TennWatch » Politics: General Topics

Legislative Guide

AlphaPatriot — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:40:38 +0000

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a Tennessee think tank, has created their first Legislator’s Guide to the Issues. It attempts to address some of the most pressing issues facing Tennesseans by clearly stating the problem, making a recommendation to fix it, and a factual analysis supporting the recommendation. For example:

Transparency:
Create an online check register posting every dollar spent by state government.
Government Reform:
Require methodology to be included in fiscal impact analyses.
Third Party Ballot Access:
Permit ballot access by third parties rather than requiring third party candidates to run as “independents”.
Education:
Eliminate Tennessee’s salary schedule to allow pay increases at the local and school level for our state’s most effective teachers.
Charter Schools:
Eliminate the requirement that students be in a “failing” school before being eligible for a charter school program, and strike the student low achievement eligibility requirement.
Eminent Domain:
Forbid any government entity from taking private property and transferring it from one private party to another private party.
Health Insurance Costs:
Urge Congress to permit the interstate purchase of health insurance so as to open up the health insurance market for Tennesseans.

While I hardly agree with all of TCPR’s recommendations (particularly in the area of transportation), I am pleased that TCPR has taken this important step in establishing their credentials with state legislators, as well as voters. And the formal addition of their analysis and recommendations can only improve the public debate on policy in Tennessee.

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Why Senators Step Down

AlphaPatriot — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:52:55 +0000

Roscoe Dixon stepped down as state senator for a job at the county level. According to information from a very, very good source, the reason that state legislators take county jobs late in their career is for a bigger pension.
If they retire as a legislator, they get a pension based on their $15,000/year salary.
If they get a county job at $90,000 a year, all their years of service get folded into their pension at the higher rate. The taxpayer takes the hit while the politician laughs all the way to the bank.

Benefits of Public Service

AlphaPatriot — Sun, 20 Feb 2005 15:03:45 +0000

So activist and longtime Democrat party faithful Sidney Chism was installed in the state Senate to fill a vacancy until a special election can be held. He’ll only be there a couple of months and he won’t be running for a permant place in the senate, so what does he get for his trouble?

Chism will be paid the standard legislative salary, $16,500 per year divided by the number of weeks he serves. Lawmakers also receive a $141 per day expense allowance to cover lodging and meals in Nashville, and 35 cents per mile or airfare for one round-trip weekly to the Capitol.
Chism will not qualify for the legislative pension — it takes four full years of service for that — but his service will qualify him for a potentially more valuable benefit: the ability to buy state employee health insurance at discounted rates for life.
If he opts into the health insurance system while he’s a legislator, he will be eligible to maintain state health insurance coverage at 40 percent of its annual cost. The state will pay the other 60 percent.

Take care of the Democrat party and the Democrat party will take care of you.