Search Results for: gas tax

Former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and Former Congressman Stephen Fincher Will Play Major Role In Diane Black’s Gubernatorial Campaign

Laura Baigert

In an August 14 press release, Diane Black for Governor announced “conservative leaders” former U.S. Congressman Stephen Fincher and former Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey as co-chairmen for her campaign. Dubbed “the latest sign that conservatives across Tennessee are rallying behind Diane Black’s campaign for governor,” the duo “will play a major role in [the] campaign.” Fincher represented the West Tennessee 8th Congressional District from 2011 to 2017, the same year that Black was elected to the Middle Tennessee 6th Congressional District. During his six years in Congress, Fincher would hardly be considered a conservative, even against Black’s relatively moderate scores. Black’s FreedomWorks lifetime score is 83 percent, while Fincher’s is 75 percent. Black’s Heritage Action score is 85 percent, while Fincher’s is 73 percent or sixth of seven Republicans, trailed only by Chuck Fleischman (TN-03) at 72 percent and two Democrats. Additionally, GovTrack rated Fincher as the second most absent for votes among all 432 House of Representatives rated in the 114th Congress (2015-16), which then makes him the ninth of nine for absences among the Tennessee delegation. Ron Ramsey was the first Republican to serve as Lt. Governor and Senate Speaker since Reconstruction, and is credited with strong leadership…

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Exclusive: TCU Chairman Says 2nd Congressional District Candidate Matlock Among Most Conservative Legislators, Also Praises Burchett

Laura Baigert

In an exclusive statement to The Tennessee Star regarding the announcement by Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City) that he will be running for the 2nd Congressional District, Tennessee Conservative Union (TCU) Chairman Gary Loe said “Rep. Matlock’s voting record on taxation scores consistently among the most conservative legislators in Nashville.” Loe’s statement praised Matlock’s service in the Tennessee House, saying he has “championed the TCU’s efforts to help taxpayers keep more of their hard earned income,” and pointed out that Matlock “voted against the governor’s gas tax increase this legislative session.” In the statement Loe also praised “[t]he other announced candidate in the race, Knox County mayor Tim Burchett,” whom he called “a terrific friend to TCU.” “In fact, TCU awarded our vaunted ‘Tax Ax’ award to then state Sen. Burchett in June 1999,” Loe said. The TCU, founded in 1977 by Lloyd Daugherty who passed away two years ago, is one of the oldest and largest non-partisan conservative organizations in the state with an estimated 15,000 members. Loe was appointed chairman on February 6, which is Ronald Reagan’s birthday, by the board of directors, and has been actively reintroducing the TCU through numerous speeches he has been delivering around…

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RTA CEO: ‘Daily Recurring Congested’ Areas To Get Much Worse in Metro Nashville, One Million People And $8 Billion Later

Laura Baigert

  GALLATIN, Tennessee – During the nMotion Plan Update meeting for Sumner County held last month, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and Regional Transit Authority (RTA) CEO Steve Bland spoke to a short slide presentation that included, among others, one titled “Projected Traffic Congestion.” The slide includes two maps, shown here, using red to highlight the “daily recurring congested” areas within middle Tennessee. The map on the left, portraying the current situation for daily recurring congested areas, is described as being “based on roadway volumes and travel speeds” and reflects what middle Tennesseans are painfully aware as locations for commuter traffic delays. Comparatively, the map on the right dated 2040 is captioned, “Based on the MPO’s (Metropolitan Planning Organization’s) traffic model which incorporates growth and development forecasts,” after an additional one million people are expected to migrate to the Nashville area over the next twenty-plus years. Shockingly, the projected congested areas in 2040 is after a whopping $8 billion is spent on transit and other improvements, according to Steve Bland. Indeed, the slide is subtitled, “These forecasts include all current and proposed projects in the 2040 Regional Plan.” Bland, who dubbed the information “the slide of doom,” did not elaborate on…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers at Hendersonville Event: ‘We’ll Be Depending on the Conservatives to Get Out There and Work and Vote For Us’

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star

  HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — Gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) told a group of about 40 at the Republican Party of Sumner County monthly breakfast her on Saturday, “We’re not going to have the millions of dollars that a lot of the other candidates will have.” “So, we’ll be depending on the conservatives — the people who want fiscal responsibility, who want a pro-life state, who want a 2nd amendment state, who want to do what’s right — to get out there and work and vote for us. We are confident that we can be the nominee for the Republican side,” the long-time conservative state legislator added. The wealth of three of the Republican gubernatorial candidates, Rep. Diane Black (TN-06) as well as businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, has been well publicized. Beavers, distinguishing herself on her credentials, said about others candidates for the Republican primary, “Everybody’s saying I’m a conservative,” continuing persuasively, “I will put my record up against anybody in this race. I think I have the most conservative record. I can back up what I’m saying to you today. And I’m not sure that anybody else can.” Reaffirming her long-standing principles, Beavers said, “You…

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Judd Matheny Campaigns in Macon County

Tennessee Star Staff

State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) continues to work hard to win the Republican nomination for the Sixth Congressional District. The primary is still more than a year away, and so far Matheny is the only announced candidate for the seat currently held by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), but you could not tell that by the whirlwind of campaign events the veteran state legislator has held throughout the sprawling district since his announcement in June. On Thursday, Matheny was in Lafayette, Tennessee where he spoke to the Macon County Republican Party. Matheny’s main topic for the evening was frustration with the conduct of establishment Republicans in Washington, particularly with regards to the Senate’s failure to repeal Obamacare. “People were furious. Senator Lamar Alexander’s vote [against repealing Obamacare] was a tipping point,” Matheny said of the attitude of those in attendance. One person in the audience asked “Why does the leadership in the [Republican] Party push and advocate for [liberal] issues, such as Obamacare expansion, Common Core, a gas tax increase in a record state budget surplus?” “And now, the ‘Patriarch’ of the Republican Party in Tennessee, Senator Lamar Alexander, has refused to repeal Obamcare against the wishes of every conservative in…

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Mayor Megan Barry’s ‘Office of Resilience’ Sells Globalists The Opportunity to Shape Nashville

Chris Alto

  Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has officially tethered the city to the Rockefeller Foundation’s “100 Resilient Cities” (100RC) initiative. The globalist foundation provides direct funding for Barry’s new “Office of Resilience” chief resilience officer, Erik Cole. The Foundation’s team works with networked cities to plan for every eventuality ranging from natural disasters like floods and tornadoes to “slow-moving disasters like unemployment, affordable housing, and poverty and inequality – that are increasingly part of 21st century life.” According to a U.S. Conference of Mayors report, from 2015 to 2016, chronic homelessness in Nashville has increased by 9.8 percent, well above the national average and ranking Mayor Barry’s city as having the sixth largest jump among cities included in the report. Nashville also ranked a 43.2% increase in unsheltered homelessness during the same time period. Mayor Barry’s commitment to “meeting the goals of the Paris [climate] Agreement” aligns with the “City Resilience Framework” (CRF) and is supported by the president of 100 Resilient Cities and other 100RC city members. The CRF was developed by Arup, whose “independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists” have assembled to “shape a better world.” The CRF is intended to identify a city’s “characteristics and capacity” to respond to the:…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Promises to Sign Constitutional Carry Bill, If Elected, at Wilson County GOP’s Annual Picnic

