Home | Entries [Previous |Next]
0 Comments
Daily Dose for November 27, 2007
Alexander To Seek Leadership Spot
Alexander To Seek Leadership Spot -- Sen. Lamar Alexander reacted to news that MS Sen. Trent Lott was retiring yesterday to briefly mull another run for GOP Senate Whip. Instead, it looks like Alexander will support Sen. John Kyl's bid for Whip and run for GOP Conference Chair, a position that shapes the GOP media message and is considered the number three spot for Republicans in the Senate. Alexander is expected to get competition for Kyl's former job from TX Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison or NC Sen. Richard Burr. More here, here and here. So far, no candidate has emerged to challenge Alexander in next year's elections. Corker reaction here.
Richardson in TN -- Dem Presidential candidate Bill Richardson will hold a fundraiser in Nashville today. Hosts for the fundraiser include Deputy Gov. Dave Cooley, Anna Belle Clement O’Brien and country singer Randy Travis. The event will be Richardson's second appearance in TN, after he took the podium at the state Dem's Jackson Day event last summer.
Watson Says A Bill Cost $1,000 To Introduce -- State Sen. Bo Watson said the state may have to trim the budget if it wants to stay in the black. He noted that Finance Commissioner Dave Goetz is already instructing agencies to be ready to trim their departments. State revenues are currently running $136M behind projections. Legislators might pitch in by making the session shorter and introducing less legislation. Sen. Watson said it costs taxpayers $21,252 per day while the Legislature is in session. He said he inquired about the cost of introducing a new bill and was told it is about $1,000 per bill.
Knox Co. Looks at Banning County Double-Dipping -- Knox Co. Commissioner Mike Hammond is offering a proposal on the Knox Co. Commission to ban County employees from holding spots on the Knox Co. Commission. The plan is now before the county Ethics Committee and will be reworked at the committee's December meeting. It should come before the full commission for approval in January. The proposal would go to Knox Co. voters as a charter amendment if approved. Prior to an early October ruling by Chancellor Daryl R. Fansler ousting eight commissioners from office, three commissioners also got paychecks from county government.
