107th General Assembly: A little something for everyone

Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant in downtown Nashville has the best selection of appetizers.  The fried green tomatoes are heavenly.  Sweet potato fries and fried green beans are addictive.  I can’t go without the pork BBQ nachos.  (I’m getting hungry!)

The most difficult part about eating with a large group of people is deciding what appetizers to order.  Some people are direct, “I want the smoked sausage and cheese platter.”  Others are subtle, “The fried green beans look good.”  You always have those who don’t care one way or another, “Whatever you guys decide, I’m cool.”  Then there are people like me, “Can we have one of everything so I can just sample it all?”

Variety is the spice of life, right?

Apparently Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and I agree, at least on the variety part.

This morning, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey posted an open letter on Facebook sharing his thoughts on conclusion of the 107th General Assembly, the first session where the Republican party controlled both the Senate and House, as well as the Office of the Governor.

The Lt. Governor likens this session to an appetizer, a sampling of things to come; the 108th will be the “main course.”

That’s really just a sampling of the strides we made this year. Rest assured, there is more to come.

…

Tennessee Republicans have talked a lot about what we would do when we took power. Now we are showing what we can do. This year was just an appetizer. Next year, and in the years to come, you will see the main course.

What exactly was on the super-mega-107th-party-pleaser-platter?

Smaller government

For the first time in three years, the budget is balanced on a recurring to non-recurring basis. The budget we passed over the weekend is not only balanced but reduced substantially over last year. Our budget, already lean and mean, is now 3.7% smaller.

Cutting taxes

Cutting taxes is a core conservative principle.  In a tough budget year, we found an effective way to roll back the tax burden on those who save for retirement.

Education reform

Our new Republican majority in the legislature not only supported and passed the Governor’s tenure reform and charter school agenda, we took the initiative in several areas of education reform.

Sen. Jack Johnson led the charge to eliminate the union monopoly in Tennessee’s education system. Teachers will now have a voice and teachers who exceed expectations and inspire students will be rewarded, as they should be. Mediocrity will no longer be encouraged in education in Tennessee.

Jobs

Something Democrats will never understand is that the government can not “create” economic growth. They say we have no jobs agenda. Nothing could be further from the truth. We simply have a different philosophy. Our entire agenda, everything we do, is about jobs. Our agenda is about removing barriers and creating an environment where business owners and entrepreneurs flourish.

For example, we passed comprehensive tort reform this year.  This protects businesses from frivolous lawsuits and manages their risk. This is the kind of thing that encourages business and makes job creation a reality.

Illegal immigration

We were able to send legislation to the governor that requires Tennessee voters to show photo identification before they can cast a ballot. The integrity of our election system cannot afford to be compromised. Tennesseans need to know that their leaders are chosen by their friends and neighbors, not aliens who have broken the law by entering this country illegally.

A little something for everyone, right?

What? You don’t like tort-reform-battered jobs?  (The crispy coating helps seal in the juices.) You angry that they took sweet-and-sour collective bargaining off the menu? (I hear it gave some people heartburn.)  Do you prefer the big government rolls to the small government poppers?

Well, I suppose the old saying is true, “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

Guess you are just going to have to order the pu pu platter and drink it with a glass of red red whine.

Let the tiger roar! Support the University of Memphis in Jackson

GRASSROOTS GROUP TO HOST RALLY FOR THE FUTURE

Event to Show Support for the University of Memphis in Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — A rally to show support from throughout West Tennessee for the University of Memphis to locate on the former Lambuth University campus in Jackson is scheduled for Monday, May 16 by an all-volunteer grassroots group of Jackson-area citizens.

The event, “Rally For Our Future: Let the Tiger Roar,” will be held rain-or-shine at Conger Park in Jackson at 6:00 p.m.  Attendees will be able to sign a petition of support and listen to other residents and community leaders expressing their support for this plan.  Free hotdogs and soft drinks will be provided, along with live entertainment.