Tennessee Star Staff

LEBANON, Tennessee–On Saturday  gubernatorial candidate State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) told the crowd at Wilson County Republican Party’s Annual Picnic, “I will promise you one thing. If constitutional carry passes, I will sign that legislation as governor.” “And not only that. I will work to get it through the House and Senate if I am elected,” Beavers, the featured speaker at the annual Wilson County event, said. About 150 people braved the 90 degree plus heat to listen to Beavers and several other Wilson County Republican elected officials at the annual event, held this year at the farm of Ken Nelson, Jr. in Lebanon.   Beavers has represented the citizens of Wilson County, first on the County Commission, then in the House of Representatives, and now in the State Senate, since 1992. None of the other announced gubernatorial candidates–Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, or Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) were in attendance, so Beavers had her home county crowd all to herself. Beavers did not disappoint the conservatives in attendance. She promised that if elected, she will work to repeal the recent gas tax increase and will sign a constitutional carry bill.…

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Mae Beavers and Bill Lee Offer Different Visions of Tennessee’s Future and the Governor’s Job at Williamson County BBQ

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee offered two different visions of the future of Tennessee and the role of the job they are both seeking–governor-at the annual Williamson County Republican Party BBQ held in Thompson’s Station on Saturday. Each candidate spoke to the record crowd of 400 in attendance for about ten minutes, delivering the current version of their respective campaign stump speeches. Beavers, who has served in the Tennessee General Assembly since 1994, first in the House of Representatives and now in the State Senate, focused on enacting an agenda of conservative policies. She favors repealing the recent gas tax increase, promoting Second Amendment rights by pledging to sign a constitutional carry law, opposes in-state tuition for illegal aliens, and stands by her proposal to limit access to public bathrooms by gender. Bill Lee focused more on his personal qualities of leadership as opposed to a specific set of commitments to enact conservative policies. Lee emphasized his personal story, including the tragic death of his first wife, his role building up Lee Company, one of the premiere heating and cooling companies in the state, and his personal Christian faith. The Williamson County…

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Judd Matheny Speaks to Fairfield Glade Republicans in Cumberland County

Tennessee Star Staff

No one will out work State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) as he continues to campaign throughout the Sixth Congressional District in his quest to win the Republican nomination for Congress and the general election in 2018. On Monday, he spoke to a gathering of the Fairfield Glade Republican Party in Cumberland County. Matheny touched on the conservative themes that have been the key message of his campaign since his formal announcement last month. He pledged to focus on national security, state sovereignty, and better healthcare, transportation, and housing for our rapidly growing senior population, a topic of particular concern for residents of Fairfield Glade, a well known and popular retirement community. Matheny also told the audience about his personal background in law enforcement and the military, as well as his fifteen years as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives. He provided some detailed information about the recent session of the Tennessee General Assembly, which saw a battled over the gas tax increase, which he opposed, but which ultimately passed, was signed into law, and went into effect on July 1. Matheny also focused on one of his key pledges to improve communications between Washington and the state government…

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It’s Official: Beth Harwell Announces Candidacy for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff

Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee in a statement released by her campaign at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. “Tennessee needs someone who possesses the experience from day one to lead our state to the next level and who has a steady hand when challenges come our way,” Harwell said in the statement. “As Governor, I will lead on jobs, cutting taxes, guaranteeing every child has a great school, and ensuring our Tennessee values are protected. Every Tennessean should have every opportunity to succeed and prosper in our state. That’s why I am running to be Tennessee’s next Governor,” she added. According to the statement: Harwell, a longtime conservative and former Tennessee Republican Party Chairman, has presided over the Tennessee House of Representatives as the legislature has enacted some of the most conservative reforms in the country. Harwell and her colleagues are the only legislature in the United States to eliminate three taxes: the death tax, gift tax, and a phase out of the Hall Income Tax. She also oversaw cuts in business taxes and taxes for elderly and veterans. In addition, the General Assembly passed, and…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny Speaks to Tennessee Alliance of Liberty Groups

Tennessee Star Staff

  State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) was one of the featured speakers at the regular quarterly meeting of the Tennessee Alliance of Liberty Groups held in Lebanon on Saturday. Matheny was originally scheduled to speak about the fight over the gas tax in the state legislature this session, and addressed that topic first in his 45 minute talk that featured a healthy exchange of questions and answers with the group, which is made up of local liberty group leaders from around the state. “I relayed to them we in the Tennessee General Assembly were not set up to ask the public for $300 million in a $2 billion surplus budget,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star. Matheny also told the audience several anecdotes about the fight against the gas tax, which ultimately was unsuccessful. “We were a tight group in opposition, but we didn’t have the numbers in the end,” Matheny said. The conversation soon turned to the race for the Sixth Congressional District Republican nomination. Last month, Matheny announced that he was in the race to win in 2018, whether or not incumbent Rep. Diane Black decides to run for governor. “As I’ve matured as a state legislator, I’ve tried…

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The Tennessee Star Celebrates Its TWO MILLIONTH Visit

Admin
Tennessee Star

  The Tennessee Star announced via Twitter Tuesday its online news site has been visited a whopping TWO MILLION times since its launch earlier this year. Today we had our TWO MILLIONTH visit to the https://t.co/CucY9Mxgrh since our launch Feb 6. Thank you, Tennessee – you're the BEST! pic.twitter.com/XOn5IM0Aui — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) July 11, 2017   The Tennessee Star went live on Monday, February 6 and by the end of the month – just 22 days later – The Star was visited over 175,000 times. “Tennesseans tell us that have wanted a fact-based news site with a conservative worldview for many years. That’s what we offer, and I believe that is the reason we have seen such a steep growth curve with no end in sight,” said Managing Editor Christina Botteri. The news media upstart experienced growing pains almost immediately, requiring them to upgrade their servers months ahead of schedule. After a strong inaugural month, visitors returned regularly and in growing numbers throughout March to stay current with the breaking developments surrounding Governor Haslam’s unpopular gas tax hike. Readership soared to over 285,000 within that 31-day period. “In April, we kicked off our ‘Constitution Series,’ and saw another uptick in readership with about 370,000 for the month,” Botteri recalled. The…

