown by 8.3%.
- Tennessee taxpayer investment in K-12 education has grown and now sits at nearly $11 billion, yet the percentage of money that makes it into the classroom continues to shrink.
- Since our last report in 2018, administrative spending has increased by a whopping 13.5% while total spending has only increased by 3%. /
- Tennessee taxpayers spend $11,391 per student. That number is five times more than surveys show school parents believe is spent.
Beacon Center Research Associate and co-author of the report Jason Edmonds stated, “There is a lot to be desired when it comes to how the state of Tennessee is spending our tax dollars on education. While we keep hearing how education is underfunded, the real issue right now is that the money isn’t making it into the classroom. It’s unacceptable that only 53% of the $11 billion Tennessee spends on education makes it into the classroom, a figure that is nearly 7% lower than the national average. We continue to spend more and more on administration and systems rather than funding students and teachers.”
To read the full report follow this link.
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Mayor Cooper picks controversial Finance Director with ties to city contractor; Metro Council members voice concerns.
Nashville mayor's finance director pick has ties to controversial city contractor.
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| Saul Solomon |
by: Phil Williams Sep 03, 2021 (WTVF) — Nashville Mayor John Cooper's pick as interim finance director -- the man in charge of the city's checkbook -- faces new controversy.
That nominee, former Metro legal director Saul Solomon, is a lawyer who's been fighting efforts to force a major engineering firm to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars to Nashville taxpayers. Solomon's connection to that firm, Collier Engineering, has raised eyebrows about Cooper’s decision to nominate him to the city's second most-powerful position.
"It is about perception and perception matters - especially in government," said Metro Council Member Angie Henderson, who has been a frequent critic of Collier's business practices.
Collier Engineering’s involvement with millions of dollars in the city’s road and sidewalk construction programs has been filled with controversy, especially revelations of its efforts to wine and dine city officials with controls over city contracts. (read more)
Metro Council members voice concerns over Saul Solomon's finance director appointment.
by Cassandra Stephenson, The Tennessean- Metro Council members are scrutinizing Nashville Mayor John Cooper's suggested appointment of attorney and former executive Saul Solomon as the city's interim finance director.
Among their concerns: skepticism that Solomon's extensive legal and executive experience equates to the level of financial experience required by Nashville's charter, and worries that Solomon has a conflict of interest due to his past legal representation of Collier Engineering, whose contract with Metro is under years-long investigation.
"I think Saul has a great reputation as a manager. I think he's got a great reputation as a lawyer. I think he's got a great reputation as a lawyer for municipal government," At-large Metro Council member Bob Mendes said. "But the charter is pretty specific about what's required, and ... it's not clear to me that he meets the criteria of the charter to be finance director."
...Solomon's appointment to the role will go before the Metro Council for approval on Tuesday where it will need votes from 21 of Nashville's 40 council members to pass.
..Solomon will fill the role in an interim basis until the city hires a permanent replacement, the charter does not provide for an interim appointment, meaning Solomon's appointment as finance director would not be limited by an interim timeframe. (link)
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Friday, September 03, 2021
NFIB Urges U.S. District Court in Tennessee to Uphold Decision to End COVID-19 Unemployment Supplements Early
NFIB press release, NASHVILLE (Sept. 3, 2021) – The NFIB Small Business Legal Center has filed an amicus brief with the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in the case of C.M. v. Lee, supporting Gov. Bill Lee’s decision to end federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits early. Click here to read the brief.
“The federal unemployment benefit was always intended as a temporary fix to last year’s sudden downturn,” NFIB State Director Jim Brown said. “Some people might be staying home to care for young children or older relatives or because they’re looking for a specific job, but ending the federal benefit early clearly has encouraged more people to return to work and kept Tennessee’s labor shortage from being worse.”
Karen Harned, executive director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center, said, “Governor Lee clearly has the authority to end Tennessee’s participation in a federally funded program that he believes discourages some people from reentering the workforce and frustrates the state’s economic recovery.”
