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Friday, December 17, 2021
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Tennessee has collected $1.2B more than estimated in revenue this fiscal year
By Jon Styf | The Center Square, Dec 13, 2021 - Tennessee has collected nearly $1.2 billion more than budgeted in revenue so far this fiscal year, according to numbers released Monday from Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Butch Eley.
The revenue collections mainly come from state taxes, such as sales and corporate tax, along with fees.
Tennessee collected $1.4 billion in revenue in November; nearly 22% higher than what was collected in November 2020.
The Tennessee State Funding Board determines revenue estimates and can adjust the estimates during the fiscal year. Additional funds brought in by the state can be appropriated to state projects, which is what happened with the recent special session to approve $884 million in incentives for Ford’s $5.6 billion electric truck development in west Tennessee.
Tennessee beat its initial budgeted estimates by $3.1 billion last fiscal year and beat its revised estimates by $2.1 billion, according to Sycamore Institute.
September has represented the largest overage of tax collections compared with estimates this year at $378 million more than estimated.
“We continue to be encouraged by the strong sales and corporate tax growth exhibited in the month of November,” Eley said. “Sales tax receipt growth, which represents taxable sales activity in October, remained elevated for the month even as the state begins to compare similar collections that were higher in the past year due to recently enacted internet and remote sales tax laws. All other taxes, taken as a group, exceeded the November estimate as well.
“While the economic progress and revenue growth the state has experienced year-to-date has been remarkable, we remain concerned over the sustainability of such high growth rates and will continue to monitor economic activity and revenue trends to ensure fiscal stability.”
Tennessee collected $182.3 million more than estimated in sales taxes during November, while the general fund collected $266.4 million more than estimated.
The state has collected $1.189 billion more than estimated through four months on the fiscal year, on an accrual basis, with $1.112 billion more in the general fund and $77 million more than estimated in four other funds that receive sales taxes.
Franchise and excise taxes were $81.8 million more than estimated for the month and are $401.4 million more than estimated for the fiscal year.
Gasoline and motor fuel taxes were $4 million more than the budgeted estimate of $101.1 million and are $14.1 million more than estimated for the year.
Other totals collected that beat estimates were: tobacco tax ($1.8 million above), privilege tax ($10.7 million above), business tax ($900,000 above) and mixed drink, or liquor-by-the-drink, taxes ($7 million above).
Vehicle registration fees ($900,000 less) were below estimates.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Get real about Climate Change. Part 6: There must be a price for Carbon.
by Rod Williams, Dec. 5, 2021- The COP26 summit concluded recently and everyone, except the most pollyannish, would classify it a failure. Based on what countries have done and the projections of what countries have pledged to do, the world will continue to warm and we will miss the goal of limiting the world's temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. That is the limit above which most peer-reviewed scientific analysis says there will be serious, maybe disastrous, consequences to climate change.
I am not at all surprised that the Paris Accords is failing to achieve its goal. The Paris approach to addressing climate change had no hope of ever achieving its goal. It is easy to make promises to do something at some point in the future when you will no longer be around. And, that is the approach of Paris. Counties pledge to reach net-zero emissions or a certain reduction in admissions at some point in the future. In democracies, there will be different leaders when that day arrives and in dictatorships, there are no consequences to failure. Also, under Paris, even when a pledge is made, it is not the country making the pledge. It is the ruling regime at that time. Paris is not even a treaty. No nation commits to doing anything that is enforceable under Paris.
Another reason that we are making almost no progress on climate change is that the leading advocates for doing something are left-wing social justice warriors, romantics, and alarmists. They may know about climate change feedback loops, but they don't know about markets, supply and demand, and cost-benefit analysis. Much of what environmentalist policymakers have achieved has actually made climate change worst, such as banning nuclear energy and banning fracking to obtain natural gas. Much else has been costly but ineffective. Realists have not been at the table.
So, what is needed to address climate change? There are several policies that would be positive developments, but in my estimation, the one thing we need more than any other is a price on carbon. That is, we need a revenue-neutral carbon tax with border adjustments. The following primer on a carbon tax is reposted from the republicEn.org, a project of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University.
What is a carbon tax?
A carbon tax is a fee imposed on carbon pollution, usually increasing at a predictable rate over time. The tax is paid upstream by the producers of fossil fuels (i.e. at the mine, pipeline, or refinery). The goal of a carbon tax is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions using the power of price signals and free enterprise.
