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TN TAX BATTLE RED ALERT TALK JOCKS CALL OUT TROOPS TODAY: Still no budget; House kills CATS
The Knox News Sentinel ^ | 7-3-02 | Tom Humphrey

Posted on 07/03/2002 3:59:29 AM PDT by GailA

Still no budget; House kills CATS Naifeh backs off plan for immediate vote on income tax

By Tom Humphrey, News-Sentinel Nashville bureau July 3, 2002 NASHVILLE - The House on Tuesday night scratched "CATS," a patchwork of tax increases, while House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh backed away from an income tax vote.

At one point, Naifeh had agreed to put his 4.5 percent flat-rate income tax plan, which fell five votes short of passage in May, to a vote two hours after action on the CATS package.

Instead, he announced late in the evening that there was not enough support for his proposal and canceled the effort.

"Things just did not happen the way we thought they might," he said, refusing to rule out an effort later this week.

He noted that two income tax supporters, Democratic Reps. Barbara Cooper of Memphis and Shelby Rhinehart of Spencer, have been hospitalized and were not on hand Tuesday night. (MY NOTE: Mr Rhinehart had a stroke according to Steve Gill he is BRAIN DEAD)

CATS, the acronym for Continuing Adequate Taxes and Services, was debated for three hours before a vote.

The result was 47 votes for the bill - three shy of the 50 needed for passage. Twenty-eight Republicans and 19 Democrats backed the bill.

Forty-five representatives voted against the bill, including 32 Democrats and seven Republicans. Three representatives, all Republicans, abstained.

Rep. Frank Buck, D-Dowelltown, said the defeat of CATS was by such a small margin that it might have another life, especially if other tax proposals fail with the state under a partial government shutdown.

"We understood we were on the razor's edge," said Buck, who said the measure was a "life preserver" intended to rescue the state from "a moment of peril."

In the version brought to the House floor, CATS included 23 provisions raising $742 million in new revenue through various means.

The biggest revenue generator effectively set a statewide uniform sales tax rate at 8.75 percent. Currently, the state applies a 6 percent rate while local governments may add another 2.75 percent.

Only about 30 of the state's 95 counties, however, apply the maximum 2.75 percent rate. The state average is 2.4 percent and in Knox County the rate is 2.25 percent.

Under the bill, the state would raise the rate to the combined maximum of 8.75 percent and keep the new money raised in areas where the local rate is less than 2.75 percent. In Knox County, for example, the combined rate would rise from 8.25 percent to 8.75 percent and the state would keep the revenue from a half-cent per dollar increase.

Statewide, the provision would have raised $248 million for the state but critics claimed it was unfair since people in some areas would be paying more of their sales tax money to the state than those in others.

Rep. Gary Odom, D-Nashville, attempted to amend the uniform rate out of the bill and substitute a one-fourth penny-per-dollar sales tax increase, coupled with a $118 million raid on the state's highway fund. His proposal was defeated 53-21.

Other provisions of CATS include an increase in the business excise tax rate from 6 percent to 6.75 percent, technical changes in business tax levies to produce more revenue and higher taxes on alcohol, tobacco, cable and satellite TV, newspapers, club memberships, film rentals, vending machines and coin-operated amusement devices.

The bill was strongly opposed by lobbyists for businesses that would be affected by higher taxes. Several legislators, most of them advocates of a state income tax, also said the measure does not raise enough revenue to avoid some cuts in current programs.

Buck said, though, that it would eliminate the current crisis, fully fund education at current levels and avoid the cuts needed under a no-new-taxes budget.

Gov. Don Sundquist, meanwhile, tossed another idea onto the Legislature's tax proposal pile and called for compromise. The governor also declared himself ready to sign "any reasonable revenue package that comes to me," including a sales tax increase that he once vowed to veto.

Sundquist said that he would not, for now, sign a no-new-taxes budget. But he declined to rule out that possibility if the legislative stalemate continues through Friday, when the current five-day stopgap state budget expires.

The stopgap budget leaves 22,000 general government employees and almost as many higher education system workers on furlough. Many government services have halted.