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State Senator Bill Ketron Announces Bid for Rutherford County Mayor

Tina LaFleur
Tennessee Star

  State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) is running Rutherford County Mayor, the Daily News Journal reports. It will be the fourth run for the office since his first bid in the 1990s. Via the DNJ: A Republican from Murfreesboro, Ketron ran for the office (once called county executive) in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served on the Rutherford County Commission from 1990 to 1998 and has served in the state Senate since 2002. Ketron’s current term ends in November 2018. Ketron’s announcement is another indication the 2018 election could see a massive turnover in the Tennessee General Assembly. “Senator Ketron is just the latest in an increasingly long list of legislators who will be leaving to seek other offices or retiring. I wouldn’t be surprised if 2018 gives us as many as two dozen State House and Senate open seats. 2018 could be one of the most tumultuous years we have seen in Tennessee politics in a long time,” media consultant and political analyst Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. Immediately after Ketron’s announcement, “State Representative Dawn White announced that she will be a candidate for the District 13 State Senate seat in the August 2018 Republican Primary,” WGNS reported on Sunday:…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett Talk Politics in East Tennessee

Tennessee Star Staff

State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), one of three announced candidates for the Republican nomination for governor, and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, who recently said he will be running for Congress, presumably against incumbent Rep. John J. Duncan (R-TN-02), or the U.S. Senate against Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) in 2018, met for lunch at the Vol Market in Knoxville last week to talk politics. The meeting generated interested among Tennessee political observers and sparked discussions about a potential alliance in the August 2018 Republican primary between the two well respected independent minded conservatives. The two have plenty in common and are mutual admirers. “Tim is one of the best retail politicians in Tennessee and I appreciate him introducing me around the famous Vol Market. It certainly won’t be my last visit!” Beavers told The Tennessee Star. “His leadership as Knox County Mayor proves that actually governing as a conservative rather than just talking like one at election time produces great results for our citizens. Like many, I can’t wait to see what challenge Tim takes on next as his terms as Mayor come to an end,” Beavers added. Burchett was equally complimentary of Beavers. “I really enjoyed introducing Mae…

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Challenger Jeremy Hayes Calls Out State Rep. Susan Lynn’s Failure to Oppose Nashville’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Ordinance

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Tennessee Star

  The Tennessee Star reported Monday that fully 63 of the 99 State Representatives signed a letter opposing the Metro Nashville Council’s ordinance proposal, BL2017-739, to make Music City a criminal-friendly ‘sanctuary city.’ One of the names missing from the letter was Representative Susan Lynn, and challenger Jeremy Hayes noticed. “I am extremely disheartened, but not surprised that my opponent did not feel the need to sign the letter, with the sixty-three other representatives, informing the Metro Council this bill will not be accepted. Bills like this are illegal, thanks to laws that Joe Carr sponsored, and even metro council’s attorney, John Cooper, has said that the bill cannot be enforced” said Hayes in a statement. He added: This is the reason I am running for office, because my opponent has sold out to special interest groups, and no longer cares about representing our district, even when our families are at risk. I am sure that once she see’s not speaking out against the “Sanctuary City” bill is politically damaging she will be motivated to act, but we need leadership in our district, not someone who has to judge the political tides before they say something. When elected I will fight…

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Speaker Beth Harwell Keynote Speaker at Grainger County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star

RUTLEDGE, Tennessee – The Grainger County Republican Party had an impressive turnout of about 150 people at their Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, June 24 held in the nicely decorated Grainger County High School cafeteria, that featured Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) as the keynote speaker. Harwell was introduced by Sen. Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) during the Legislative Welcome by him and Rep. Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station).  Nicely’s comments were limited to “making everyone mad” as he put it, by saying that if she decides to run, he would be supporting Beth Harwell for governor. Speaker Harwell spoke on the three pillars of the Republican Party:  That Government is best which lives within its means; that government is best which governs least; and, that government is best which is closest to the people.  While she provided examples of where she thinks Tennessee has succeeded in those areas, the politically engaged would have plenty of material to critique in terms of Harwell omitting the recent fuel tax and fee increases of the IMPROVE Act, the backstory as to who supported or tried to subvert the legislative advances she cited, and how much work remains to fully live up to the three pillars. The agenda also…

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The Tennessee Star Announces Blockbuster Month with Over a Half-Million Visits

Admin
Tennessee Star

  FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE (Wednesday, June 21) — In another stunning announcement, The Tennessee Star released updated web traffic reports in a tweet Wednesday that shows the online news, information, and opinion website surpassed 500,000 visits in the last thirty days. WOW! Thank you, Tennessee!!30days (5/20-6/20): 526,841 visits 290,288 visitorsAll time (2/06-6/20): 1,536,671 visits 712,233 visitors pic.twitter.com/HBxgV2CKnf — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) June 22, 2017 “In three months and two weeks we went from zero at our launch to over one million visits. Now, in just the last thirty days – a quarter of that time – we have been visited more than five hundred and twenty-five thousand times,” said managing editor Christina Botteri. “If there was a Moore’s Law for journalism and readership, we’d be doubling it right now!” Botteri said, referencing Intel founder Gordan Moore’s observation that computer processing speed doubles every 18 months. The explosion in traffic can be traced directly to The Star’s coverage of the top three areas of most concern for Middle Tennesseans, as reported in the Tennessee Star-Triton Poll released ten days ago, together with a fundamental understanding of the algorithms that drive social media traffic. “The poll results reflect what we observe personally, which is that there…

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Diane Black To Hold Major Campaign Fundraiser in Washington, D.C. for Re-Election to Congress, Not Gubernatorial Run

Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Diane Black is holding a major campaign fundraiser at a high end restaurant in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night. But the event is to raise money for her re-election campaign to Congress, not her long rumored but yet-to-be announced gubernatorial campaign. Thursday night’s fundraiser will be held at Ocean Prime, one of the premiere eating establishments on Capitol Hill. The menu, which features a Ribeye Steak for $52 and Dutch Harbor King Crab Legs for $65, is well suited to Washington lobbyists, but a far cry from the Cracker Barrels that dot the I-40 corridor of the Sixth Congressional District Black represents in Tennessee. The news of Black’s Congressional fundraiser has veteran political tea leaf readers across the state of Tennessee scratching their heads. Does Black intend to run for governor, or will she drop that effort, where she will face stiff competition from three announced candidates–Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet)–and opt for the safe route of an easy re-election in 2018 to represent Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives? “Her chairmanship will undoubtedly boost her haul from the fundraiser,” a Capitol Hill insider…

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State Senate Candidate Mark Pody Calls The IMPROVE Act ‘Washington Politics’

