Posted on 03/21/2002 4:49:54 AM PST by GailA
Interest groups push tax reform in day at Capitol
By Richard Locker locker@gomemphis.com March 21, 2002
NASHVILLE - More than 2,000 citizens flooded the Capitol Wednesday to deliver messages of support for tax reform and improved state services, including education, environmental protection and long-term care for the elderly.
Members of groups ranging from the American Association of Retired Persons, Tennessee Catholics, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce and several environmental groups held their annual "lobby days," visiting legislators and other officials.
The AARP sent 1,400 members from across the state, including 450 on nine buses from Memphis, with a strong message of support for tax reform, legislation to improve regulation and oversight of nursing homes, and funding for a system of home and community based services to allow elderly Tennesseans to stay at home instead of moving into nursing homes.
About 550 Catholics, including nearly 100 from Memphis, attended the annual "Catholic Day on the Hill," sponsored by Tennessee's three Catholic Dioceses. Bishop Terry Steib of the Memphis Diocese said that he and his counterparts in Knoxville and Nashville urged legislators to support TennCare, tax reform and social services that protect and aid vulnerable Tennesseans.
The Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce and top administrators of the University of Memphis held a joint visit with the Shelby County legislative delegation and hosted a reception for lawmakers Wednesday night.
R. Marc Jordan, the chamber's president, said the chamber's top priority is adequately funding education. He said the business organization supports a "long-term solution" to Tennessee's financial problems but does not have a specific position on a state income tax.
The AARP was more specific. Its members wore large yellow stickers urging lawmakers to "Fix the Budget, Fix Long Term Care," and in a rally in the adjoining War Memorial Auditorium, speakers called for a state income tax coupled with removing the sales tax from food.
AARP Tennessee President Mary Stockley of Memphis compared the groups' orderly and peaceful visits to the sometimes violent anti-tax protest of last July 12 when demonstrators broke windows at the Capitol, beat on doors leading into the legislative chambers and injured a state worker. "When we had the horn honkers and window smashers, we had to bring in 'homeland security' before the rest of the nation," Stock ley said.
State Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis) told the elderly citizens they should meet one on one with their representatives, "look them in the eye and tell them, 'It's time you do what we elected you to do: Lead! Either lead, follow or get out of the way!' "
Rep. Joe Armstrong (D-Knoxville) agreed. "I believe they're starting to get the message to fix the budget," he said.
In the Legislative Plaza complex, Bishop Steib and Bishops Joseph Kurtz of Knoxville and Edward Kmeic of Nashville led Catholics ranging from high school students to elderly parishioners in meetings and visits. "Primarily we're here saying our beliefs cannot stay in the sanctuary," said Kurtz.
"We have been very strongly against sales taxes on food because we believe it puts an unfair burden on those who can least afford it. We believe tax reform should be equitable and that it should be adequate to provide the services that people need."
In addition, Tennesseans for State Parks, a coalition of 33 environmental and conservation organizations, rallied to divert 1 cent of Tennessee's 21 cents per gallon gasoline tax to reopen state parks that were closed as a result of last fall's budget cuts.
Contact Nashville Bureau chief Richard Locker at (615) 255-4923.
The Tennessean
Park closures cost money, advocates say to legislators
By ANNE PAINE Staff Writer
The state is losing more money in tax revenue by leaving parks closed than it is saving, citizen and park advocates in the legislature said yesterday.
Tennessee also is missing the chance to acquire ''at-risk beauty spots'' for future generations as roads and development eat up 80,000 acres a year in Tennessee, according to a coalition of 33 environmental groups, parks friends and others.
''It's my contention that by closing the parks you're costing the state sales-tax revenues,'' said Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge.
Sen. Jo Ann Graves, D-Gallatin, agreed that shutting 14 state parks and closing the rest — about 43 — on Mondays and Tuesdays does no good.
''Those parks bring in a tremendous amount of dollars. We are cutting our nose off to spite our face. We are costing ourselves money.''
The legislature two years ago sliced the parks budget by $2.5 million, saying resort parks should pay for themselves. Since then, the Department of Environment and Conservation has shuttered parks in an effort to balance its budget.
The closings represent about a $3.2 million in savings a year, said Mark Williams, state parks director. He told members of the joint House and Senate Environment Committee yesterday that he did not know a way to calculate lost sales taxes.
The department wants the money that the legislature cut restored, while many lawmakers want the administration to find the money elsewhere. The legislature ordered $100 million in unspecified budget cuts as a hedge to help balance the current budget, but left it to the Sundquist administration where to cut. The governor ordered the cuts in the fall.
Conservationists, meanwhile, are pushing for a 1-penny tax on diesel fuel to provide parks funding. Three jars of pennies donated by park lovers — about 60,000 pennies — sat on a table in the hearing room to illustrate the point.
Rep. Tim Garrett, D-Goodlettsville, said Gov. Don Sundquist's administration could open parks ''if they want to'' and implied that a dedicated tax is an unlikely source for funding. ''I don't think that's the way to go about doing it.''