Legislative leaders, who had at least two private meetings during the day in hopes of easing escalating House-Senate hostility, said they would push hard to bring one or more tax plans to a floor vote today.

The centerpiece of Sundquist's new proposal is a 1 percent flat-rate income tax that would take effect next Jan. 1 with voters deciding in 2004 whether it would be raised to 3.5 percent. The 1 percent income tax would be coupled with about $550 million in miscellaneous tax increases to generate about $1 billion.

"My friends, if ever there was a time for compromise, it is now!" Sundquist said. "None of the revenue proposals thus far has enough votes in both houses to pass."

The governor's plan was outlined only in general form. For example, the miscellaneous tax package was not detailed. He mentioned alcohol, tobacco, business income, licensed professionals and coin-operated amusement devices as targets for increases.

Under the governor's plan, the state sales tax would increase from 6 percent to 7 percent on Aug. 1. The increase would expire on Jan. 1, when the 1 percent income tax would begin.

In August of 2004, voters would decide whether to call a constitutional convention on state taxes. If they voted not to, the income tax would increase to 3.5 percent on Jan. 1, 2005.

At the same time, the sales taxes on grocery food, nonprescription drugs and clothing would be repealed along with the present Hall income tax on some dividends and interest.

If voters approved the call, delegates would be elected in November 2004 and the convention recommendations submitted for a follow-up statewide referendum in 2006.

Morning and afternoon sessions of both the House and Senate were devoted to speeches expressing frustration over the continuing deadlock. In the Senate, a major secondary theme was blaming the House for failure to approve any of the tax bills passed by the Senate.

The Senate this year has approved four tax proposals, ranging from an increase in the state sales tax in April to a plan approved Sunday that would have given voters an option between a 3.75 percent income tax and an increase in sales taxes to the 10 percent range. The House has spurned all four proposals.

"I think they (House leaders) are just stalling to the point where we can't do anything but pass an income tax or cut the budget," said Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, deeming those options "equally intolerable."

"This is absolute nonsense!" declared Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis, who returned to the Legislature after an absence Monday. "I don't know who's playing this game the best, the House or the Senate."

In the House, Deputy Gov. Alex Fischer and members of the Sundquist cabinet gave reports on the floor of problems in dealing with the partial government shutdown.

"We beg for your help to put an end to the madness," said Fischer in his speech. "We can't wait until Friday to act. ... We need a compromise and we need it today."

Education Commissioner Faye Taylor said school systems across the state were already suffering from legislative inaction, which has left them unable to make plans for the coming school year.

"Today is already too late" to avoid damage to education, she said.

The latest no-new-taxes plan cuts $203 million from kindergarten-through-12th grade education, which Taylor said would require assigning an extra five students to each class statewide and laying off 7,500 teachers. MY NOTE do the math there are 95 counties and only $203 in cuts)

Leaders have told legislators to be prepared for meetings tomorrow. Ford, however, declared on the Senate floor that he would not attend a July 4th session because "I have a right to be with my kids and I don't care who doesn't like it."

Tom Humphrey may be reached at 615-242-7782 or humphrey@edge.net


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: bosshogg; budgetcrisis; incometax; tennessee
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CONTACT INFO FOR LEGISLATURE: 800-449-8366 + 1 + THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF THEIR NASHVILE OFFICE OR 615-741-3011 Speaker Naifeh is NOT taking YOUR CALLS DUE TO THE GUBERMINT SHUT DOWN. BUT THE OTHER LAWMAKERS ARE!

TN GENERAL ASSEMBLY or email them all at once teaparty@nashville.com

Phil Valentine's update:

Dear FOP:

After making a deal to run the CATS bill first, Naifeh promised to run his income tax bill tonight if CATS didn't pass. The deal was he would do it by 11PM Tuesday night or he would drop it for good.

After your overwhelming turnout, Naifeh got nervous and decided to adjourn until 10AM Wednesday. In other words, he lied. What's new, huh?

I very much appreciate all of you who took time to come down Tuesday night. It was your actions that scared them off the income tax . . . again.

It's 12:08AM Wednesday morning as I write this. We plan to be broadcasting down at the Capitol at 10AM as the house goes back in. Please come join us if you get the chance. Naifeh needs to understand that we will not tolerate his tactics and his lying.