Laura Baigert

MOUNT JULIET, Tennessee — At his first public speaking engagement since announcing, in an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star, his candidacy for the State Senate seat Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) will be leaving to run for the Republican nomination for governor in 2018, Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) called the IMPROVE Act “Washington politics” for the way numerous issues were combined in one bill without an “up or down” vote on each individually. At the Americans For Prosperity Town Hall held in Mt. Juliet on Monday evening with Field Director Shawn Hatmaker and attended by more than 30 people to honor and appreciate Rep. Pody and Sen. Beavers for their vote against the gas tax increasing IMPROVE Act, Rep. Pody’s comments on the recently concluded legislative session focused largely on the IMPROVE Act. Using four different colored packs of sweeteners and sugar, Rep. Pody gave a visual demonstration of the IMPROVE Act when he ripped the packets open and poured them out together, alluding to the separate and unrelated issues in the bill (HB534), saying “They all came out white,” and they then had to “Vote on that, whether there was some good or some bad.  That’s what DC does.” “As…

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EXCLUSIVE: Judd Matheny Says ‘I’m 100 Percent in the Race for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District’

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

“I’m 100 percent in the race for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District,” State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) told The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. “I’m not making a formal announcement until Diane Black announces for governor,” Matheny added. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), who currently represents the 6th Congressional District, is considered likely to enter the race for the Republican nomination for governor in 2018. Rumors abound as to when that might happen, but the consensus is that if she decides to run, she will need to make the announcement some time between July and September. If Black chooses to run for re-election to Congress Matheny told The Star he will change his plans. “If Diane Black does not run for governor, I will not run for the 6th Congressional district seat, and will instead for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives,” Matheny said. First elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2002, Matheny has long been a champion of conservative causes in the Tennessee General Assembly Matheny was one of 35 Republican members of the House of Representatives who voted against Governor’ Haslam’s gas tax increase in the critical House vote in April where the bill passed by…

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Tennessee Star Poll Summary: 86 Percent of GOP Primary Voters Support Trump, Corker Vulnerable, and Governor’s Race Wide Open

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star Poll released earlier this week revealed some important information about the current attitudes of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Among the key results: 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee approve of President Trump’s job performance. No gubernatorial candidate has more than 10 percent support and the race is wide open. Senator Bob Corker’s re-election bid is in trouble. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is statistically tied in a one-on-one matchup with Senator Corker in a potential 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary. Opposition to in-state tuition for illegal aliens is close to unanimous: 84 percent to 11 percent. A Republican gubernatorial candidate who promises to repeal the gas tax increase is more likely to receive the support of 48 percent of likely Republican primary voters and less likely to receive the support of 29 percent of likely Republican primary voters. 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters support constitutional carry. The Tennessee Star Poll will be conducted periodically between now and the August 2018 Republican primary to provide current insights into voter opinion among Tennessee’s likely Republican primary voters. The next poll is scheduled to be conducted and released in September of this year. The June 2017…

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Tennessee Star Poll: 57 Percent of GOP Primary Voters Support Constitutional Carry

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

A significant majority of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee support constitutional carry, according to results of The Tennessee Star Poll released this week. When asked, “In 2018, the Tennessee General Assembly is also expected to reconsider a bill that would allow Tennesseans to carry firearms without obtaining a state issued permit, which is commonly known as ‘Constitutional Carry.’ Do you support or oppose Constitutional Carry in Tennessee? ” 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters said they favored it, while only 32 percent said they opposed it: 38.5% strongly support 19.1% somewhat support  11.9% somewhat oppose  20.8% strongly oppose  9.8% Don’t know/unsure The poll of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters was conducted by Triton Polling and Research in an automated (IVR) telephone survey between May 31 and June 5 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. “Based on my experience talking to people and explaining constitutional carry, I think 57 percent understates the support for constitutional carry in Tennessee,” John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, tells The Tennessee Star. “This is because people think constitutional carry will eliminate the possibility to get handgun permits for reciprocity purposes in other states,” he adds. “Even with…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Tells Cookeville Crowd She Is the True Conservative in the Race

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee–State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), who announced she is a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination on Saturday, told the Tennessee District 6 Patriots meeting at the Southern Hills Golf and Country Club in Cookeville on Thursday that, unlike other candidates who label themselves as conservatives but don’t walk the walk, she is the real deal. Though she did not specifically name either of her two other announced opponents–Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd and Williamson County Bill Lee–Beavers noted that just saying you are a conservative does not make you a conservative if you do not have a track record to support that claim. Beavers said that the gas tax increase, which she has vowed to repeal if elected governor, is one key issue upon which a candidate’s true conservative credentials should be measured. “As for that gas tax increase, 6 cents gas tax and then ten cents on diesel, there was no way I was going to vote for that,” Beaver said. “There was a lot of opposition to it until Governor Haslam tried to make it palatable to the legislature by saying, ‘OK, we’re going to reduce the food tax by one cent, we’re going to reduce…

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Tennessee Star Poll: 84 Percent of Republican Primary Voters Reject In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  The Tennessee Star Poll conducted of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters in the state shows they reject in-state college tuition for illegal aliens by a stunning 84 percent to 11 percent margin. When asked “In 2018, the Tennessee General Assembly is expected to reconsider a bill to provide in-state college tuition to illegal immigrant students. Do you support or oppose providing in-state college tuition to illegal immigrant students?” Tennessee likely Republican primary voters resoundingly rejected the idea–with high levels of intensity. 68.9% Strongly Disapproved 15.5% Somewhat Disapproved 5.9% Somewhat Approved 5.2% Strongly Approved 4.5% Not Sure/don’t know In-state tuition for illegal aliens and repeal of the gas tax increase are likely to be two of the hottest topics of the 2018 election in the gubernatorial race as well as a number of contested state legislative races. Two bills proposed in this year’s session of the Tennessee General Assembly introduced by State Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) and State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) that promised in-state tuition at Tennessee’s public colleges failed to become law. One bill, HB660, “would authorize the new college and university governing boards to decide which students are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates.” Another bill, HB 863,…

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Poll: Senator Bob Corker May Be In Trouble With Tennessee Republican Primary Voters

Tennessee Star Staff
Tenessee Star

  A new poll released by The Tennessee Star conducted of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee by Triton Polling and Research shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) may have trouble winning the nomination of his own party in its August 2018 U.S. Senate primary. First elected to the United States Senate in 2006, the former mayor of Chattanooga is up for re-election to a third term in 2018. He has not yet said that he will seek re-election, but many political observers would be surprised if he opted not to run again. When asked “As of now, do you think Bob Corker deserves re-election or is it time to give someone else a chance? ” only 41.1 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said he “deserves re-election.” An equal number, 41.6 percent, said “give someone else a chance.” There were not a great number who were undecided on this question–only 17.3 percent said “don’t know/not sure.” “An incumbent who falls below a 50 percent re-elect number should be wary, particularly when they have seen so much anti-incumbent turmoil in the electorate in recent years,” media consultant and political strategist Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. “But…