“As a group of concerned citizens of Jackson, Madison County, and the surrounding area, we have been brought together because of our common love of our community,” said Jackson business owner Bobby Lindsey.  “High unemployment and a struggling economy are hurting families across West Tennessee.  We feel a strong call to action to take any measure available to not only turn this suffering around, but to also build a better future for our children and future generations.”

WHAT: Rally For Our Future: Let the Tiger Roar!

Free hotdogs and cokes will be provided, along with live entertainment.

WHEN: Monday, May 16, 2011, 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Conger Park (formerly Highland Park)

1453 North Highland Avenue, Jackson, TN 38301

Following the announcement that Lambuth University would cease operations on June 30, 2011, city, county, and state leaders began working to rekindle interest by the University of Memphis to establish a satellite campus at Lambuth.  While an agreement between community stakeholders, the University of Memphis, and Lambuth’s Board of Trustees has yet to be finalized, a concerned group of citizens have taken an active role in voicing their support for the plan by creating a Facebook page, starting an online petition nearing 1,000 signatures, organizing calls to members of the General Assembly, and coordinating Monday’s rally.

“We are very appreciative of the tremendous commitment Governor Haslam has made to West Tennessee by putting money into his budget to assist in bringing this plan to fruition,” said Jenci Spradlin, Jackson resident, blogger, and political campaign consultant.  “Jackson is the largest city in the state that does not have a four-year public university.  In communities where new high tech jobs are being created, and industries from all over the world are locating, there is a huge common denominator—the presence of a state institution of higher learning.  With the Haywood County Megasite nearby, we have an opportunity to replicate the recent successes in Chattanooga with Volkswagon and Clarksville with Hemlock Semiconductor.  This is about workforce development, education, and jobs.”

The group hopes their efforts can encourage all parties to continue working to negotiate the yet-to-be-released terms of an agreement.

Phone calls from concerned citizens are one of the best ways to make a big impact.

Many people have been asking how they can show their support for the University of Memphis coming to Lambuth University’s former campus in Jackson.

Ready to help?

We need it!

How?

Burn up the phones!

Practically nothing is as effective as placing a personal call to the office of an elected official, because, unlike sending an email (they can be easily automated), it puts you in direct person-to-person contact with his/her office.

Remember the old word-of-mouth rule? One person who complains will tell at least 10 friends; however, that statistic is outdated in this age of social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs etc.) Check out these powerful updated statistics posted by author Susan Hoekstra on her blog:

 One unhappy client who escalates their issue to management represents 50 clients, on average, who either complain locally or don’t complain at all.

75% will complain to 8 others about the issue either face-to-face or via the phone which represents 296 people who have been told directly who then tell 237 more people.

13% will complain to 60 others via blog, tweet, or social media, such as Facebook which represents 420 people who have been told directly who then tell 336 more people.

12% will complain via e-mail or chat with 8 people which represents 48 people who have been told via chat who in turn tell 38 more more people.

In summary, one escalated complaint = an average of 50 clients and 1,375 cases of word of mouth! So the next time you receive a complaint, handle it seriously, realizing the true cost and realizing that what you are dealing with is just the tip of the iceberg.

Pretty powerful stuff!

Governor Haslam placed $5 million in his budget to assist in the University of Memphis coming to Jackson.  The General Assembly will have to approve his budget and we do not want there to be an amendment placed that removes this provision for this important project.

So who do you need to call?

These are some Senate and House members who are not fully sold on this deal and who may vote to oppose the measure.  We really need you to call them tomorrow and Monday.  While you won’t necessarily catch them in the office on these days, their office staff can and will pass the information along.  Call tomorrow if at all possible.

Sen. Douglas Henry (D) –  (615) 741-3291

Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh (D) – (615) 741-3774

Rep. Steve McDaniel (R) – (615) 741-0750

Sen. Randy McNally (R) – (615) 741-6806

Sen. Bo Watson (R) – (615) 741-3227

So what do you say?

First and foremost, be cordial and friendly.  Period.  

Feel free to use any part of this script as a template for your call:

Hello.  My name is _________ from __________.  I am calling Rep./Sen. _______ because I strongly support Governor Haslam’s appropriation of $5 million in this year’s budget to help the University of Memphis locate a satellite campus at Lambuth University in Jackson.  I understand that Rep./Sen. ________ has voiced concerns over this appropriation.  Please let him know that as a resident of West Tennessee, we need a workforce prepared to meet the needs of business and industry.  Having a public four-year institution of higher learning in this area will not only prepare our current and future workforce, but it will create jobs and have a significant economic impact.  I hope that he votes in support of this effort by the Governor to support West Tennessee.  Thank you for your time.

What are you waiting for?

Pick up the phone and start calling!

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator doesn't lie

Jackson, Tennessee has a very long history of using public funds to support higher education, dating back at least to 1875, if not longer.  As the city and county leaders wrestle with a decision to allocate public funds toward bringing a satellite campus of the University of Memphis to the Lambuth University campus, it is instructive for them to look at our history of doing this very same thing.

Why would the city leaders from over a century ago invest public dollars in higher education (even private institutions of higher learning)?  These leaders have recognized decade after decade that while it is not the responsibility of government to create jobs, it is their responsibility to create an environment that promotes job growth.  Having institutions of higher learning within our community is an essential element to realizing that goal.

So what exactly have the city and county done?

Let’s just look at what the City of Jackson and Madison County have done in years past on behalf of Union University.  I highlight Union because on May 7, Union University President Dr. David Dockery sent an email voicing concerns about the city and county’s efforts to recruit a satellite campus of the University of Memphis to the campus of Lambuth University, as Lambuth will be closing its doors on June 30, 2011. This from the piece in The Jackson Sun:

In an e-mail sent Wednesday to Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist and Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris, Union University President David Dockery raised questions about how the University of Memphis acquiring Lambuth University’s campus could impact the six other higher education institutions in West Tennessee.
…

Dockery said he would be supportive of the mayors as they work to preserve Lambuth’s campus.

“I think it will be helpful for everyone involved to realize what the possible implications might be for whatever decision ultimately is made,” Dockery said. “I do think a conversation about education in general and higher education in particular in this region might be a prudent thing to pursue at this particular time.”

Certainly it doesn’t appear that Dr. Dockery is opposed to the University of Memphis coming to Jackson; however, his concerns are being amplified by those within the community as one of the reasons leaders should not support this deal.  That being said, in an online petition of support for the University of Memphis coming to Jackson, over 678 people within West Tennessee have signed their names in support of the deal (as of this afternoon).

Community support is indeed strong for the University of Memphis to locate at Lambuth.

So back to the support of this community for higher education.

Local business owner, Bobby Lindsey, Linwood Wine and Spirits, perfectly articulated why he supports the University of Memphis coming to Jackson.  From his email:

Like the rest of the nation, Jackson is suffering from the worst economy and the highest unemployment since the Great Depression. While the vast majority of communities like ours continue to steadily decline through continued job loss, home foreclosures, business closings, and escalating homelessness and crime, some cities seem to be insulated from this devastation. There are actually communities right here in Tennessee that are experiencing high tech job growth and seeing corporations from all over the world wanting to locate there due to their highly trained workforce,

You only have to look as far as Cookeville with Tennessee Tech, Chattanooga with UT Chattanooga, and Clarksville with Austin Peay State University to see the impact of 4 year state universities.

Before Hemlock Semiconductor ever broke ground in Clarksville, they formed a partnership with Austin Peay to train students in solar technology and related fields. This initiative essentially guarantees graduates a good paying job and a bright future. The domino effect of spin-off industries, not to mention retail and food businesses and their total economic impact are making Clarksville one of the fastest growning areas in the nation.

We have an opportunity confronting us that most communities in this country can only dream of.

Many say “it is not government’s responsibility to create jobs”—-but it is government’s responsibility to create an environment that creates job growth.

We have a long history in Jackson of city government working with institutions of higher learning and financially partnering with them for the overall improvement of our quality of life.