Why is a carbon tax needed?
Today’s energy market is broken. Due to subsidies, fossil fuels are artificially cheap, obstructing the market and preventing a level playing field. Industries pollute our skies for free, a massive hidden subsidy in addition to the breaks they received back in the day when the U.S. was trying to promote oil and gas development. Climate damages stemming from carbon dioxide emissions cost the U.S. billions each year and the American public is left to foot the bill. A carbon tax would internalize negative externalities by adding some health and climate damages to the price of fossil fuels. This accountability would shatter the illusion that energy from fossil fuels is cheap. Given the correct price signals, consumers and producers would be incentivized to switch, quickly, to cleaner energy alternatives.
Aren’t taxes bad?
It depends. Just like with any policy, a poorly designed carbon tax can be harmful to the economy. But a well-designed carbon tax will reduce our use of dirty fuels while spurring innovation and economic growth. If something is bad for society, it makes sense to tax it so we have less of it. In contrast to convoluted, big-government regulations, a well-designed carbon tax is a simple, effective, small-government way to address climate change. At republicEn, we favor a carbon tax that is both revenue neutral and border adjustable.
What does “revenue neutral” mean?
With a revenue-neutral carbon tax, the government does not keep the money raised from the tax, which means the government does not grow. Instead, 100% of the tax revenue goes back to the American people. This may be done by offsetting taxes elsewhere (e.g. cutting payroll or income tax) or by sending dividend payments to households.
What does “border adjustable” mean?
A border-adjustable carbon tax imposes a fee on imports from countries that don’t have a comparable price on carbon pollution. That way, American firms are not disadvantaged against countries without a carbon tax or tempted to outsource to these countries. This border adjustment helps keep the U.S. competitive in the global market, as well as entices our trading partners to enact their own carbon tax policy.
How is a carbon tax fiscally conservative?
At its core, a carbon tax is a market-driven solution. Solving climate change requires the innovation, speed, and creativity that only comes from free-enterprise capitalism, and a carbon tax accelerates this process. A carbon tax is transparent and predictable, allowing industry to pivot and plan for the future instead of getting bogged down by ineffective subsidies and regulations. It internalizes negative externalities, and also opens the door to repealing burdensome environmental regulations rendered unnecessary by the pollution fee. A carbon tax is the most conservative solution to climate change: simple, effective, and sensible.
Would a carbon tax actually work?
Yes. In a transparent, accountable energy market, consumers – not regulators, mandates, or fickle tax incentives – would drive demand for clean energy. Entrepreneurs would race to supply that demand, and we’d quickly shift to power our lives with the fuels of the future. Studies show that a carbon tax can reduce U.S. carbon emissions faster and more effectively than regulations.
Source: American Action Forum
Would a carbon tax increase energy prices?
Since a carbon tax would raise costs for fossil fuel producers, it would likely lead to higher energy prices for consumers (at least at first, until our economy transitions to clean energy sources). Researchers predict that a $25/ton carbon tax would cause the price of gasoline to go up about $0.21/gallon and the price of electricity to go up about $11/month for the average American household. This price increase is why it’s important for a carbon tax to be revenue neutral, returning the money to households. With money back in their pockets, Americans will be cushioned from the inevitable increase in energy prices.
Who supports carbon tax policy?
There is widespread agreement among economists that a carbon tax is the most cost-effective solution to address climate change. Many large energy companies, such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, have also endorsed a carbon tax. A growing number of U.S. politicians on both the sides of the aisle have pushed for carbon pricing legislation.
Notable conservative-led carbon tax proposals in the United States:
Raise Wages, Cut Carbon Act (2009): Introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) and co-sponsored by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL). Would have implemented a revenue-neutral carbon tax in exchange for equivalent cuts in payroll taxes. (Reintroduced by Rep. Lipinski in 2019.)
MARKET CHOICE Act (2018): Introduced in the House by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and co-sponsored by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Francis Rooney (R-FL). Would implement a carbon tax paired with a repeal of the gasoline tax and with revenue designated mainly for infrastructure projects. (Reintroduced by Rep. Fitzpatrick in 2019 and 2021.)
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (2019): Introduced in the House by Reps. Francis Rooney (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and five more Democratic members. Would implement a revenue-neutral carbon tax with all revenue returned to Americans in the form of dividend checks.
