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Daily Dose for November 28, 2006
Daily Dose
Two Special Elections on Same Ballot in Memphis -- State Senator Steve Cohen and State Rep. Harri Brooks will both be replaced on the same special election ballot that the Governor ordered yesterday. The special election primary will be held on January 25 and the general will be on March 13. Shelby County Administrator of Elections James H. Johnson said that about 80 to 85 percent of Brook's House District 92 falls within Cohen's Senate District 30, so if the four elections -- one primary and one general election for each district -- could be held concurrently. Cohen will resign his seat on Friday.
Wilder: I Have the Votes -- Lt. Governor John Wilder told the Commercial Appeal yesterday he has the votes to continue to serve in that post - keeping the record for the longest serving legislative leader in the country. Tennessee's 105th General Assembly convenes January 9, with Wilder and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh's likely reelection votes happening on that day. The party caucuses will determine some contested leadership bids including the Senate Republicans caucus on December 11, the House Republican Caucus on December 12 and the Senate Democratic Caucus on December 13.
Dixon Does Not Pass Go -- Former Tennessee state senator Roscoe Dixon officially starts his prison sentence today. Dixon will join other white collar criminals at federal minimum security prison in Louisana to serve out the five-year sentence handed down for his role in Operation Tennessee Waltz.
Bredesen: No Plans to Increase Gas Taxes -- Even though TDOT has requested more money, the Bredesen administration has no plans to increase gas taxes. The Tennessee Department of Transportation’s long-term plan claims the state needs $2 billion more revenue to complete needed transportation projects in the next 10 years, but Bredesen says he has no intention of raising the gas tax. The gas tax, which has not been increased since 1989, currently costs driver’s in Tennessee 21.4 cents per gallon no matter what the price of gas is. Legislative leaders seem to leaning towards building toll roads to cover the increase costs.
Hawkins Co. Commissioner Bemoans Courthouse Smoking Ban -- The Hawkins Co. Commission passed a ban on smoking in its courthouse, but not all the Commissioners are happy. Commissioner Hanes Cooper: "We sat around on our can and we let 2 percent of the people take prayer out of schools and the Ten Commandments out of the courthouse. I'm not very big, but I'm willing to fight for my rights. They go on with this smoke stuff killing so many people - my mother lived with six smokers and when we pushed back from the table you needed an exhaust fan. She lacked 16 days of being 100 years old, and some of them said if we hadn't smoked around her she'd probably made it to be 100."
