Daily Dose for May 12, 2008

Corker Earns Accolades

Corker Earns Accolades -- Sen. Bob Corker has both been pleasantly surprising and upsetting to conservatives since taking office - which probably means he's doing something right. Corker who is not afraid to criticize even members of his own party for bad ideas. Those criticisms have included the Bush-backed economic stimulus package, a gas tax holiday, and what he calls a "pandering" cap-and-trade energy legislation. Corker said he expected a backlash from constituents for his opposition to the IRS rebate checks that began arriving in mailboxes and bank accounts this month. But his experience has proved otherwise. Dem. Sen. Candidate Bob Tuke also praised Corker this week.

Bredesen's Job Cuts Not Even Half What He Created -- Gov. Bredesen's job cuts to balance the state budget won't even be half as many state jobs as he created during his tenure, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposal to eliminate 2,011 state workers represents about 42 percent of the positions created in state government during his administration. Since Gov. Bredesen took office in early 2003, administration budget figures show major growth occurred from fiscal year 2003-04 to fiscal year 2004-05 when the number of state positions rose 4 percent. That follows around 2.0% per fiscal year growth thereafter. This year's total state government jobs still represent an increase of state jobs over last fiscal year's estimated number. Meanwhile, the announcement of buy-out packages for state employees has put some employee's retirement plans on hold in the hope of cashing in on more dough.

Odom to Oppose Technical Corrections Bill Tax -- House Majority Leader Gary Odom says he will oppose a provision of the Bredesen-backed technical corrections bill which he is pushing for the administration. The provision in question removes an exemption from state excise taxes on "family-owned non-corporate" real estate companies. Odom said one of his major complaints is the way "a very significant change in our tax code that impacts a lot of businesses" has been brought out late in the session, with limited opportunity for debate and discussion. Odom's opposition and sponsorship of the bill in question means the provision will likely be stricken from the bill, which means Bredesen may need to come up with another $15M in revenue, the estimated receipts from that provision.

Another Ford Trial Lined Up -- The FBI has another trail against a member of the Ford family on its hands. This time it's former City Councilman Edmund Ford. In "Operation Main Street Sweeper," a relatively short undercover investigation that yielded several indictments, the feds nabbed Ford accepting a bribe to remove a billboard moritorium. The sting netted Ford and fellow Councilman Rickey Peete along with longtime local political operative Joe Cooper. Ford, a two-term council member, did not run for re-election and in January was succeeded on the council by his son, Edmund Ford Jr.

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |