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Adam, the pay raise story is about the City of Chattanooga. I think Hamilton County is still mulling theirs. We'll find out more here in the next day or two.
That said, 2 things: 1) you do an excellent job of distilling news from around the state, and 2) the method behind Chattanooga's pay raises is controversial as well, so you're not wrong in pointing it out.
Posted by: joe lance | July 11, 2007 11:34 AM
Joe, thanks very much for your compliment as well as the correction. I have changed the entry. Apparently, I wasn't fully awake this morning when I saw the story.
Posted by: Adam Groves | July 11, 2007 02:25 PM
Daily Dose for July 11, 2007
Memphis Mayor Showdown
Memphis Mayor Showdown -- Shelby Co. Mayor A.C. Wharton has until July 19 to file if he's going to challenge Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton. Herenton criticized two pastors identified by the Commercial Appeal yesterday as key backers of a Draft A.C. movement. Because of the story yesterday, two more prominent men have come forward to endorse the idea of Wharton challenging Herenton. Former Shelby Co. Mayor Bill Morris and Restaurateur Thomas Boggs have both endorsed Wharton should he run. Wharton is a former campaign manager for Herenton and the two continue to maintain they are still friends. Previously, Wharton said he would not run with Herenton in the race, but now seems to be backing down from that.
Chattanooga Approves Pay Raises / BEP Distribution -- Chattanooga city officials have approved a pay increase for city employees. Hamilton County is still considering a controversal pay increase that could drive up salaries for top city officials (since pay for the city mayor is tied to the county mayor's salary) even more. The Hamilton Co. School Board has also been busy. It approved a plan to distribute the heeps of new BEP money Chattanooga schools collected from the state, but have found out the $12.8M is more restricted than they previously thought. [Ed: Article corrected per Joe Lance to reflect this is a city pay increase, not the controversal county increase.]
Ward's Trial -- Joe Lance in the Chattanooga Pulse outlines the future of Chattanooga politics without Ward Crutchfield, whose upcoming Tennessee Waltz Trial is working against his further political influence. In addition to changes in local city administration, there's Crutchfield's influence in the school board and election commission - not to mention a State Senate seat that Republicans could pick up, especially if Crutchfield is convicted.
Purcell Pushes Seniors Tax Freeze -- Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell has developed a plan to implement the state's allowance of property tax freezes for senior citizens. The freeze would apply to homeowners age 65 and older, and it would be initially offered to those with incomes of $34,260 or less and would freeze their property taxes at the current rate. The state comptroller has estimated that between 55 percent and 60 percent of the estimated 31,600 Nashville homes owned by seniors 65 and above would qualify for the freeze - which means Nashville will have to expand its tax base if it wants to make up lost revenue.
I sure hope Ward knows what he's doing. We all saw with Arthur March what prison does to an old man whose locked up for the first time in his life.
Posted by: mr turnbow | July 11, 2007 09:53 AM