In Nashville today, the state Senate is taking up a bill that would shield from the public’s view details about companies that receive incentives from state government.
These incentives, which have become necessary in the battlefield of economic development, come from tax dollars, yet the Haslam administration wants to shield their recipients from the public eye.
The administration is wrong to provide that shield.
Gov. Bill Haslam’s bill to overhaul the state’s civil service system won its first House vote Tuesday after a 5-4 vote to kill a Democrat-sponsored amendment.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner’s amendment would have left in place a provision of current law that requires makes seniority the deciding factor in layoffs, with less senior workers fired before those with more seniority.
If you were to forget your photo ID you would still be allowed to vote on a provisional ballot after doing some paperwork. You would then have to take your photo ID to the county election office within two business days and do some more paperwork to have your provisional ballot made eligible for counting.
But this year, when the governor suggested allowing larger class sizes to make way for optional teacher bonuses, his strongest opposition came from an unlikely camp – GOP stronghold Williamson County.
Haslam’s class size bill died Wednesday, 35 days after its introduction.
“I really don’t know the purpose of bringing this legislation at this time,” House Democratic leader Craig Fitzhugh said. “It looks to me like a solution looking for a problem. This is certainly unnecessary. If it’s unnecessary why do we do it? I think we need to look long and hard at our motives.”
Quick Hits
- Read Frank Cagle’s column on the passing political parade and then I would advise you to read it again. LINK
- Rep. Bill Harmon says he won’t seek re-election in District 37. LINK
- Rep. Janis Sontany is also bowing out of District 53. LINK
- The Governor wants to keep his ECD efforts behind closed doors. LINK
