Tennessee House Speaker Mulls Rejecting US Education Money

 Cameron Sexton said rejecting nearly $1.8 billion of federal K-12 education dollars would let officials to "educate the kids how Tennessee sees fit."

Cameron Sexton

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP), Feb 8, 2023 - One of Tennessee’s most influential Republican lawmakers says the state should stop accepting the nearly $1.8 billion of federal K-12 education dollars that help provide support for low-income students, English learners and students with disabilities.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton told The Associated Press that he has introduced a bill to explore the idea during this year’s legislative session and has begun discussions with Gov. Bill Lee and other key GOP lawmakers.

“Basically, we’ll be able to educate the kids how Tennessee sees fit,” Sexton said, pointing that rejecting the money would mean that Tennessee would no longer have “federal government interference.”

To date, no state has successfully rejected federal education funds ...  The idea has also come up elsewhere in recent months among GOP officials, including in Oklahoma and South Carolina.

According to Sexton, Tennessee is currently in the financial position to use state tax dollars to replace federal education funds. ... the state could easily cover the federal government’s portion. Federal dollars make up a small slice of Tennessee’s K-12 education funding, ... “We as a state can lead the nation once again in telling the federal government that they can keep their money and we’ll just do things the Tennessee way,” ... Spokespersons for both Gov. Lee and Sen. Randy McNally appeared open to entertaining Sexton’s proposal. (read more)

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Taking Social Security off the table is cowardly and does nothing to solve serious problem.

FACT SHEET: Social Security, Medicare, and Deficits  February 8, 2022

In his State of the Union address last night, President Biden touched on a number of important topics, including Social Security, Medicare, and his record on fiscal responsibility. Below are a few facts to put the President’s remarks in context.    Social Security  The Social Security trust funds will be insolvent by 2035 – just 12 years from now – when today’s 55-year-olds reach the normal retirement age and today’s youngest retirees turn 74.   At trust fund exhaustion, Social Security benefits will be cut by 20 percent or more across the board, resulting in a $12,000 to $17,000 benefit cut for a typical couple retiring in 2035.  The President pledged to take Social Security “off the books” and has not offered a plan to make it solvent. The “do nothing” plan is a plan to allow this abrupt benefit cut to occur.  Numerous bipartisan commissions and experts have studied Social Security and determined restoring solvency will likely require a mix of revenue and benefit adjustments. Even eliminating the payroll tax cap would only close 40 to 60 percent of the program’s structural imbalance.  The longer we wait to make changes, the larger the changes will need to be, the fewer options there will be, and the less time we will have to phase policies in or give workers time to prepare.     Medicare  The Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund, which funds Part A benefits, will be depleted by 2028 – just five years from now, when today’s newest beneficiaries turn 70.  At trust fund exhaustion, Medicare payments to hospitals will automatically be cut by 10 percent, likely through payment delays that would jeopardize access to care.  Total Medicare spending has grown from 2 percent of GDP in 2000 to 3 percent this year and is slated to double to 6 percent of GDP in just three decades.  Numerous bipartisan options exist to reduce Medicare by lowering the cost of health care.    Deficits and the Budget  ... (portions less relevant deleted by blog publisher).  Social Security, health care, and net interest explain 92 percent of projected nominal spending growth from 2022 to 2032.

Rod's Comment: So, what will happen in 2035, when the trust fund runs dry? Does anyone think benefits will be cut?  I don't. There are only three obvious options: raise the Social Security tax cap, increase the retirement age, or cut the benefit amount. Or do a combination of all three. Both parties have pledged social security is untouchable so cutting benefits or raising the retirement age are off the table.  

Currently the maximum amount of income subject to SS tax is set at $160,200.  It goes up every year based on a formula. There is reluctance to drastically raise the cap because there is a desire to maintain the fiction that social security is a retirement plan instead of admitting that is a welfare Ponzi scheme. SS is a transfer payment where money paid in today by people who are working pays most of the benefit that current retirees receive.  Dems are now uninhibited about calling for making the rich pay "their fair share," so the reluctance to raise the cap may be diminishing.  As pointed out above however, even totally eliminating the payroll tax cap would only close 40 to 60 percent of the program’s structural imbalance. And this will have negative consequences. It will suck so money out of the economy it will slow growth, leading to less tax revenue and increasing Federal borrowing. The cost of interest on the debt will make it even harder to ever balance the budget. Alternatively, the government could borrow from the Federal Reserve, euphemistically called printing money, which weakens the dollar and leads to inflation. Either option would be unsustainable and will hasten a financial collapse. 

