Daily Dose for May 30, 2008

AT&T Fight Good for Lobbyists

AT&T Fight Good for Lobbyists -- AT&T and its cable competitors spent as much as $17.5M through March 31 during an 18-month lobbying and public relations war over statewide cable licensing legislation, according to Ethics Commission records. Disclosures filed with the Tennessee Ethics Commission show that, through March 31, AT&T and its ally, trade group TV4US, spent $7.47M to $7.7M on 31 lobbyists, public relations firms and television advertising since Oct. 1, 2007. The Tennessee Cable Telecommunications Association, a trade group, as well as Comcast and Time Warner Telecommunications, threw into the fight $9.4M to $9.8M with 12 lobbyists, PR firms and television advertising. That larger bill was for nought because AT&T did accomplish its legislative goal this year of by-passing local franchise negotiations in favor of a statewide cable franchise. More here on lobbyist spending the past session.

BOR May Not Follow UT -- The Tennessee Board of Regents may not follow the lead of UT and cap a tuition increase at 6%. If tuition increases are capped at 6% at Board of Regents two-year colleges and universities, three of those schools would not recover from state higher education cuts, said Dr. Charles Manning, chancellor of the Board of Regents. Gov. Bredesen previously encoraged the Board of Regents to follow the example of UT and limit tuition increases.

More Limits to TN School Prayer -- U.S. District Judge Robert L. Echols ruled that parent groups meeting at a public school must be held to the same standards as other school groups with regard to school prayer. The decision came after parents claimed the Wilson County school system was promoting Christianity by allowing a group of parents to pray and pass out fliers to students on campus. Hedy Weinberg of the ACLU: "This important decision clearly states that private groups like the Praying Parents cannot serve as surrogates for the public school and promote religious activities during the school day."

Unfunding Memphis City Schools May Transfer Responsibility to County Gvmt -- Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton says the Memphis City Council should consider eliminating all funding for Memphis City Schools in the budget after he reviewed a legal opinion that said that the unfunded schools may then be absorbed by Shelby Co. School System. Herenton: "This could present a great opportunity to reform the governance of the city schools and operation of the city schools ... I am moving to the opinion there needs to be a dramatic reform." An opinion by then District Attorney Paul Summers says if the county took on financial responsibility for the schools, it would eliminate the City School Board.

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |