Archive for the ‘Gov. Phil Bredesen’ Category
Sunday, January 10th, 2010
ANSWERS EMPHATICALLY THAT TENNESSEE DEMOCRATS’ PRIORITY IS EDUCATION AND WHAT WE STAND FOR
Rep. Kent Coleman (D-Murfreesboro) answered hard questions put to him by the Daily News Journal in Sunday’s edition. While other lawmakers are tiptoeing around education issues being handled in an upcoming Special Session of the General Assembly, Coleman clearly and precisely expressed his opinions on the matter of federal Race To The Top funding and teacher tenure, even when they differed from those of our Democratic governor. He also did the best job in recent memory of calling out Republicans for voting against education funding and then claiming the credit when Democrats got it done, and stating precisely why the Democratic Party of Tennessee is the only party in the state that has proper education of our children as its top priority:
Coleman: I do believe the Democratic Party has the strongest commitment to public education between the two parties. And I’ll give you an example. A few years ago, Gov. Bredesen put forth a proposal to raise about $250 million for school systems through a tobacco tax, and it raised (about) $20 million recurring money for Rutherford County and (Murfreesboro) city school systems. I was the only person in that commission meeting last week that voted to raise that money. But I sat there and listened to the members of the opposing party. I know one of them said something to the effect of a BEP reduction would be the last thing they would vote to do to our county, and I’m having to sit there and think, ‘You didn’t vote to raise the $20 million for Rutherford County,’ and all these commissioners, I don’t any of them realized that. So, someone’s got to communicate to the public education system that the Democratic Party has always had a strong conviction to the belief of equal education, public education, desegregation, and a lot of those of those issues haven’t been popular in the past, but they remain the strongest basis or the reason the Democratic Party exists in Tennessee, because education is our main expenditure at the state level.
Tags: Education, Education Funding, Governor Bredesen, Kent Coleman, Race To The Top, Special Session, Tennessee Democratic Party, Tennessee General Assembly
Posted in Budget, Democratic Party, Education, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Legislation, Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49) | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
President Barack Obama announced today the first set of auto loans for improvements in car technology. Nissan’s Smyrna plant will receive $1.6 billion in loans from the Department of Energy program.
$1.6 billion to Nissan North America to retool their Smyrna, Tennessee factory to build advanced electric automobiles and to build an advanced battery manufacturing facility.
The federal funds could produce 1,000 new jobs in Rutherford County and protect the jobs and the area families who depend on them.
A $1.6 billion federal loan for Nissan North America Inc. to build a zero-emissions electric car and battery packs to power them could eventually create more than 1,000 new jobs at the automaker’s assembly complex in Tennessee.
Gov. Phil Bredesen issued the following statement:
“The loans announced today will have a tremendous, positive impact on Nissan and our state’s automotive industry. Best of all, this means 1,300 more jobs for Tennessee workers and expands our growing clean energy economy. I’m especially pleased these advanced vehicle technology loans will expand the existing Nissan plant in Smyrna and add a new state-of-the-art battery plant. It also complements the state’s efforts to develop electric vehicle infrastructure for the type of zero emission vehicles that will be built in Smyrna.”
Posted in 2010, Business, Economy, Energy, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, Taxes | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Hello fellow Democrats. I’m pleased to inform you that this year’s session of the Tennessee Legislature has finally come to an end. It was a long and arduous one for our own Curt Cobb and Kent Coleman, who had to wade through 142 gun bills and several booze bills sponsored by our republican Senator Bill Ketron and Rep. Joe Carr . At last, republicans proposed a budget that killed recruitment dollars for a private solar power plant that would bring 30,000 jobs to Tennessee , put Pre-K education on the chopping block , gutted the Ethics Commission , repealed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act , stripped funding for MTSU’s Education Building , halted badly needed road and bridge projects, and even refused to erect statues for Tennessee’s Nobel Peace Prize recipients! Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle (D - Memphis) likened it to cuttin’ and runnin’ and Governor Bredesen called it “stupid” . Our republican Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron quickly voted for this “stupid” budget, and refused to help MTSU and its Education Building project. Luckily, Democrats in the House were able to fix most of this disastrous budget and forced Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Bristol) to surrender . We won this round.