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Bill Lee Raises $1.3 Million At First Major Fundraiser For Campaign For Governor

Wendy Wilson

  Republican businessman Bill Lee raised $1.3 million at his first major fundraising event Tuesday for his campaign for governor. The event was held at singer Michael W. Smith’s barn in Franklin, according to a campaign press release. “We are extremely grateful to the voters in Tennessee who are inspired by Bill’s leadership and vision and are feeling compelled to invest in him,” said Stuart McWhorter, Lee’s campaign finance chairman.“We know that Bill’s message is resonating with people across Tennessee, and this is just the beginning of our efforts. I am excited to see what lies ahead for this campaign.” The Lee campaign also announced that Anna McDonald has joined the campaign as finance director. McDonald is a former finance director for the Tennessee Republican Party. With no prior experience in elected office, Lee has been dogged about getting his name out, meeting people and speaking on the issues. After officially declaring his candidacy April 24, he immediately began touring the state in his campaign RV. He was one of four announced and likely candidates who appeared at a Rutherford County GOP event May 25. A devout Christian who admires former president Ronald Reagan, Lee is casting himself as a conservative…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn Statistically Tied in Potential Tennessee U.S. Senate GOP Primary Matchup

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  A poll released by The Tennessee Star of 1,007 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is in a statistical tie with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7) in a potential 2018 Republican primary matchup for the Tennessee U.S. Senate seat. When asked “If the election was held today, and the candidates were Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn, who would you vote for U.S. Senator from Tennessee,” 41.4 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters selected Corker while 38.6 percent selected Blackburn. The 2.8 percent differential between the two is within the poll’s 3.1 percent margin of error, thus making the race a statistical dead heat. The bad news for Corker is that Blackburn beats him in two of the Volunteer State’s three geographic regions. Among West Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker soundly, 39 percent to 26 percent. Among Middle Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker 43 percent to 38 percent. Only in his home region of East Tennessee does Corker beat Blackburn. There, he wins by a margin of 49 percent to 26 percent. Blackburn’s current district covers much of Middle Tennessee. Prior to redistricting after the 2010 election, however, the district stretched from Middle Tennessee…

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The Tennessee Star Poll: GOP Gubernatorial Primary Race is Wide Open, No Candidate Over 10 Percent

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

FRANKLIN, Tennessee – A new poll released by The Tennessee Star conducted by Triton Polling and Research of 1,007 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters shows that the party’s nomination for governor in 2018 is wide open, as no announced or likely candidate has the support of more than 10 percent of likely voters. More than 60 percent are undecided. When asked  “If the election was held today, who would you vote for governor of Tennessee,” and given seven possible candidates–State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) Congresswoman Diane Black, Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, and State Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville)–the likely Tennessee Republican primary voters surveyed in the poll responded as follows: 60.9% — Don’t Know Undecided 9.9% — Diane Black 8.1% — Randy Boyd 6.3% — Mark Green 4.3% — Beth Harwell 4.1% — Bill Lee 3.9% — Mae Beavers 2.5% — Mark Norris Since the poll has a margin of error of 3.1 percent, six of the seven candidates included in the poll are in a virtual tie for the lead. Mark Norris is the only candidate not in the statistical tie,…

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New Poll: Trump Approval Rating Sky High Among Likely GOP Primary Voters in Tennessee

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–A new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Tuesday conducted by Triton Polling and Research of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee shows that President Donald Trump’s job approval rating is sky high among Tennessee Republicans. When asked “How would you rate the job performance of President Donald Trump,” 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said they approve of his job performance, while only 11 percent said they disapprove, a remarkable 75 percent margin of approval over disapproval. The vast majority of those likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee strongly approve of President Trump’s job performance: 63.9 percent Strongly Approve 22.6 percent Somewhat Approve 5.3 percent Somewhat Disapprove 6.3 percent Strongly Disapprove 1.9 percent Don’t Know/Are Unsure Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Haslam also has high job performance approval ratings among likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee, though slightly lower than President Trump’s and with less intensity of support. When asked “How would you rate the job performance of Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam,” 74 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said they approve of his job performance, while only 22 percent said they disapprove. 29.3 percent Strongly Approve 45.1 percent Somewhat Approve 15.1…

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Both Shrewd And Sweet, Mae Beavers Has Adoring Fans In Her Bid For Governor

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  MT. JULIET, Tennessee–State Sen. Mae Beavers may be nicknamed the Iron Lady, but she’s not without her soft side. “She and her husband are sweet, loving, caring people,” said Mike Dunn, who attended her rally Saturday afternoon at which the Mt. Juliet Republican formally announced that she will run for Tennessee governor. Dunn told The Tennessee Star that he has known the Beavers for years and used to attend church with them. He was at Saturday’s event at Mt. Juliet’s Charlie Daniels Park with his two sons, 12-year-old Brennan and 11-year-old Jackson. Dunn also likes it that Beavers is tough-minded and won’t back down from positions she believes in. “She’s never afraid to go against the grain,” he said. Beavers gave a speech at the rally in which she said she would fight to repeal the gas tax and strengthen vetting for refugees coming into the state. She also said she would push to maintain school bathrooms based on biological sex and support pro-life causes and the definition of marriage as one man and one woman per the Tennessee Constitution. Supporters waved American flags and snacked on refreshments that included Mae Sugar Cookies shaped in the letter M. Her three…

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It’s Official: Mae Beavers Announces Campaign for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  MT. JULIET, Tennessee–State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) formally announced she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee at a rally in Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet Saturday afternoon. You can read the full text of her announcement here: “Thank you for joining me today. What a great crowd! “No elected official ever serves well without the support of family. I want you to meet them. “When I first ran for public office in 1990, I brought a clear and precise set of values and principles to the Wilson County Commission. “As a State Representative and now State Senator, I have carried these values and principles with me every step of the way. “Today, it is time to take those conservative values and principles, The Sanctity of Life, Small and Efficient State Government, Limited and Constitutional National Government, Transparency and Accountability in our elected officials, Low Taxes, Commitment to the 2nd Amendment, Respect for individual liberty and, most importantly, reliance upon our Creator God. “It is time to take those values and principles, to the next level! “And so, it is an honor to stand before you today and announce that I am a candidate to…

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Mae Beavers to Announce Campaign for Governor Today