Kathleen Williams, co-chairwoman of the coalition Tennesseans for State Parks, said, ''It's not just about barely getting by. It's about setting our sights for future parks, at-risk beauty spots.''
The group is pushing for parks to be reopened and for an independent commission to operate them. It wants more park and natural areas acreage designated and a halt in ''over-building'' with costly and expensive-to-maintain resort facilities.
''People love Radnor Park and you can't even have a picnic there, much less a convention,'' Williams said.
Rep. Mike Turner, D-Old Hickory, has proposed a 75-cent landfill tipping fee as ''a permanent fix'' to fund parks. He said the money could also take care of the needs in Spencer, Tenn., for a place to put effluent from a new sewage treatment plant, originally destined for a creek running through a world-class cave. The cave is partly located in Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Sen. Joe Haynes, D-Nashville, is another sponsor of the tipping fee.
GA, So,,, we've got people and organizations who don't pay taxes lobbying people who don't pay taxes {legislators, whose government wages including the taxes they "pay", are paid by private sector taxpayers} to raise taxes. Wonderful world we've created. Peace and love, George.
Tell me Bishop Terry, isn't it the place of the church to provide the services you speak. What makes Bishop Terry think it OK to take tithes away from my church by increasing my taxes?
Why does Mary from the AARP think it my obligation in increasd taxes to pay for the retirement she ignored for 40 years. Or could it be she has stock and wants to get rid of the Hall tax?
When they get this income tax passed I want to see the same group back in Nashville to ask for its repeal after the producers of this state have left and the politicos lower the income level to "maintain" the same level of services.
Key elements of his bill include a chance for voters in November to decide if they want a Constitutional Convention.
If voters say no, to a Con-Con an UNCONSTITUTIONAL flat income tax of 3.25 percent that reduces parts of the sales tax goes into effect January first, 2003.
IF we say YES, we get sales tax extended to services
If voters say yes, sales tax reform plan of lowering the rate, extending it to services, and removing most exemptions goes into effect in January.
And a constitutional convention in 2004 would decide if sales tax reform is working, and whatever the convention decides is voted on by the people.
Why aren't we voting on a Constitutional Amendment BEFORE an income tax is levied?
Either way we tax serfs get stuck with a BILLION dollars in NEW taxes!
Families are supposed to support each other and I commend you. However, I draw the line when the government deems it "unfair" because when I was in the same situation as your son, I went to school and improved my financial condition by working long and hard, and now the government by threat of force wants me to provide a subsidy to those who don't want to sacrifice or earn it.
BTW at 21, just out of the military, married, had a son, worked 2 full time jobs AND went to school. I always said that if you don't like your fiscal situation then only one person has the ability to change it and it begins by looking in the mirror.
Either way we tax serfs get stuck with a BILLION dollars in NEW taxes!
They have a great example at the federal level with the campaign finance reform bill. They know it costs money to challenge a law, so they pass it hoping the litigious costs will prevent any challenge.
It's going to backfire in the long run as people like myself will look for other less taxing states to relocate and they are forced to lower the income level for taxes to make up the difference.
On behalf of all Tennesseans whose voices have not been heard, I am sponsoring Senate Bill 3156 which would allow you to vote this August whether to call a limited constitutional convention on spending and revenue reform in Tennessee without implementing an income tax or sales tax increase. Recently, Senator David Fowler proposed a different and more complex plan that couples a convention with an income tax or a sales tax increase. I believe his plan would be unconstitutional and unwise, and I am writing in order to eliminate any confusion between his plan and the Norris Plan.
The power to tax, or to limit taxation and expenditures, is derived from our Constitution. Article II is presently understood to prohibit a tax on income except for income from stocks and bonds. Despite three Supreme Court rulings holding a general tax on income unconstitutional, other legislators have proposed various statutory (rather than constitutional) income taxes without voting to amend the Constitution accordingly. In my opinion, the controversy over various statutory income tax proposals has arisen because citizens have been prohibited from exercising their constitutional right to vote for or against an income tax amendment.
Under the Norris Plan, you would have the opportunity to vote in August's state primary election for or against a constitutional convention. If the majority of Tennesseans vote for a convention, then you have the opportunity to elect delegates to the convention at the general election this coming November. These delegates would be citizens from your community who would campaign on their own platforms for or against reform. Delegates elected would convene by year-end to deliberate over amendments to the taxing provisions of Article II which some say no longer accommodate the needs of the people of our state. Reforms could include repealing the tax on stocks and bonds, adopting limits on taxation, altering the sales tax, or implementing an income tax. The results of the convention would be presented for your approval or rejection no later than the next general election in 2004, or a special election could be held next year.
During the interim, we can more than adequately fund the State's needs through conservative modifications to the existing sales tax including lowering the sales tax and removing a limited number of outdated exemptions, reallocating other revenues, and continuing to reduce the size of government. According to Article I of our State Constitution, "All power is inherent in the people." The Norris Plan restores your right to exercise that power.
Please write your state senators and representatives and register your support for SB 3156, the Norris Plan.
Sincerely,
Mark Norris
Senator
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.