We're winning, folks, and we have to keep up the pressure. When you turn out, they respond.

Regards,

Phil Valentine NewsRadio 1510WLAC

TUES. JULY 2 @ 11:30pm

THOUSANDS TURN OUT TO PROTEST!! NAIFEH ADJORNS HOUSE UNTIL 10 am WITHOUT PROMISED VOTE ON INCOME TAX!! RETURN TO PLAZA AT 9 am !!!

...................................

TURN OUT THE TROOPS TODAY JULY 3 TO PROTECT YOUR INCOME FROM SPENDQUIST AND BOSS HOGG'S GREEDY HANDS

Steve Gill on with an update. Says Jimmy Naifeh has lied once again. He has proven himself to be a liar again. Steve will be out at 9AM tomorrow to broadcast live. Congratulates everyone for the quick turnout tonight. Wants the largest crowd ever tomorrow.

We have to be like the Minutemen. We did great tonight. Even the liberal news reporters were astonished at the quick turnout!

Naifeh is like Pharoah with his hard heart. He's not going to let the IT go until he feels the pain like Pharoah. Keep up the good work everyone.

Phil Valentine needs the troops now!

Dear FOP:

This is it, folks. Red alert. The CATS bill was just referred back to committee without enough votes to pass. They've given Naifeh until 11PM tonight to run his income tax in the house. We don't know if he has the votes but we don't want to take that chance. We need all available people down at the Capitol.

I'll see you down there. Stay tuned to NewsRadio 1510WLAC for details.

Phil Valentine

1 posted on 07/03/2002 3:59:30 AM PDT by GailA
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To: 07055; 82nd Paratrooper; ABC123; Alabama_Wild_Man; ALACA; amadeus; Ancient_Pistoll; aquawrench; ...
Good Morning! If you can be there, go!!!

The instant turn out last night is what stopped it then; a solid one today should do it.

2 posted on 07/03/2002 4:07:16 AM PDT by Nora
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To: GailA
http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi?BISKIT=1186382793&CONTEXT=story&id=61832&category=63&fulltext=1

CATS suffers narrow defeat in Tennessee House vote

By TIM WHALEY

Tennessee House supporters of the Continuing Adequate Services and Taxes compromise budget plan lost by a narrow 47-45-3 vote Tuesday night, and then were stunned when House leaders pulled back from a planned income tax vote.

House lawmakers need 50 votes to pass any measure.

CATS sponsor Rep. Frank Buck, D-Dowelltown, said he wasn't in the room when an agreement was made to run CATS and then bring the income tax for a vote.

"But my understanding was that we would vote on our plan and then they would bring the income tax proposal up, and we were going to vote to approve it or declare it dead," Buck said.

With the income tax plan out of the way, CATS supporters hoped to peel off the necessary votes to pass their plan.

Now, Buck said the CATS supporters must go back to the Finance Committee to try again.

Locally, those voting "yes" on the CATS plan included Reps. David Davis, R-Johnson City; Steve Godsey, R-Blountville; and Jason Mumpower, R-Bristol.

Reps. Ken Givens, D-Rogersville; Ralph Cole, R-Elizabethton; and Zane Whitson, R-Unicoi, all voted no.

Rep. Bob Patton, R-Johnson City, was among three lawmakers who passed on the vote.

Businesses, smokers and drinkers would be among those scratched the deepest by the CATS plan.

Businesses would pay $75 million more in corporate income taxes under the plan, as the excise tax rate moves from 6 percent to 6.75 percent.

<> Also, CATS would eliminate a federal tax break for business by de-coupling the state rate from federal returns, raising $50 million.

And businesses would pay $27.9 million more in higher non-water energy costs in manufacturing.

Givens called the measure the biggest anti-business vote in state history, a hurtful blow given that business tax collections this year are down 20 percent.

"I appreciate that Representative Beth Harwell, who chairs the state Republican Party, agreed with myself and 40 income tax supporters that this plan is the most anti-business tax proposition we've ever seen in the 14 years we've served down here together," Givens said. "I also agree with President Bush and the Republican House that we need to stimulate the economy ... but by de-coupling, we totally gut the job-creation aspect of the Republican-sponsored plan out of Washington."