Tennessee Star Staff

State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) will announce her campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee at Charlie Daniels Park in Mount Juliet today at 1 pm. In a statement released to the press last Saturday, Beavers said she will make repeal of the 6 cents per gallon gas tax increase and 10 cents per gallon diesel tax increase the top issue in her campaign. Beavers was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 1994, and has served in the State Senate since 2002. She is widely recognized as one of the key state legislators who led the efforts to defeat the state income tax in the three years between 1999 and 2002 when then Gov. Don Sundquist, a Republican, attempted to push the tax through the Tennessee General Assembly. One of the first elected officials in Tennessee to publicly endorse Donald Trump, Beavers was elected as an at-large statewide delegate to the Republican National Convention committed to Donald Trump during the 2016 election. Beavers will become the third candidate to formally announce a run for the Republican Gubernatorial nomination. Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee announced in March and April, respectively.…

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Top Seven Reasons the Vanderbilt Poll Is Fatally Flawed

Tennessee Star Staff

  There are at least seven reasons why the Vanderbilt Poll-Tennessee released on Tuesday by the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, co-directed by Vanderbilt Professor John Geer, is fatally flawed. Those flaws come as no surprise to conservatives across the state. “The Vanderbilt Poll has notoriously leaned left for many years in the eyes of most Tennessee conservatives,” The Tennessee Star reported on an earlier Vanderbilt Poll released back in April, and the latest poll is no different, local conservatives say. Among its counter-intuitive findings was this cleverly worded claim: Support for a path to citizenship for undocumented employees is the highest it has been since the poll’s inception: up to 56 percent. And that figure is not just driven by Democrats—40 percent of Republicans favor it too. An additional 20 percent favor the establishment of a guest worker program. Even stronger is support for helping teens of undocumented parents raised in Tennessee and who attend a Tennessee public university. Two-thirds of Tennesseans say they deserve to be eligible for in-state tuition at public colleges. “It is very obvious that Vanderbilt had the result they wanted and polled until they got it,” Tennessee conservative activist Judson Phillips, Founder of…

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OFF THE RECORD in Henry County

Chris Alto

  On May 25th, the Henry County GOP and Republican Women held a “Meet & Greet” reception for their state Senator John Stevens. Rep. Tim Wirgau who also represents Henry County, showed up to participate even though he had not been invited as a speaker. According to an attendee, both Stevens and Wirgau talked “pretty much in lock-step agreement on all issues discussed at this meeting.” Backing off of Boss Doss’ rebranded “Tax Cut Act of 2017” both Stevens and Wirgau talked extensively about the gas tax which they both supported, except now they were calling it Governor Haslam’s name for the tax increase – the “Improve Act of 2017”. Justifying their support for increasing taxes, both Wirgau and Stevens used what sounded like talking points provided to legislators that have to defend unpopular votes. Stevens started off by saying that, “”the voters should thank us for passing this bill!” He then went into great detail explaining how transiting big rigs will pay Tennessee fuel tax regardless of which state they refuel in because the International Federal Tax Agreement law which apportions fuel tax according to miles traveled in a specific state using specific states’ rates, will result in the big rigs paying 40% of…

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Letter to the Editor from Rob Mitchell, Rutherford County Assessor of Property

Admin
Tennessee Star

Editors Note: Rob Mitchell sent The Tennessee Star this “Open Letter to All 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial Candidates and Citizens,” with the following note: “As I begin to explore the possibilities of a candidacy for Tennessee Governor I believe that ideas and experience should be considered. I would appreciate your consideration of my open letter for publication. Rob Mitchell Rutherford County Assessor of Property” We are running Mr. Mitchell’s letter in its entirety, as he sent it to us. Dear Tennessee Star, my fellow Tennesseans, and would-be Gubernatorial Candidates: We do not need a gas tax increase when our State has a tax collection surplus. The knee jerk reaction of raising taxes to solve management issues must stop. The issues both our thriving and our struggling communities alike are caused by poor management and worse policies. The next governor should immediately Repeal and Reform the state gas tax and sales tax.  2018 candidates, will you do that? My proposal would be to reduce the state portion of the sales tax by one cent or more and transfer that equivalent option of sales tax to local communities. These additional funds could be earmarked for infrastructure. The best government is local government and…

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Soon-to-Announce Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Tells WWTN Audience ‘We’re In It To Win’

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star

  In an interview with WTN 99.7’s Pamela Furr, who was standing in for Ralph Bristol on Memorial Day, State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), demonstrating resolve to her pending gubernatorial campaign said on two occasions, “We’re in it to win.” Saturday evening, after hosting the monthly Wilson County Conservative Republicans meeting and attending a Memorial Day service at The Stone Church in Alexandria, Sen. Beavers issued a press release stating she plans to announce her campaign for governor on June 3. Due to a scheduling conflict in her district, Sen. Beavers was not able to attend the Rutherford County Republican Party Reagan Day Dinner last Thursday, where four other stated or expected candidates for governor participated in a forum, U.S. Rep. Diane Black (District 6), Governor Haslam’s former state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd, state Senator Mark Green R-Clarksville) and businessman Bill Lee. The full transcript of the interview can be found below. Pamela Furr:  You prayerfully decided to do it. Sen. Mae Beavers:  Well, Pamela, you know I think that when we pray about something, I think we’ve got to commit it to the Lord and just put our faith in Him, and I think he’ll…

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Republicans Eyeing Job As Tennessee Governor Respond To Timely Questions At Event Thursday

Wendy Wilson

  While announced and expected Republican candidates for Tennessee governor differed little in their comments at a Rutherford County GOP event on Thursday, they handled questions about tough and timely issues. Businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee spoke at at the annual Reagan Day Dinner, as did state Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) and Congresswoman Diane Black. Boyd, who formerly served as Gov. Bill Haslam’s economic commissioner, and Lee are the only two who have officially announced their candidacies for the 2018 race. On sanctuary cities, all four in attendance said they were strongly against Tennessee cities refusing to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. There are no cities in the state that have technically refused to cooperate with ICE, though Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is seen as sympathetic toward illegal immigrants. Moreover, lax immigration enforcement nationwide under previous presidents has meant ongoing problems with criminal illegal immigrants who continue to commit crimes. “No city in Tennessee will be a sanctuary city under my watch,” said Boyd, who is regarded as an establishment Republican and who last year gave a large donation to Conexión Américas for its culinary entrepreneurship program. Renata Soto, the founder and director of the Nashville group, is…

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No Fireworks in Gubernatorial Primary as Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Mark Green and Bill Lee Make Their Pitches at Rutherford County GOP Reagan Day Dinner