What I suspect will happen in 2035 is Congress will end the fiction that social security is a retirement fund and will fund the SS deficit out of general revenues. Budgets have not balanced in many years. The only way the SS deficit can be funded out of general revenue is by more borrowing or inflating the money supply. Neither option is a solution and will hasten an economic collapse.

We have known for decades the SS trust fund was running dry. Both parties kept kicking the can down the road. The longer we wait the more difficult it is to fix the problem. To take Social Security off the table is kicking the can further down the road and burying your head in the sand.  Taking Social Security off the table is cowardly and does nothing to solve the problem.

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Mark Woodward, Recording Secretary for the Davidson County Republican Party, gives a State of the Party report. Mark is not seeking reelection.

Dear Nashville Republicans,

I have served as the Recording Secretary for the Davidson County Republican Party for the past four years, and I wanted to share my perspective on the growth and success of our party over the last four years and my hopes for the party now that I am resigning my position. 

It may not seem this way from the outside, but Republicans in Davidson County have made huge strides from where we were just four years ago. We tripled and quadrupled our volunteer base and fielded more candidates in county races than ever before in recent memory. 

And we galvanized voters who showed up at the polls. Here’s an example. In 2018, Democrat Rachael Elrod won School Board District 4 with over 67% of the vote. In 2022, “No Woke" Todd Pembroke held her to a modest 57% victory, gaining on her by a net 700 votes. In a small school board race, that vote shift is significant. On a small budget, Todd Pembroke garnered a full 1000 votes more than the charter-funded opposition candidate from 4 years earlier.

We campaigned hard, and our volunteers did not let us down. They gave money, knocked on thousands of doors, made hundreds of phone calls, and showed up in person to hold signs on Election Day. The results did not go in our favor, but the momentum coming out of the election is ours. The Democrat Party cannot continue to silence free speech, support the indoctrination of students without facing a tremendous backlash from citizens who are waking up and willing to fight for their country. 

The unsung hero of our local campaigns was a transplant from the UK named Bart Smith who became our 2nd Vice Chair in 2022. Recently transplanted from the UK, Bart managed and/or gave significant help free of charge to all but one of the local Republican and Independent candidates. He helped with strategy, designed mailers and door hangers, arranged interviews, organized fundraisers, and was behind several successful DCRP press releases. Bart’s considerable talent, fueled by deep convictions was met with only gratitude from candidates and volunteers, but earned him no small degree of suspicion from others on the board. In his zeal to get things done, he accidentally missed a few steps of protocol and personally offended some important people. DCRP board members wasted precious meeting time upbraiding Bart for moving too fast and putting campaign concerns above his responsibilities as DCRP 2nd Vice Chair. 

Chairman James Garrett did his best to stay above the fray while protecting Bart from official discipline. But the damage was done, and Bart resigned after the election.

Two other heroes that deserve recognition are John and Carol Wendt. Carol has been the 1st Vice Chair, and John a Regional Vice Chair for the last few years. They came into the party with a plan to recruit and train volunteers, and they did what they set out to do. They created a volunteer manual, they organized volunteer events, and created a community where there had been none. Along with their organizational talent, they are people of great character. I can remember a situation in a board meeting where two members had a sharp disagreement with one actually daring the other to quit the party. With calm dignity, John broke in and reminded everyone to communicate in a respectful way. Not only his words, but his manner — quiet, calm and confident — completely quelled the storm and earned John my enduring respect.

James Garrett has endorsed Lonnie Spivak to replace him as chairman at the coming reorganizational convention on Saturday, Feb 11. In his post lower down on this page, Mr. Spivak shares his goals for the party. I commend his digital engagement idea and his awareness of the issue of competing conservative groups. Should Mr. Spivak win, I hope he will support some of the good efforts that are already underway. Dia Hart and Laura Nelson are spearheading a committee to engage, recruit, and train local candidates — and they are on fire. Carol and John Wendt have breathed fresh life into the party, engaging volunteers and organizing events. We need to keep the momentum going and build on what we have started for the sake our movement and our message.