Meanwhile, Davis, Godsey and Mumpower - criticized by some as "do-nothing" lawmakers - were at least pleased to get a chance to vote for the CATS plan, a measure they have supported for some time now.

"The CATS budget was the only thing protecting the citizens of Tennessee from an unconstitutional income tax or continued government shutdown," Davis said. "I think it's very unfortunate that the pro-income-tax supporters didn't come onboard to help reopen our government."

Davis also said he remained true to his constituents, supporting a "common-sense" budget that avoids the income tax.

Since 50 lawmakers did not reject CATS, it can be brought up again.

"If income taxers want to keep government open, they need to go ahead and vote in what they believe in," Davis said. "But hopefully, they will move toward a more common-sense, middle-of-the-road approach that is constitutional."

In addition to business taxes, CATS would hike sin taxes by 200 percent on cigarettes and nearly double taxes on wine, liquor and beer. Sin tax measures raise $196 million.

Finally, CATS tags everyone, business or resident alike, raising the local-option sales tax to a uniform 2.75 percent and keeping the difference - $248 million - to help run state government.

The move is repealed in one year but would leave local governments with property taxes as the only way to raise revenue at that level.

Other changes would increase the price of big-ticket items, with the full 8.75 percent sales tax rate applying to the first $3,900 of any purchase. The current cap is $1,600.

Newspaper sales and subscriptions, vending machines and coin-operated amusements would all be subjected to the state's new 8.75 percent sales tax rate.

Other items subjected to the sales tax include space rentals at fairs, utility poles, public pay phones, property rentals with crew, film and transcription rentals, the first $150 of club memberships, and physical fitness facility fees.

Finally, commercial trailers would be assessed a $100 registration fee.

In all, the plan raises $796 million.

Meanwhile, Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Morrison, is working on yet another version of CATS that he said the business community finds "99.9 percent" acceptable.

"Instead of leaving business out of the discussion, I brought them and kind of acted like a mediator," Cooper said. "At first, they said no to everything ... but we finally came up with something they can live with."

At the heart of the Cooper plan is a 1 percent sales tax hike, taking the state rate from 6 percent to 7 percent.

Other aspects of the Cooper plan would de-couple business taxes, use much smaller sin tax hikes, hit businesses with a 0.5 percent excise tax increase, and hit consumers with a $10 automobile registration fee increase and a $3,200 single-article cap on sales taxes.

The plan would also dramatically increase the number of professionals subject to the professional privilege tax, and raise that tax from $200 a year to $300.

The Senate was adjourned Tuesday night, but Cooper said he will bring his plan up Wednesday in the Senate Finance Committee and hopefully get a floor vote later Wednesday.

Cooper's plan raises $903 million in the first full year.

Also, early Tuesday, Gov. Don Sundquist offered his own compromise tax plan with elements of a sales tax expansion, sales tax hike, 3.75 percent income tax, and constitutional convention call. It was largely ignored, at least for now, in the General Assembly.

3 posted on 07/03/2002 4:11:49 AM PDT by GailA
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To: GailA
The Tennessean

House in deadlock on taxes, to meet today

By BONNA de la CRUZ and DUREN CHEEK Staff Writers

The state House narrowly defeated a plan to boost business, sales and ''sin'' taxes last night and sponsors said they felt betrayed when House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh did not subsequently bring his income tax plan up for a vote, as they said he said he would do.

Angry income tax opponents and backers of the failed tax plan charged that Naifeh made a strategic agreement with them, then broke his word to bring his income tax proposal to a vote or declare it dead.

''I can't do anything when people don't keep their word,'' state Rep. Frank Buck, D-Dowellown, told backers of his plan, which he calls the Continuing Adequate Taxes and Services plan.

The developments appeared to deepen the divide between those for and against a state income tax.

Before last night's vote, Naifeh struck a gentlemen's agreement with bill sponsor Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson. Jackson did not want a vote until an income tax had been decided on, but agreed to move the Buck-Jackson bill first in the House if Naifeh would bring an income tax up within two hours after the Buck-Jackson vote or declare an income tax dead, according to those involved in negotiations.