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee — Four announced and expected Republican candidates for Tennessee governor spoke at Thursday evening’s Reagan Day Dinner sponsored by the Rutherford County GOP. Participants included businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, Congresswoman Diane Black and State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville). State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) said Wednesday she had to back out because of a scheduling conflict. At Thursday’s event, it was announced that State Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) were also unable to attend as planned. Norris, like Beavers, cited a scheduling conflict and Harwell had to go to Colorado to be with her sister, who broke her back. Boyd and Lee are the only two who have officially launched campaigns for the 2018 race. The four candidates who spoke Thursday at the Stones River Country Club in Murfreesboro answered questions about federal encroachment on states’ rights, school vouchers, sanctuary cities and Medicaid. All four gave responses that reflected few substantial differences. There were no questions about Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act, which he recently signed into law after it passed in the state legislature, but not without fierce debate. The legislation raises the gas tax and allows municipalities to hold…

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Governor Haslam’s IMPROVE Act Allows Local Non-User-Fee Funding of Mass Transit

Laura Baigert
Tennesse Star

The foundation of the case by Governor Haslam and other proponents of the IMPROVE Act gas tax increase was that it is a “user fee,” paid by those who use the roads.  In contrast, for the purpose of funding public transit system projects, the IMPROVE Act authorizes 16 local governments, through public referendum, to levy a surcharge on six existing taxes that aren’t remotely linked to a mass transportation user fee, otherwise known as passenger fares. The IMPROVE Act, passed by the legislature as HB 534, specifies a local government, for purposes of the surcharge, as any county in this state including a county with a metropolitan or consolidated form of government with a population in excess of 112,000, which is currently Blount, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Montgomery, Rutherford, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Washington, Williamson and Wilson, and any city in this state with a population in excess of 165,000, which is currently Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville. The six taxes eligible for surcharge are the local option sales tax, business tax, motor vehicle tax, local rental car tax, tourist accommodation/hotel occupancy tax, and residential development tax. Looking at other transit systems around the country, it’s obvious that these additional revenues will…

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The Tennessee Star Tops 1 Million Website Visits in Less Than 4 Months

Admin
Tennessee Star

  FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE (Tuesday, May 23) — Today The Tennessee Star announced its online news site has had ONE MILLION visits since its launch February 6. “The Tennessee Star is the only consistently conservative media outlet in the state of Tennessee. This is a conservative state, and Tennesseans have wanted a fact-based news site with a conservative perspective for many years. That’s what we offer, and that’s why we’ve seen such tremendous traffic,” said Managing Editor Christina Botteri. “People are smart and they want to be informed and not preached at or dictated to, and I believe that is a big part of why we are growing at such a substantial rate – especially compared to other area news outlets,” she said. Judson Phillips, a long-time conservative activist and Tea Party Nation founder agreed. “I am not shocked at the excellent performance of The Tennessee Star.  While the Gannett-owned papers read like newsletters for the Tennessee Democrat Party, The Star goes after important stories that the liberal media will not touch,” Phillips said. While the raw viewership of The Tennessee Star is remarkable, media experts also recognize the impact and influence the upstart news outlet is already having at Legislative Plaza. “Attracting one…

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Wilson County Commissioner Announces Primary Run For Rep. Susan Lynn’s House District 57

Laura Baigert

  “It’s time to go against the status quo, and I hope to be the next Representative for the 57th District,” says Wilson County Commissioner, Dan Walker, as he announced his intention to run in the Republican primary for the 2018 election. Walker is the second to announce a run in the 2018 Republican primary for the 57th House District, a seat currently held by Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet), joining Jeremy Hayes, who announced his intention to run on February 28 in an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star. At the time of his announcement, Hayes cited Lynn’s support for Governor Haslam’s gas tax.  Lynn later denied support for the gas tax when Hayes challenged her to a debate, saying “I am not for the gas tax so there is nothing to debate.” On April 19, Rep. Lynn was one of 37 Republicans and 23 Democrats who voted for the gas-tax increase containing IMPROVE Act. Walker’s announcement states, “Dan is running on a small government approach, bringing with him a strong business acumen and military leadership to work for the great people of the 57th State District of Tennessee.”  A quote from Walker in the announcement states, I am…

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Seven Republican Candidates For Governor To Speak At Rutherford County Event

Wendy Wilson

  Republican candidates for Tennessee governor will speak at this year’s Reagan Day Dinner sponsored by the Rutherford County GOP. The lineup for the May 25 event will include seven “announced and expected Republican gubernatorial candidates,” according to promotional material. They include businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, Congresswoman Diane Black, State Senators Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), and Speaker of the State House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville). Only Boyd and Lee have announced to date. Part of the mission of local chapters of the Republican Party is to inform voters about candidates running for office, said Donna Barrett, chair of the Rutherford County GOP. “What better way than to have the candidates present at functions where we can personally hear where they stand on issues?” Barrett told The Tennessee Star. On the most important state issues in 2017, the gas tax increase included in the IMPROVE Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Gov. Haslam, the seven announced and expected Republican gubernatorial candidates hold positions that range from support to opposition to no comment so far. State Senator Mark Norris and Speaker of the House Beth Harwell voted yes…

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Jeff Hartline Commentary: Constitutional Carry Seems To Be On NRA Priority List Everywhere But Tennessee

Tennessee Star Staff

  For the past 146 years, the National Rifle Association has touted itself as the defender of the 2nd Amendment in America. Their efforts in education, mentoring and lobbying have produced good results nationwide. Their celebrity supporters have given credence to the mission to advance firearms ownership and to peel back laws that restrict the ability of law-abiding citizens to “keep and bear arms”. For their efforts and successes, we commend them. But we are curious about their efforts in the area of pushing states to adopt “permitless” legislation, also known as Constitutional Carry (CC). Constitutional Carry, also known in the past as “Vermont Carry” after the state that has allowed its citizens to keep and bear arms without a State “permit” since 1796, is a policy that essentially claims the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is a law-abiding citizen’s “permit”. This significant statement incorporated into our Constitution recognizes the God-given right of citizens to defend themselves against potential citizen threats but, most specifically, against a tyrannical government. In the past three decades, many states have acted on their own to reclaim this right for their citizens through the adoption of laws that allowed law-abiding citizens to arm themselves…

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Gubernatorial Candidates Randy Boyd and Karl Dean Will Fight for Votes of Political Moderates

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Four months into his 2015 appointment as the new Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, and two years before he announced his run for governor, Randy Boyd told his hometown weekly that, “I’m probably the most hated, disrespected, untolerated political entity in existence… I’m a moderate.” Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, the first declared gubernatorial Democrat candidate also describes himself as a moderate and recognizes that he will need “moderate Republican votes” in order to win. Both candidates say education and economics are the top priorities, both say they are business-friendly and both shower admiration on Haslam’s leadership. For voters, however, even those who identify as “moderate” or “independent,” it will be difficult to distinguish between Boyd and Dean, except perhaps for choosing whether to vote in the Republican or Democrat primary. Political analysts suggest that states with open primaries like Tennessee, work to the advantage of moderate candidates. Both candidates have been married to the same partner for a long time and while Boyd made his fortune by copying a similar commercially available product, Dean married into his wealth.  His wife Delta Anne Davis, is an heir to the millions her uncle Joe C. Davis made through the coal…