It is about the message. Republicans stand for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the rule of law, personal responsibility, patriotism, and family values. These ideals are not always glamorous, but our society is built on them, and they are worth fighting for. 

If you want to get involved at the local level, please attend our Davidson County Reorganizational Caucus and Convention on February 11, 9:00 AM at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. 

Thanks,

Mark Woodward

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Nashville-Area Democrat Bob Freeman Ponders Leaving the State House for City Hall to Tackle the Titans Stadium Deal, Metro Public Schools

Bob Freeman

Tennessee Stae, February 6, 2023- Live from Music Row, Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy ...host Leahy welcomed State Representative Bob Freeman (D-Nashville) in studio to answer questions on a run for Nashville mayor, reducing Metro Council, Titans Stadium deal, and the state of MNPS.

....

Freeman: ... I think that what our city needs right now more than anything is that our next mayor can actually work with the state and can help the state realize that this should be a very profitable and successful partnership and that the success of Nashville drives the success of the state. ... this idea that we can have a combative relationship with the state has been shown to not be true. Look at the legislation that’s in front of us right now to cut the council size, remove the funding for the Music City Center, remove the airport board or airport authority, and the sports authority. ... These are all decisions that should be made locally. And if we had the ability to sit down with the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker and negotiate in good faith, I think we would be in a different spot.

... bill before the Tennessee General Assembly to cut the size of the Metro Council from 40 to 20. What’s your opinion on that bill? 

Freeman: ... I think the bill is horrible. I think the idea that people from outside of Nashville get a say in how we do politics here locally is laughable at best. (Read it all at this link.)

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Nashville mayoral race: Wiltshire takes early fundraising lead with nearly $1.1M on hand

Matt Wiltshire

by Cassandra Stephenson, The Tennessean, Feb. 3, 2023- Mayoral candidate Matt Wiltshire's campaign raised more than $1.2 million in the last six months, giving him an early fundraising advantage in the still-growing field of contenders for the 2023 election.

Candidate Freddie O'Connell ... $244,255 in financial disclosures ...

Candidate Sharon Hurt, ... reported $5,200 in contributions.

the qualifying deadline for the Aug. 3 election months away on May 18, the 2023 mayoral race is just getting started.

... Wiltshire, an economic development and affordable housing veteran, launched his mayoral campaign in July 2022 after leaving his post at the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency in April.

Wiltshire raised $888,184 in contributions in the last six months. With the addition of a $348,904 personal loan, his total raised thus far is $1,237,088.

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Davidson County Republican Party 2023 Mass Convention, Saturday, February 11.

To visit the Davidson County Republican Party website, follow this link. 

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First Tuesday guest speaker is Troy Brewer, Comptroller for the Tennessee Republican Party. Meeting Tuesday Feb 14.

 If you waited too late to register, I bet they can squeeze in an unregistered guest. 

Visit the First Tuesday webpage for more information.

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Sheri Weiner kicks off campaign for Bellevue's District 22 Metro Council seat, Feb. 8th

 

To view Sheri's Facebook campaign page follow this link. 

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Lonnie Spivak is running for DCRP Chairman

Lonnie Spivak

From Lonnie Spivak: 

Breakfast Club Members,

If you have not heard, I have decided to run for Davidson County Republican Party (DCRP) Chairman. I am excited for this opportunity, and I believe I have the experience and vision necessary to lead the party in the coming years, and I look forward to mending fences and working with my fellow Republicans to ensure that our message for Nashville government is heard loud and clear.

Please plan to attend the convention. There are a few ways you can qualify to vote:

• The best way is to have voted in 3 out of the last 4 primaries
• You can also be a member of a federated auxiliary groups such as the Republican Women or the Young Republicans
• You can have given money to the Republican Party
• Vouched by a board member if you do not meet any of the other requirements

The election for the Davidson County Republican Party Executive Committee will take place Saturday, February 11, 2023, starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, located at 2025 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN 37228

The DCRP Reorganization Committee has asked that attendees pre-register by Friday, February 10, 2023 CLICK HERE (voteGOPnashville.com).