After adjourning the House at 10:20 p.m., without considering an income tax, Naifeh said he was about two votes short of the 50 needed to pass a 4.5% flat-rate income tax plan.

''We do not have the votes tonight and will not run it,'' Naifeh told reporters. ''I told Senator Jackson and Representative Buck that if we didn't have the votes, we would so proclaim.''

But, Naifeh added, ''Anything is alive as long as we're here.'' He also said members need to remain flexible.

Rep. Bobby Wood, R-Harrison, who backed the Buck-Jackson plan, said flatly, ''The speaker broke the agreement.''

He said the Buck-Jackson forces came to the floor hurriedly and unprepared to keep their part of the bargain.

''They told us, if you will go ahead and move this article out of their way and bring it up for a vote, then they would bring their bill to a vote or publicly declare they didn't have the votes and move forward without it. We were deceived. They simply did not keep their word.''

Under the agreement, the Buck-Jackson plan could be revived today if an income tax proposal is not successful.

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to meet at 8:30 a.m. and could consider a proposal by Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Morrison, to raise the state sales tax from 6% to 7%, raise car registration fees by $10 and increase business taxes.

If approved, it could move to the full Senate, which meets at 10 a.m.

The House Finance Committee is to meet at 9 a.m. to continue discussions on a no-new-taxes budget, which proposes deep cuts to current spending.

The Buck-Jackson proposal was defeated with 47 for, 45 against and three abstaining. The plan needed 50 votes to pass.

It would have raised $767 million by taxing businesses, raising the sales tax to 8.75% statewide and raising ''sin taxes.''

The General Assembly is working in overtime this week after failing to pass a permanent budget on Sunday, the last day of the 2001-02 fiscal year.

The state is operating under an ''essential services,'' budget, which expires Friday. Senate leaders have set a deadline of tonight to pass a permanent budget.

Lawmakers have been on the hunt for $757 million, the amount they say they need to fund this year's budget, which began Monday, at the same level as last year.

The failed Buck-Jackson bill was offered as an alternative to deep budget cuts or to an income tax.

''Every single one of us can find something in this bill they don't like, but it is our intention to throw out a life preserver to the state of Tennessee.

This bill can save us from disaster,'' Buck said.

Proponents said the tax plan would have fully funded K-12 education, higher education and other state programs at last year's level of services, as well as open the state's finished, but unopened firefighter training academy in Bedford County.

But opponents said the bill did not provide sufficient money for state services. Business lobbyists complained it was too tough on their interests, including raising the excise tax on corporate income from 6% to 6.75% and increasing alcohol and cigarette taxes.

With 47 yes votes, the proposal had two more votes than Naifeh's 4.5% flat-rate income tax plan, which failed by five votes in May.

''We're in a strong position,'' Jackson said after the vote.

The surprise vote on the Buck-Jackson plan came at the end of the second day in which lawmakers had not taken any action on budget or tax measures, despite the state being in a partial shutdown.

''People felt the House needed to move,'' said Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The budget impasse has been aggravated by a rift between the two houses that has deepened since Sunday, the initial deadline for a budget to be passed.

The rift began when the Senate rushed Sunday night to approve a tax plan offered by Sen. David Fowler, R-Signal Mountain, and a $936.6 million budget that keeps state services at status quo. Naifeh proceeded to call the Senate's tax bill ''a piece of trash,'' which was rushed forward so quickly there was not an accurate accounting of what it would raise.

House leaders called the Fowler plan flawed in its drafting, constitutionally suspect and crafted without their consultation. Senate leaders retorted that the House knew their plans all along.

Yesterday, in an effort to bridge the divide, Gov. Don Sundquist offered a compromise tax plan to legislative leaders. ''Until we act together, we're not going to solve the problem. We are family here,'' Sundquist said.

Legislative leaders then met later to broker a deal for the House to take immediate action.

During debate on the Buck-Jackson plan last night, Rep. Gary Odom, D-Nashville, proposed taking a portion of car registration fees that now go to the road building fund and raising the state sales tax by a quarter percent instead of raising the local option rate to a uniform 2.75%. House members voted not to pursue the measure.