But, we weren’t able to save the Ethics Commission, even though Rep. Kent Coleman tried his best to stand up for ethics in government. We also have to live with guns in bars, and paper-verified voting was postponed for another year even though we’re sitting on $34 million to implement it! Bottom line - we need more Democrats in the Tennessee Legislature. This website offers ways to get involved, contribute to the effort, stay updated on the issues, and stay connected. Your continued help and involvement is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Jonathon Fagan
Chairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party
(615) 604-4211
han.d.man.2@gmail.com
www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org
Posted in Budget, Education, Elections, Energy, Ethics, From the Chair, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Guns, Jobs, Legislation, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, MTSU, Rep. Curt Cobb (D-62), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
Gov. Phil Bredesen spoke to more than 500 student leaders at the 63rd session of Volunteer Girls State. The event was hosted at MTSU here in Murfreesboro, TN yesterday.
Gov. Bredesen asked future leaders in the room to make public service a personal priority.
During the week, high school girls from around the state who will be seniors this fall debate the issues that the Tennessee Legislature faces and establish their own city, county and state governments.
“Make a life-long commitment to public service,” Bredesen told the students. “You have shown an interest in government by being here. Determine how you can best serve your community, state and country. Public service isn’t limited to elective office.”
He told the students that life won’t turn out the way you think it will.
“(But) chance is really your friend,” he said. “Take advantage of it, and use it to change.”
Posted in Events, Gov. Phil Bredesen | No Comments »
Friday, May 15th, 2009
A federal disaster declaration requested by Gov. Phil Bredesen for Rutherford County has been approved providing reimbursements for local government bodies and public utilities from Public Assistance Program funds .
“Federal disaster assistance will help lessen the burden on local governments in these four counties,” said Bredesen. “I appreciate President Obama’s approval of these disaster declarations to help speed the recovery from the April 10 storms that struck Tennessee.”
As in previous disasters, the state will provide half of the local share of matching funds required by the federal reimbursement program. The total amount will be 12.5 percent of the total cost incurred by local governments. Utility companies are required to provide the full 25 percent match for federal funds.
Gov. Bredesen’s request for a disaster declaration from the federal government’s Small Business Administration in April was quickly granted. The declaration paved the way for low interest subsidized loans to help families and small businesses recover from damage caused by the tornado.
Also read:
Posted in Disaster Relief, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Public Safety | No Comments »
Monday, May 4th, 2009
The Daily News Journal reports on the bi-partisan effort to secure a disaster declaration from President Barack Obama for Murfreesboro, TN following the Good Friday tornado.
U.S. Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Democratic U.S. Reps. Bart Gordon, D-Murfreesboro, Jimmy Duncan, Lincoln Davis and John Tanner have joined Gov. Phil Bredesen in requesting that President Obama issue a federal disaster declaration for four counties in Tennessee to help state and local governments recover costs for damages related to recent storms.
According to their letter to President Obama, “On April 10, 2009, high winds – including tornadoes – struck several counties in our state, causing significant damage in Rutherford, McMinn, Sequatchie and Benton Counties. These disasters have placed a significant burden on state and local governments because of recovery costs. Therefore, we respectfully request that you make assistance available to these counties in accordance with the Governor’s request.”
With a disaster declaration, federal funds will cover 75 percent of the cleanup costs.
The Congressional delegation effort follows Gov. Bredesen’s own request for the declaration.
Gov. Phil Bredesen has asked President Obama to declare Rutherford, McMinn, Sequatchie and Benton Counties as federal disaster areas following the severe weather, high-winds and tornadoes that struck those counties on April 10.
Should this request for public assistance be granted, the federal program will help covers emergency response and recovery costs incurred by state and local governments.
Gov. Bredesen’s request for a disaster declaration was quickly granted from the federal government’s Small Business Administration. The declaration paves the way for low interest subsidized loans to help families and small businesses recover from damage caused by the tornado.
Posted in Disaster Relief, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Public Safety | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Today’s Daily News Journal reports that major donor to Tennessee Republicans and gun manufacturer Ronnie Barrett has received a grant from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
That might sound a little strange to you considering the Rutherford County Republican Party recently held a “tea party” with hundreds of Republicans protesting government spending these very funds. Rutherford County Republican Party Vice Chair Lou Ann Zelenik went so far as calling ARRA funds “socialism.”