Below is my 7 point plan to improve the party, and I hope you will attend the convention and vote for me and the other board positions.

Lonnie Spivak DCRP Reorganization Plan

1. Rethink the how the organization operates at every level.
2. Review and possibly adjust the current Executive Committee structure
3. Be an organization that gives the auxiliary groups an umbrella to sit under 
4. Improve the definition of what it means to be a “Republican” to be more inclusive and welcoming.
5. Improve fundraising by reconnecting with the business community and the grassroots to improve active membership and community outreach
6. Build a better understanding of the county population 
7. Become more active in local politics.

1. How we do business

It is apparent to everyone that the status quo is not working in Nashville. To be successful, I would want the board to rethink everything regarding:

1. Recruiting candidates 
2. Supporting candidates
3. Funding candidates

(Specifics to come)

2. Change the makeup of the board

I believe the Davidson County Executive Committee can be more efficient and create a winning environment in Nashville. I would consider the following changes:

1. Reduce the number of Regional Vice-Chairs
2. Create a position whose responsibility is Digital Engagement (Communications and social media are different skill sets)
3. The current rules set a high-bar of what it means to be a republican. I would explore changing the rules in a way that enables new residents a way to get involved.
4. Make our financials more public so our membership has a better understanding of the status of the organization

 3. Reconnect with the auxiliary republican groups

We are lucky to have so many great conservative groups in Nashville. I think in recent years the county party has seen these organizations as competitors instead of allies. I am hoping to mend some fences and be a better umbrella organization for groups such as:

1. Nashville Republican Women
2. Young Republicans
3. College Republicans
4. Tennessee Republican Assembly
5. Other local meeting groups

It is the party’s responsibility to be glue that keeps the party moving forward by giving the auxiliary groups whatever support they need to be successful. This will help us all be successful.

4. What it means to be a Republican in Nashville

Becoming the “It” city has its challenges. It is extremely rare to find a resident who is a native Nashvillian. We need to take the opportunity to consider changing the bylaws to enable new republican residents an opportunity to put their expertise and skills to work. We all understand that being a conservative/republican is different in Nashville than other places, and it is up to us to welcome those who want to get involved.

1. Start a “Welcome Wagon” program that gives new residents from blue states a box with DCRP logo items as well as info on how to join and info on other area organizations.

5. Improve fundraising and reconnect with the business community

To improve fundraising, the DCRP should make sure that their communications are clear, transparent, and consistent with the ideals of the republican party. We should listen to our members and the business community, understand their concerns, and provide them with regular updates and information to foster open lines of communication. We will need to:

1. Provide a civic value
2. Support business development and growth
3. Collaborate with other stakeholders and political organizations to create a broad network to support one another

6. Build a better understanding of the Community

With all the growth in Nashville, I don’t believe we have a current understanding of the electorate in Davidson County. I believe we need to do:

1. Traditional Polling
2. Gather Social Media data
3. Direct contact with new Nashville residents
4. Combine new aggregate data with primary voter information

We will use all the information to identify districts that are favorable and where we have the ability for improvement.

7. Become more active in local politics

I believe the average republican voter does not care about the nuts and bolts of the inner workings of the party but wants to see activity and action. As a board we need to do a better job communicating our positions on everyday kitchen-table issues to Nashville residents. This includes but is not limited to:

1. Metro Budget/Government
2. Education
3. Transit 
4. Crime
5. Mental health/Drug Use

This will include regular press-releases, a working relationship with local conservative media, social media and digital ad campaigns.

I believe if we start to implement these steps, we will be on our way to creating a fun and successful republican party in blue Davidson County.

All the best.

Lonnie Spivak

lonnie@lonniespivak.com

615.429.5902

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Rep. Andy Ogles has introduced the Inflation Reduction Act of 2023, which would reduce inflation by REPEALING the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

 

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Tennessee Senate committee hears testimony on mileage-based vehicle tax options

By Jon Styf, The Center Square,  Feb 1, 2023 - A Tennessee Senate committee heard testimony on Wednesday on a potential mileage-based user fee to replace the state’s gas tax.

Several states have begun pilot programs on what is called an MBUF while Virginia has gone to a permanent model.