Odom said the uniform 2.75% rate was unfair for 60 counties, including Davidson, that have local sales tax rates below that level.

Rep. John Arriola, D-Nashville, proposed upping the 2% increase in car rental fees to 3% as a way to provide $10 million for long-term care for the elderly, a service in which Tennessee ranks near the bottom nationwide. The amendment failed.

4 posted on 07/03/2002 4:18:27 AM PDT by GailA
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To: GailA
Rep. John Arriola who is losing his senate bid wants to get back at constituents by changing his NO vote to a YES vote on the IT!
5 posted on 07/03/2002 4:19:28 AM PDT by GailA
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To: GailA
Here are today's headlines on stories posted today on TaxFreeTennessee:

Naifeh Lied

CATS suffers narrow defeat in Tennessee House - Naifeh pulled back from a planned income tax vote

Naifeh reneged on his promise

Naifeh backs off plan for immediate vote on income tax

Naifeh broke his word

6 posted on 07/03/2002 4:24:31 AM PDT by Nora
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To: Nora
http://216.111.31.12/details.asp?PRID=97

Conference may be key to income tax

By Frank Cagle

July 3, 2002 -- Sleep deprived Capitol Hill reporters have given you blow by blows of the current marathon known as the General Assembly. They must be tempted at this point to call home and tell the city desk to send over the feature writer that covers the circus.

There is so much up in the air and so many plans floating around there may be only a dozen people who understand it all.

Let's focus on what has come to be known as the Fowler bill. If we get an income tax that's most likely where it will come from. It was a Sunday. Downtown was quiet except for a few diehard horn honkers that looked more forlorn than ferocious.

After a rambling sililoquy by Lt. Gov. John Wilder involving Bed Buddies, Devils, Uncle Sam and things that go bump in the night the Senate got down to passing a revenue bill. Sen. David Fowler, a Republican from Signal Mountain (known to the rest of the state as Chattanooga), offered Speaker Naifeh's income tax proposal with a new wrinkle. It included an amendment that set up a referendum in November in which you could vote Yes against an income tax and No for a constitutional covention. Is that clear?.

Leaving the merits of the bill aside, it became apparent to some of us that a referendum on the income tax in November would be a boon for conservative Republicans beyond belief. Amid recesses and sessions, with Wilder slamming the gavel and telling them to do something, even if it's wrong, the Senate moved toward passage. Democrats on cell phones in the hall were frantic. At some point they got some Democrats in a room and a big-time consultant from the Democratic National Committee relayed the word that voting for this damn bill would make them all dead meat. Rumor has it Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Bredesen had the DNC make the call, because if there is one thing he doesn't need come November is a turnout of every conservative anti-income tax voter in the state. Because no matter what the press says, every conservative knows that in the governor's race Republican Van Hilleary is the only candidate that guarantees no income tax. Ever.

Since Bredesen was in Memphis confering with Al Gore on how to take back Tennessee for Gore in '04 he didn't have any trouble getting hold of any Democratic National Committee officials.

But despite the dawning of political consequences, the Naifeh plan with the Fowler amendmemt proceeded to pass.

In the process, the Sundquist administration, in its usual inept fashion, decided to improve on the bill. They got Fowler to substitute some new language that reduced the rate from Naifeh's 4.5 percent to 3.75 percent and some substitute revenues to make up the difference. Introducing a complex change in a bill on Sunday afternoon when the state faced a deadline of midnight had to be in the top three most irreponsible things the Sundquist administration has done over the last four years.

So the bill passed the Senate and went to the House. Speaker Naifeh and the Democrats had to kill it at all cost. It sank in on the Democrats that this was not a good thing.

So Naifeh took the opening to criticize the bill as poorly drawn, full of errors and worthy of disposal. So they killed it and we had a government shutdown.

But it didn't have anything to do with the merits of the bill. The Democrats could not allow an income tax referendum on the ballot in November.

That doesn't mean they don't like the bill. After all, in the final analysis the Senate passed an income tax bill. The only problem for income tax proponents is that it called for a referendum.

