Day: February 8, 2017

Poll: Republicans in Tennessee Overwhelmingly Oppose Raising Gas Tax by a 2 to 1 Margin

Tennessee Star Staff

A new poll released on Tuesday shows that registered Republican voters in Tennessee oppose raising the gas tax by a 53 percent to 28 percent, almost a 2 to 1 margin. Gov. Haslam has proposed increasing the gas tax by 7 cents per gallon and the diesel tax by 18 cents per gallon in order to fund additional road expenditures. The poll was conducted of 600 registered Republican voters over two days, January 31 to February 1, in the immediate aftermath of Haslam’s January 30 State of the State address in which he released details of his proposed gas tax, which are included in a bill called the IMPROVE Act. Tennesseans for Conservative Action , which sponsored the poll, said in its press release announcing the results it “conducted the survey to gauge support for policies conservatives are talking about during this year’s legislative session.” TCA outlined several “key takeaways” in its release: 54% of Republicans believe we should spend the $1 billion surplus on road improvements before raising the gas tax. Of those who support the gas tax, 99% approve of Governor Haslam’s job performance. 15% of Tennessee Republicans flatly reject a 7-cent gas tax “no matter what” and…

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EXCLUSIVE: House Majority Leader Casada Supports Hawk Plan to Fund Roads With Existing Sales Tax

Tennessee Star Staff

In an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star on Capitol Hill Tuesday, House Majority Leader State Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin) explained why he supports State Rep. David Hawk‘s (R-Greeneville) plan to fund road construction by reallocating one quarter of one percent (0.25) out of the 7  percent currently paid in sales tax on retail purchases that goes to the state’s general fund. (Tennessee residents pay an additional 2.25 per cent to 2.75 percent in sales tax on retail purchases to fund local governments.) Gov. Haslam has proposed a plan to pay for additional road construction by increasing the gas tax by 7 cents, from 21 cents per gallon to 28 cents per gallon, and the diesel tax by 12 cents, from 18 cents to 30 cents per gallon. The Star’s Laura Baigert interviewed State. Rep. Casada in his Capitol Hill offices. “First let me say, that the governor, I applaud him because he has identified there’s a need in the state, and that need is to build more roads,” Casada told Baigert. “The reason that has arisen, the reason the gas tax by itself is not sufficient is because of inflation, because of increased automobile gas mileage. We’re not collecting…

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Commentary: Impeach Federal Judge James L. Robart

Tennessee Star Staff

by George Rasley, ConservativeHQ Editor February 6, 2017 Reprinted with Permission from ConservativeHQ.com   On February 3, 2017 Federal District Judge James L. Robart issued a temporary restraining order barring the federal executive branch from implementing President Trump’s Executive Order temporarily barring travel from seven terrorist hotspots. The basis for Judge Robart’s order was not the national security of the United States or the proven threat of terrorism immigration from these countries; it was that the plaintiff state (Washington) would be irreparably harmed because, “The Executive Order adversely affects the States’ residents in areas of employment, James L. Robarteducation, business, family relations, and freedom to travel… In addition, the States themselves are harmed by virtue of the damage implementation of the Executive Order has inflicted upon the operations and missions of their public universities and other institutions of higher learning, as well as injury to the States’ operations, tax bases, and public funds.” You can read the order here. What this means is that Judge Robart has usurped the Article 1 constitutional powers of Congress to regulate commerce with foreign countries and set the rules of naturalization and immigration, and the President’s Article 2 powers as Commander in Chief and…

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Subcommittee Showdown: Haslam Gas Tax Increase Versus ‘Hawk Plan’ Sales Tax Reallocation

Tennessee Star Staff

Chris Bungard at WKRN reports that a House Transportation Subcommittee showdown looms next week between “Governor Bill Haslam’s sweeping plan that would raise the state’s gas tax by seven cents a gallon, while cutting other taxes, like those on groceries . . . [and] . . . a competing bill announced last week by House assistant majority leader David Hawk that would take a quarter of one percent of the state general sales tax and solely dedicate it to the state transportation fund.” State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), who supports Gov. Haslam’s gas tax proposal, but opposes the indexing element of it, chairs the House Transportation Committee. Hawk’s proposal, referred to by its proponents as “The Hawk Plan,” has the support of House Majority Leader Glen Casada (R-Franklin), as The Tennessee Star confirmed in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster), a strong conservative who has the respect and support of a number of grassroots groups, chairs the House Subcommittee on Transportation. Chairman Doss also serves on the subcommittee, as does State Rep. Dave Alexander (R-Winchester), State Rep. Courtney Rogers (R-Goodlettsville), State Rep. Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station), State Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin), State Rep. Barbara Cooper…

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Gov. Haslam Announces Steven Smith ‘Will Lead Administration’s Efforts on the IMPROVE Act’

Tennessee Star Staff

Gov. Haslam announced on Monday that Steven Smith “who currently serves as senior advisor for policy and strategy, will become senior advisor to the governor.” “In his new role, Smith will lead the administration’s efforts on the IMPROVE Act [Improving Manufacturing, Public Roads and Opportunities for a Vibrant Economy], the governor’s comprehensive plan to cut taxes on food and manufacturing while updating how the state provides Tennesseans the safe and reliable transportation network needed to support future job growth,” the governor’s statement said. Smith joined the governor’s staff last July and has helped shape his 2017 NextTennessee legislative agenda, taking on the lead role in developing the governor’s plan to increase broadband access to Tennessee’s unserved citizens. On Tuesday, Gov. Haslam “filed his Next Tennessee legislative agenda for the 2017 session of the 110th General Assembly,” his office reported. The IMPROVE Act is one of four legislative proposals from the governor which comprise that legislative agenda: 1) The Tennessee Reconnect Act is Haslam’s proposal to make Tennessee the first state in the nation to offer all Tennessee adults without a degree access to community college tuition-free – and at no cost to taxpayers. Tennessee would become the first state in…

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