Stemming Warming and Augmenting Pay Act (2019): Introduced by Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL). Would implement a $30 tax per metric ton of carbon with revenues paid out to individuals through payroll taxes.
Climate Leadership Council Carbon Dividends Plan: Proposed by a coalition of respected conservatives including James Baker and George Shultz. Calls for a revenue-neutral carbon tax with all revenue returned to Americans in the form of dividend checks.
Green Flat Tax: Proposed by economists Art Laffer and Stephen Moore. Calls for a carbon tax in exchange for a flat income tax of 18%.
More carbon tax resources:
What You Need to Know About a Federal Carbon Tax in the United States (Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy)
Carbon Taxes: The Most Efficient Way to Reduce Emissions (Hoover Institution)
Where Carbon is Taxed (Carbon Tax Center)
For more essays in this series see the following:
Get real about Climate Change. Part 3: Why are efforts to combat climate change such a failure?Get real about Climate Change. Part 5: It's Time for America to Embrace Carbon Border Adjustments
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Sunday, December 12, 2021
What has happened to Tucker Carlson?
From Rachael Larimore,Managing editor of The Dispatch:
"From Tucker with Love
On Tuesday, Tucker Carlson aired a segment on his Fox News show in which he defended Vladimir
Putin’s aggression toward Ukraine as a matter of border integrity, blamed NATO for the tension between Russia and Ukraine, and painted Joe Biden as weak and as one taking orders from others. Garry Kasaparov has heard it all before—on Russian state television—and he wonders what Carolson is up to. “Putin is a hostile actor, an enemy who has repeatedly attacked American interests abroad and in the homeland. Russian hackers and disinformation campaigns target everything from racial strife to vaccine effectiveness to US elections. Why would a flag-wrapped nationalist like Tucker Carlson take Putin’s side?”'
Rod's Comment: I agree. I have not been a fan of Tucker Carlson for a long time. I still find him interesting and entertaining, and occasionally enjoy watching him expose liberal insanity and make liberals squirm. More and more, however, I realize I do not share many of his values. It is sad to see so many so-called conservatives show their affection for the enemies of freedom, see them pander to the lowest common denominator, and see a shallow populism replace what used to be conservatism.
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Saturday, December 11, 2021
NFIB Files Amicus Brief Defending Tennessee Home-Based Small Businesses
The case concerns arbitrary zoning restrictions on home-based businesses
Press release, NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 9, 2021) – NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Elijah “LIJ” Shaw et al., v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County at the Tennessee Supreme Court. The case concerns a lawsuit filed by two homeowners challenging a metropolitan code provision that prevented them from serving customers at their home-based businesses.
“Many small businesses begin in people’s homes and on their private property,” said Karen Harned, Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “Small business owners have a fundamental right to earn a living and the right to use their property. Unreasonable zoning restrictions, as highlighted in this case, interfere with those rights.”
“Small businesses are a crucial part of Tennessee’s economy and local communities,” said Jim Brown, NFIB Tennessee State Director. “The government is punishing small businesses who work out of their home-based business without evidence that their business caused harm or disruption to neighboring homes. We urge the court to stand up for Tennessee’s small businesses and reject this standard.”
NFIB argues Tennessee courts should adopt “real and substantial” basis review as the minimum standard for challenges brought under Tennessee’s due process and equal protection clauses and reverse the lower court’s decision.
The NFIB Small Business Legal Center protects the rights of small business owners in the nation’s courts. NFIB is currently active in more than 40 cases in federal and state courts across the country and in the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Tuesday, December 07, 2021
Not content with losing Georgia's Senate seats and giving Dems control of the U. S. Senate, Trump to engineer a Republican loss of the Georgia governor's office.
National Review, Morning Jolt, Dec. 7, 2021- After Georgians voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election from 1996 to 2016, elected Republicans in every gubernatorial election from 2002 to 2018, elected Republicans to control the state general assembly in every election since 2004, elected two Republican U.S. senators in every race since 2002, and electing Republicans in just about every statewide office during those same time periods . . . everything came crashing down in 2020.
Joe Biden won the state by 11,779 votes — yes, they counted, recounted, and audited the vote — and in the January Senate runoffs, Democrat Jon Ossoff beat David Perdue by 54,944 votes, and Democrat Raphael Warnock beat Kelly Loeffler by 93,272 votes. The fact that you may not like those results does not make them any less true or accurate.