On Tuesday, Sundquist proposed a new plan. An income tax of one percent that would start Jan. 1, 2003 and a constitutional convention call in 2004. In other words, you get the income tax now and have a convention on whether you want it two years from now. No one seems to be paying any attention to it at this point.

If the Naifeh/Fowler/whoever bill should pass then the whole mess goes to a conference committee. The speakers decide who is on the conference committee.

The conference committee can rewrite the bill any damn way they please. Then the bill they craft goes back to the House and Senate for an up and down vote. Most likely at midnight with no continuation budget and the prospect of a complete government shutdown looming.

The alternative to this scenario is the CATS bill, which raises revenue and does some cuts. It's between the DOGS, kill everything budget, and an income tax. It failed in one vote in the House Tuesday night. The decision is left with Naifeh. If they give up on the income tax then CATS could pass. But Naifeh would be conceding leadership to Rep. Frank Buck, its sponsor. (See previous post.)

If the Naifeh plan does not pass look for Sen. Jerry Cooper and Naifeh to propose their own CATS budget. Then they pass CATS, but they don't pass the Jackson/Buck bill. This face-saving measure is designed to prevent Buck and the rank and file a victory.

There is one other piece of skulduggery possible. CATS passes in different versions. It goes into conference as CATS and comes out as an income tax bill.

Then the lid blows off. Stay tuned.

7 posted on 07/03/2002 5:16:01 AM PDT by GailA
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To: GailA
*Bump*
8 posted on 07/03/2002 5:23:18 AM PDT by Yardstick
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To: GailA
You guys are doing a great job! Keep it up.
9 posted on 07/03/2002 5:46:55 AM PDT by Valin
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To: Nora
We'll be there !! !!

WHY ?

Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - - Naifeh Lied - -

10 posted on 07/03/2002 6:37:51 AM PDT by Alabama_Wild_Man
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To: GailA
Here is another good source of anti tax info:
http://www.tntaxrevolt.org

Listening to Phil Valentine currently down at the capital - will try to keep you guys informed if anything breaks here in Nashville.
11 posted on 07/03/2002 8:25:17 AM PDT by vanna516
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To: GailA
Speaking of cats, a lot of these House & Senate cats will be out in the alley after the next election! (I'm going after Rochelle, myself!)
12 posted on 07/03/2002 8:28:51 AM PDT by babylonian
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To: Alabama_Wild_Man
The killer to Naifeh last night could have been a poll conducted yesterday that if an income tax passes then 80% of the respondents would vote out the current general assembly.

Ouch! So much for the pro IT view that "most" Tennesseans want to be taxed to death.
13 posted on 07/03/2002 9:00:45 AM PDT by Clandestine
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To: GailA
Kudos again for your hard and persistent work. Once the tax eaters are *forced* to make *real* cuts, and the public knows that the sky won't fall in, it will be much easier to stop them next year.
14 posted on 07/03/2002 9:05:09 AM PDT by Austin Willard Wright
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To: GailA
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
15 posted on 07/03/2002 9:31:10 AM PDT by Grammy
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To: GailA
Local news reporting that Naifeh DOES NOT have the votes for the income tax - 11:30 CDT.
16 posted on 07/03/2002 9:31:34 AM PDT by vanna516
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To: GailA
Keep up the good work there in TN. I just wish the voters here in NJ had as much guts.
17 posted on 07/03/2002 10:36:30 AM PDT by lds23
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To: GailA
That the way to keep at 'em, Gail!!! We, the people, need to make them understand that the line in the sand is being drawn - Steal more of our hard-earned money and you will be out of a job - or worse!! I am sick of these underhanded attempts to increase the budget by such an astronomical amount.

Thanks a thousand times!!

18 posted on 07/03/2002 12:44:43 PM PDT by meyer
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To: 07055; 82nd Paratrooper; ABC123; Alabama_Wild_Man; ALACA; amadeus; Ancient_Pistoll; aquawrench; ...
Mae Beavers confirms that the Cooper bill just passed the Senate. JDGreen is doing yeoman service on the location board keeping the details flowing.
19 posted on 07/03/2002 3:30:44 PM PDT by Nora
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To: GailA
BUMP once again for great freeping!
20 posted on 07/03/2002 4:29:31 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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