Daily Dose for February 27, 2007

Daily Dose

The Pressure to Bear: Wellmont Will Participate in CoverTN -- Wellmont Health System, an East Tennessee hospital chain that previously said it would not participate in the Governor's CoverTN program because of lack of assurance in reimbursement costs has apparently changed direction and will now participate. Political pressure from the Governor's office apparently brought about the change of heart. A day after one Wellmont official said CoverTN would be "TennCare only worse," another hospital official said yesterday: "Governor Bredesen has a good intention here, and he's trying to make health care open to all Tennesseans."

"Obscure" Tennessee Group Finds Gore's Energy Bills "Inconvenient" -- The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, which ABC News called "obscure" and some blog critics have called "illegitimate" has broken a widely reported story that Al Gore's home in Nashville uses quite a bit more energy than the average American household - and Gore's energy consumption actually increased after releasing the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" which calls for Americans to reduce their consumption to combat global warming. More from the Tennessean, which spends the bulk of its article in defense of Gore.

Republicans and TFT Agree -- Republicans find themselves with strange bedfellows. State Rep. Beth Harwell says that she agrees with Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, a group that has been the most ardent supporter of a state income tax in the past, that Tennessee needs to reduce the state's sales tax on groceries. Tennesseans for Fair Taxation and Harwell agree that the funds should come from an increase in the state's tax on cigarettes. Bredesen has said he will not support the tobacco for food tax swap, instead focusing on funding the state's pre-K education programs.

Bummer for 'Nooga -- Chattanooga was on the short list for a new Toyota plant, but it looks like Toyota will go to Tupelo, Mississippi instead. Chattanooga has been promoting its new industrial megasite since it received TVA certification last year.

Local Brush-up -- In Memphis, the CEO for the publically owned Memphis Light, Gas and Water refused to cut off City Councilman Edmund Ford's arrangement which had netted him reduced cost energy, even though he failed to qualify for the reduced program. More from the Commercial Appeal. In Knoxville, the Knox Co. Commission asked the local daily newspaper to delay a lawsuit it has filed against the Commission for violating Open Meeting Laws until the state finishes deliberations on possible changes to the law. The News-Sentinel has given little indication it will accept the counter-offer and has called for the Commission appointments to be done over - this time with deliberations in the public pervue. More from the News-Sentinel

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