Patricia Hendren, Executive Director of the 17-state Eastern Transportation Coalition that includes Tennessee, said the issue is, with more fuel-efficient vehicles and the rise of electric vehicles and hybrids, gas taxes are no longer a tax that equates to a road usage fee.

As Sycamore Institute showed in its recent policy statement on road infrastructure needs and funding, taxes on fuel and registration are the largest funding source for transportation projects in Tennessee. The state currently has a one-year moratorium on personal vehicle registration fees but normally charges $16.75 annually for most vehicles, $100 for electric vehicles and 26 cents per gallon for gasoline along with 27 cents for diesel.

Those fees bring in $1.1 billion annually to the Tennessee Highway Fund. The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations recently reported that the state, one of just six which does not take on debt for road projects, has $34.7 billion of transportation infrastructure needs.

Sycamore Institute noted one state agency estimate said the rise in more fuel-efficient, hybrid, and electric vehicles could decrease the state's annual transportation revenues by as much as $130 million in 2030.

In 2020, Tennessee spent $2.8 billion on transportation projects with 75% of that funding coming from the state.

Late last year, Gov. Bill Lee claimed the state needs $26 billion in funding toward road congestion, with $14 billion for the state’s four major metro areas and $12 billion for rural interstates.

Members of the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee heard presentations from Hendren and Reason Foundation Senior Managing Director Baruch Feigenbaum, asking questions of the two on issues related to the mileage-based taxes.

Hendren said the new system typically cut costs for rural drivers, who tend to have less fuel-efficient vehicles and therefore pay more gas taxes currently than others. She said a key is having plenty of options on how to report mileage, from phone apps to reporting odometer readings to having the option of paying the average fee for a user with the same vehicle type.

Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Fields, said monitoring devices on vehicles continue the narrative that “We’re one nation under surveillance.”

Feigenbaum said, while he is not suggesting a fee, the range is usually 1.5 cents to 2 cents per mile. The fees would be paid monthly through a third-party provider. The taxes would replace the current state gas tax.

Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, said she participated in a pilot program for the mileage-based monitors last fall and is open to a pilot program in Tennessee. She noted some issues would have to be addressed, such as a partnership with neighboring states as she said that 30% to 40% of Tennessee’s current gas tax is paid by out-of-state drivers.

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First of several Tennessee bills aimed at Nashville government advances

By Jon Styf, The Center Square, Feb 2, 2023 -  A bill that would reduce Nashville’s Metro Council from 40 to 20 voting members was approved by a House subcommittee and now is headed to the House Local Government Committee.

A fiscal note on the bill said it will save Nashville $425,000 in the first year and $510,000 in the years after based on council members' salaries.

House sponsor Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, said during subcommittee meetings that the goal of House Bill 48 was to minimize city governments, noting that only Chicago and New York City have larger councils than Nashville.

“Forty is an exceptional outlier,” Lamberth said. ”Anything over 20 doesn’t work well.”

Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, pointed out that Nashville has a metropolitan government that serves both Nashville and Davidson County, comparing it to the 50 representatives in total that serve the cities and county in Blount County. But Lamberth said he believed that counties were much different.

Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman spoke at the committee meeting, saying that Nashville has had 40 members since April 1963 and a vote to lower the council to 27 members in 2015 failed with 62% of residents voting against it.

Shulman said that, if the bill passes, it could extend council terms by one year before it passes.

“If the terms are extended and it does turn out to be illegal, then anything we pass during that year may be illegal,” Shulman said.

Lamberth added an amendment to the bill that would allow cities to change rules by majority vote to reach the maximum of 20 members by elections in August 2024.

The bill is one of several aimed at Nashville after the Metro Council rejected an agreement to host the 2024 Republican National Convention, which will be held in Milwaukee.

House Bill 1176, separately, would change how the Nashville airport authority board is determined, giving state leaders the job of deciding 10 of the 11 board members with the House speaker and Senate speaker each selecting four members and the governor selecting two.

House Bill 1197, meanwhile, would allow each speaker to appoint three members and the governor to appoint four members of the 13 on the Metro Nashville Sports Authority. The mayor would appoint the other three.

Senate Bill 648 would end a fund created to pay off debt on the Music City Center in Nashville, ending several taxes that paid into the fund toward $625 million in bonds taken out on the convention center, which opened in 2013.

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