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An Unusual End to An Unusual Session of the Tennessee House of Representatives

Laura Baigert

  The final action of the Tennessee House of Representatives 2017  session of the Tennessee General Assembly was for  Rep. Tilman Goins (R-Morristown) to roll a bill he sponsored this year,  HB16/SB38, to 2018, after a conference committee could not reconcile the differences between the House and the Senate. The bill authorizes members of the General Assembly and political campaigns to fund raise during prescribed legislative recesses in even numbered, or election, years. The move was unusual, even in a session of unusual legislative events, most notably an increase in the gas tax which has remained unchanged for nearly three decades and maneuvers that nearly “blew up” the budget. The Senate added an amendment that was not accepted by the House, and the Senate refused to recede from its amendment, thereby creating a kind of stalemate. In such situations, a conference committee is appointed, usually consisting of at least three members of each house.  In this instance, the conference committee consisted of Senators, the Senate bill’s sponsor, Steve Southerland (R-Morristown), Bo Watson (R-Hixson) and Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) and four Representatives, Tilman Goins, Glen Casada (R-Franklin), Andy Holt (R-Dresden), and Mike Stewart (D-Nashville) The conference committee’s mission is “to meet and attempt to…

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Jeff Hartline Commentary: Crafting A State Budget With Both Hands Tied Behind Your Back Is An Impossible Task

Tennessee Star Staff

by Jeff Hartline May 8, 2017 As is the habit of the Tennessee General Assembly, the last days of each year’s session are tortured with the approval of the State Budget, one Constitutional requirement that must be completed prior to adjournment. There probably aren’t a thousand regular citizens in the state (out of over 6,800,000) who understand the process, much less the details that lie therein. The vast percentage of those who do understand the current process reside inside the offices of the Executive Branch of the State, also known as the Governor’s office and the staffs that serve the House and Senate Finance Committees and the Fiscal Review Committee. On the surface, one would conclude that this distribution between the Executive and Legislative branches fulfills the intent of “Separation of Powers”. It doesn’t. As one can imagine, the people employed in the Governor’s office are “full-timers”, employees of the State of Tennessee, spending all their time executing the desires and demands of the Governor. Those specifically tasked to budget items give full attention to the nooks and crannies of the budget process and the budget itself. In the same way, the Legislative Committee staffs do the same thing. Because…

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Commentary by Steve Gill: Memes Emerge as a Potent New Weapon in the Tennessee Political Battlefield

Tennessee Star Staff

  They appear with increasing regularity on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and other social media — some funny, some confusing, some simply annoying. Those pictures of an annoyed baby, Picard with a face palm, the Joker with his creepy grin, Kermit the Frog sipping tea, or an endless array of iconic celebrity-types with inserted text making a point about some current event are becoming a ubiquitous source of cultural, political and social commentary. Anybody with an iPad or mobile phone and an app can get in the game. Add a dose of creativity, a pinch of sarcasm and and a scoop of irony and you have the not-so-secret recipe. The term “meme” was actually coined by author and scientist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. The current internet-based phenomenon is something more viral, and less genetic, than Dawkins was referencing. And like unexpected genetic aberrations, the impact and future of the “meme” is unpredictable. Memes are perhaps best defined as editorial cartoons on steroids — distributed by people who can’t draw. Memes have been “political” for a while, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both becoming targets of internet-based mockery before and after the election. Congress is a…

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Democrats Unlikely to Get The $250 Million Education Bill For Their Yes Vote On The IMPROVE Act

Laura Baigert

House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) said Wednesday in both the Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee and full Committee that he didn’t have the votes for the $250 million K-12 Block Grant Act, which was reportedly part of the deal Governor Haslam made to get needed support from the Democrats to pass his IMPROVE Act. On the morning of the House floor vote which eventually approved the IMPROVE Act, there were rumors that the Governor would appropriate $250 million for an education plan and that the Democrats, despite their expected opposition to the gas tax increase, were going to vote for it.  The deal appeared successful when 23 of 25 Democrats voted in favor of the IMPROVE Act. The rumors of the quid pro quo deal were confirmed when the video of Leader Fitzhugh explaining the plan during an April 4 Education Administration & Planning Subcommittee meeting came to light. The plan, called the K-12 Block Grant Act, would take $250 million from various sources, as Fitzhugh explained, and put it in an endowment type fund from which the interest would be drawn and allocated to school systems throughout the state for non-recurring expenses. During the Finance, Ways & Means…

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OFF THE RECORD

Chris Alto

Has Senator Corker even read the Tennessee lawsuit? TN GOP’s Deputy Communications director confirmed today that Sen. Bob Corker will “be giving some remarks at the SEC meeting on Saturday.” No word yet whether Bob will share pictures from the Easter trip he took with Democrat Chris Coons, to the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda to look specifically at issues related to food shortages and the impact of the President’s proposed budget. Upon his return, Bob was asked if he had any recommendations for President Trump regarding dealing with the refugee issue. Forgetting(?) perhaps that Tennessee has sued the federal government over its refugee resettlement program, Bob said that he hopes to “move back to the regular process that we’ve been in for some time” and “normalize what we have been doing in this regard for many years.” Bob will be treating all the State Executive Committee members to lunch. We’ve been told that he will also feed any county party Chairmen that show up so that no one goes hungry. Lunch will be served at the 5-star Hermitage Hotel. Beth hired who??? This message almost set The Tennessee Star tipline on fire – Speaker Beth Harwell, a Republican of some sort,…

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Tea Party Activist Ben Cunningham Championing Charter Amendment to Limit Metro Nashville’s Debt

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Tea Party activist Ben Cunningham is leading an effort for a 2018 referendum that would limit Metro Nashville’s debt level, setting up a possible clash with regional plans for a $6 billion transit project. His proposed amendment to the Metro Nashville charter, the Nashville Debt Limit Charter Amendment,  would also require Metro government to set aside money for the future payment of benefits for retired Metro employees. “The Metro Nashville Charter is the primary governing document for Metro Nashville Government. The charter may be amended by (1)the Metro Council voting to place a charter amendment on the ballot or (2) the citizens may propose an amendment by petition,” the site says. The petition itself, also found on the site, says “The undersigned residents and qualified voters of Davidson County, Tennessee, do hereby propose the following amendment to the Metropolitan Charter to be voted on by the people at the first appropriate county-wide election occurring after August 6, 2017 as selected by the Davidson County Election Commission.” “If we submit the petition after August 6, 2018, we will probably need 6,000 to 8,000 signatures to get the charter amendment on the November 2018 ballot,” Cunningham told The Tennessee Star. There’s already a…

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