One of the reasons that Ossoff and Warnock won was that a lot of white, rural Georgians who had voted in the November presidential election did not think it was worth voting in the Senate runoffs — after the president of United States had spent the past months insisting the Georgia election results were rigged: ...The Georgia runoff results are why we have Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer instead of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. ... Now, former Senator Perdue is running for governor as a Republican, challenging incumbent Brian Kemp, on the key policy issue that Donald Trump really hates Brian Kemp. Not only is the former president seething with rage at Kemp for not overruling the election results and appointing pro-Trump electors, but he contended yesterday that any Brian Kemp victory in the upcoming primary must be the result of voter fraud: (read more)
Trump’s Georgia Vendetta
He stokes a GOP primary fight that may elect Stacey Abrams.
By The Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal, Dec. 7, 2021 - For a glimpse of the long shadow Donald Trump may cast over the 2022 midterm elections, see former Sen. David Perdue’s Monday announcement that he’ll challenge Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in a Republican primary. This is a good way to turn a major state over to the progressive left.
Mr. Trump has prodded Mr. Perdue to jump into the race for months, as part of the former President’s vendetta against Mr. Kemp. He claims the Governor didn’t fight hard enough to overturn Mr. Trump’s loss of the state in 2020. (Read more)
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Sunday, December 05, 2021
Yog Nepal Is a Poseur
 |
| Hattie Bryant |
I believed the whisper.
Now that he has taken to crashing Republican meetings, I decided to vet this man.
By crashing I mean he arrives at events without making a
reservation or paying the ticket price and begins passing out his
brochure. He was asked to leave the
Tennessee Federation of Republican Women state convention which was held in
October. The woman in charge of
reservations for a recent Nashville Republican Women luncheon meeting told me
that he was asked to stop passing out brochures and to leave because he did not
have a reservation. He argued that he
did. He was wrong.
In February 2020 he created a GoFundMe account and on November 23, 2021 when I took this screenshot you can see that he has raised $2,210.
I called the Tennessee
Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance and was told it has no record of
Yog Nepal establishing a campaign. No person who wants to run for office can
raise funds until they go to: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tref/documents/candidate-forms/ss-1120.pdf.
This photo from one of his posts shows him posing as state
vice chairman for the Tennessee Republican Party.
This form must be completed with the original filed with the
Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.
What I have learned from veteran Davidson County Republicans tells me that he is a poseur. My sources say:
- At a fund raiser for a Republican candidate in 2019, Nepal told the candidate that he, Nepal, is a cardiologist at Vanderbilt.
- At another event, Nepal told others that he is a cardiologist at St. Thomas.
Truth is Vanderbilt and St. Thomas say they have never heard of Nepal, he is not a licensed physician or veterinarian in the state of Tennessee nor is he a registered nurse in the state of Tennessee. According to his own LinkedIn post, he has worked for Lycra Mobile since February 2013. Another source tells me he works as a security guard for Allied Universal.
Nepal has worked at Happy Retales Animal Rescue and I have learned that there are no veterinarians employed there, only animal technicians.
This means he does not have the voting record needed to be a bono fide Republican candidate.
Here’s an August 16, 2021 LinkedIn post. True, English is not Mr. Nepal’s first language and I suggested to him that he take down the title he gave to himself which he has done so you won’t find this today.In emails and texts between the two of us Mr. Nepal has provided many documents showing that he has a great deal of education and has told me that he has worked for years in healthcare. After I saw this image I asked him, “What Nashville healthcare organizations have you worked in? He did not answer that question. I waited three days and asked again, and he did not answer.
Nepal is creatively building his brand by nominating himself for awards. As a member of the Bhutanese community, he has a built-in group of friends to cast votes his way. I have written to several of the entities he is said to be recognized by and have not heard back. This happened to me during my first round of vetting Quincy McKnight (Link, Link, Link) who claims to do volunteer work for foster children. Nepal and McKnight are playing us.
Nepal and McKnight also have track records we long-time Republicans don’t find appealing. We can trace Nepal back to being a Bernie supporter and McKnight to Instagram President Trump bashing.
Mr. Nepal says he is starting a home care business and I suggested to him that he focus on his personal life and stop his pursuit of public office. Let’s hope he takes my advice.
Hattie Bryant lives downtown Nashville and is active in civic affairs. You can learn about her at https://www.authorhattiebryant.com.
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