The NFIB Small Business Legal Center protects the rights of small business owners in the nation’s courts. NFIB is currently active in more than 40 cases in federal and state courts across the country and the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Thursday, September 02, 2021
Robby Starbuck on Fox News: Warning To Biden For Leaving Americans Behind on Fox News
Robbie Starbuck is a candidate for Congress looking seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Jim Cooper.
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Free Public Records and Open Meetings Training
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Open Records Counsel (OORC) is conducting three 2-hour virtual training seminars in the month of October for government employees, elected officials, media, and anyone who is interested in learning more about Tennessee’s public records and open meetings laws.
Open Records Counsel Lee Pope will lead each class through a variety of topics including public records laws and procedures, open meetings requirements, and exceptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act. Qualifies for Certified Municipal Finance Officer, Certified County Finance Officer, and Utility Commissioner training credits.
Oct. 7, 2021 - 1-3 p.m. CDT
Oct. 12, 2021 - 1-3 pm. CDT
Oct. 20, 2021 - 1-3 p.m. CDT
For more information, click here.
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Dr. Ming Wang to be keynote speaker at Bedford County Regan Day Dinner.
On Thursday, September 16th, the Bedford County Republican Party will host its 2021 Reagan Day Dinner featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Ming Wang. $40 per person. For more info, follow this link.
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Wednesday, September 01, 2021
Davidson County rep feels ire of motorists over emissions testing
BY: SAM STOCKARD, Tennessee Lookout, AUGUST 31, 2021 -State Rep. Darren Jernigan is getting an earful from constituents wondering why they have to keep testing car emissions while neighbors in surrounding counties won’t when 2022 rolls around. ... as of January 2022, Davidson will be the only county in the state to test emissions after surrounding counties opted out of a voluntary program approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ... Following passage of a 2018 law giving counties the opportunity to get out of the emissions testing program – pending approval by the EPA – surrounding counties such as Sumner, Rutherford, Wilson and Williamson voted to drop emissions testing. Nashville’s Metro Council, though, voted in 2018 to maintain the program. (link)
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The following counties will not require emissions testing in 2022:
- Hamilton
- Rutherford
- Sumner
- Williamson
- Wilson
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Nashville rents have increased 3.0% over the past month, and have increased sharply by 12.8% in comparison to the same time last year.
by Rod Williams - As reported by Apartment list, currently, median rents in Nashville stand at $1,208 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,393 for a two-bedroom. This is the seventh straight month that the city has seen rent increases after a decline in January. Nashville's year-over-year rent growth lags the state average of 15.3%, but exceeds the national average of 12.4%.
For the full report, follow this link.
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Tuesday, August 31, 2021
New Report Ranks Tennessee's Teacher Pension Plans Second Best in the Nation, Most Get a Failing Grade.
By Kaitlin Mulhere, Money, August 31, 2021 - Roughly three-quarters of states offer teachers a retirement plan that isn’t making the grade, according to a ranking released Tuesday. Just 13 states received either a B or a C grade overall in Bellwether Education Partner’s latest look at teacher retirement plans. None received an A.
South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Utah and New York scored closest, topping the nonprofit organization’s new ranking. Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Kentucky New Jersey and Illinois rounded out the bottom five states. (Read more)
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Judge rules short-term rental law unconstitutional
by CARLEY GORDON, WSMV, AUG 30, 2021 – A judge has ruled that it is unconstitutional not to allow short-term rentals in Hendersonville. The ruling could have consequences across the state. (link)
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Tennessee Democrats will pay $103K fine to FEC
Audit findings stem from 2016 election cycle
by STEPHEN ELLIOTT, Nashville Post, AUG 31, 2021 - The Tennessee Democratic Party will pay a civil penalty totaling $103,000 to resolve a series of issues federal regulators had with the party’s financial reporting during the 2016 election cycle.
The Federal Election Commission found that the party improperly reported millions of dollars' worth of contributions during the cycle, much of that transferred from joint fundraising accounts with Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. The party later accounted for most of the contributions. ...
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