Just days after Rutherford County Republicans demanded Gov. Bredesen return the money back to the federal government, Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) and Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) are praising our state’s use of the money.
The state has awarded Barrett Firearms Manufacturing in Christiana a $4,975 job-training grant, according to a news release.
This grant will provide training to five employees in continuous improvement, value chain strategies, tools and tactics.
“I commend Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Neeley for awarding this grant in Rutherford County,” state Sen. Jim Tracey, R-Shelbyville, said.
“The Incumbent Worker Grants are a good tool to keep employers and workers up to date on the latest skills training,” state Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, said.
It’s beyond ironic that Rep. Carr is the lead sponsor of a bill demanding Gov. Bredesen reject spending these funds while at the same time talks about how important the money is for the very program that now helps a major donor.
How can Rutherford County Republicans protest spending this money out of one side of their mouths last week and then praise spending this money this week? Maybe when the money finds its way into the hands of a major donor to Tennessee Republicans that’s when so-called socialism is to be “commended” as Sen. Tracy did today.
Click here to see what else the ARRA funds throughout Tennessee.
Tags: ARRA, Barrett, Carr, RCRP, Tracy, Zelenik
Posted in ARRA, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, Legislation, RCDP, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
If Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) gets his way, thousands of unemployed Rutherford County residents will not get an extension of their unemployment benefits in some of the hardest times many have ever experienced in Middle Tennessee. Rep. Carr is sponsoring a bill to reject the stimulus funds. The extension of unemployment benefits is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Today’s Daily News Journal reports that Tennessee will also receive over $30 million to retrain dislocated or low-income workers through the ARRA. You can learn more about what the ARRA federal stimulus is funding here in Tennessee.
“The training, particularly in emerging occupations, that will be provided with these Recovery Act funds will help prepare unemployed Tennesseans for new jobs at a time when that’s more important than ever,” Bredesen said.
The funding is anticipated to increase participation of the dislocated worker program by more than 1,300, which is 40 percent, over the number of individuals who received training services last year.
Adult services are expected to increase by approximately 2,000 slots, or 20 percent, over last year.
“Being out of work is especially difficult in this economic environment,” Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development James Neeley said. “Many laid-off workers and adults haven’t had to worry about updating their skills for years, and this Recovery Act funding provides an opportunity to do just that.”
The Rutherford County Republican Party took to the streets by the hundreds April 15 to protest this much needed help after eight long years of failed economic policy, unprecedented government expansion and out of control spending that resulted in a recession.
Republicans also protested the millions of dollars to be spent on Rutherford County and Murfreesboro schools as well as enhanced benefits for Rutherford County veterans.
Tags: Joe Carr, RCDP, tea party
Posted in Economy, Education, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, RCDP, Taxes, Veterans | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
Gov. Phil Bredesen and Democratic state lawmakers unveiled new legislation designed to make Tennessee a national leader in energy efficiency and clean energy technology.
The Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act of 2009 — sponsored by Senators Jim Kyle, Randy McNally, Andy Berke and Ken Yager, and Representatives Les Winningham, Joe McCord, Jim Hackworth and Phillip Johnson — is a wide-ranging bill tackling several major recommendations by the Governor’s energy task force, created in March 2008. Last summer and fall, Bredesen traveled the state with the 16-member panel to craft a comprehensive new energy policy for Tennessee. The group’s extensive work can be viewed at www.tn.gov/energy.
“Today’s bill is the result of countless hours of public meetings involving dozens of experts and hundreds of stakeholders from across Tennessee,” Bredesen said. “It promotes energy savings for state government and consumers across Tennessee, it encourages the development of clean energy technology jobs, and it happens to be the right thing to do for energy and the environment.”
He added: “It’s a bold, bipartisan step toward ensuring the Volunteer State’s clean energy future.”
Key components of the legislation — set to be filed this week as an amendment rewriting Senate Bill 2300 and House Bill 2318 — include:
• Requiring state government to “lead by example” with improved energy management of its buildings and passenger motor vehicle fleet;
• Encouraging job creation in the clean energy technology sector by making qualified businesses eligible for Tennessee’s existing emerging industry tax credit; and
• Promoting energy efficiency in newly constructed homes with a limited statewide residential building code and expanding eligibility for federal funds used to “weatherize” existing homes in low-income areas.
Posted in Energy, Environment, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Legislation | No Comments »