This dates back as far as 1875 when the City of Jackson gave Union University a goodwill donation of $90,000 in property and endowment to relocate to Jackson from Murfreesboro.

Since 1875 we have a history of partnering with colleges and universities, with many many success stories, that helped make Jackson what it is today.

Every man, woman, and child should be doing everything they can to support our leaders to bring the University of Memphis to Jackson. One hundred years from now, the history books will speak of the vision of the citizens of Jackson back in 2011 in making a commitment that improved the quality of life of several generations.

Bob Lindsey

Bob referenced the year 1875 as one of the key dates in Jackson’s history of support for higher education, but we can actually trace the use of taxpayer money for institutions of higher learning in Jackson, TN to 1846.

In 1834, West Tennessee College was established in Jackson as an academy, a mere 12 years after the village of Jackson was founded.  There are not good records of this time; however, a catalog with the name “West Tennessee College” has been found from 1844.  According to historical documents, the school had its first conception in the provision of the North Carolina compact ceding Tennessee to the United States to be made into a new state.  Under this compact, and through an act of Congress in 1846, $40,000 was set apart as an endowment fund for West Tennessee College.

West Tennessee College was consolidated with Union University in 1875, with the City of Jackson giving Union property and an endowment worth $90,000.  Before 1875, Union was located in Murfreesboro; however, due to both damage to the campus from the Civil War, and a cholera epidemic, a decision was made to relocate the campus.  The offer by Jackson/Madison County helped to lure them here.

I tried to look at the inflation-adusted present value of $90,000, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ calculator only went back to 1913.  Based on 1913 money, $90,000 would be equivalent to $2,031,518.  The number would no doubt be much much higher if looking at it from 1875.

Furthermore, in 1973, the city and county helped Union in it’s expansion to its current location north of Interstate 40 by purchasing their old campus in East Jackson for approximately $1 million.  Using the same calculator, the current value of that investment would be approximately $5,033,040.54.

Anyone looking at the history of Jackson and Madison County can easily see how much we have benefited from the presence of Union University.  No one is arguing that they have not been an integral part of the growth of this area.  What is important to keep in mind; however, is this:  Jackson and Madison County have a rich history of supporting financially institutions of higher learning.  The opportunity to further advance our standing as a hub of higher education is now, with the move by city and county leaders, Governor Haslam, and other local stakeholders, to encourage the University of Memphis to join our extended higher education family.

It is my hope, like Bob Lindsey, that all parties involved work with all speed to make this deal happen.  I ask that the Lambuth Board of Trustees meet as many times and as many days as necessary to finalize this deal.  The benefits to our community, and to West Tennessee, will be immeasurable.

The resolution reads as follows:

WHEREAS, Lambuth University is an integral part of the Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association (LANA); and

WHEREAS, it is essential to the continued vitality of LANA, the City of Jackson, Madison County, and the Greater West Tennessee Area to ensure the availability of affordable higher education; and

WHEREAS, the General Membership of LANA convened at it regular meeting the 10^th day of May, 2011, and discussed the situation involving the Lambuth University campus;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED:

Lambuth Area Neighborhood Association (LANA), the third largest neighborhood association in the State of Tennessee, supports efforts by the State of Tennessee, Madison County, the City of Jackson, and the University of Memphis to make the Lambuth University campus a part of the University of Memphis system, offering four year degree programs to the public.

Approved this 10^th day of May, 2011, by acclamation of the General Membership.

  s/Lisa Silver                       

Lisa Silver, Executive Director

LANA

Self-explanatory.

Countless entities and individuals are sticking their necks and reputations out on the line for Lambuth University, but if reports are accurate, Lambuth officials seem to be saying, “Thanks, but no thanks. We’ll take it from here.”

According to a report this evening by WNWS News Director, Keith Sherley, a source at  Lambuth said that they were entertaining an agreement with a Florida company who would market the campus to interested third parties.  This entity has allegedly told Lambuth that they could potentially get $30 million for the property.

I dare say that Lambuth would have a greater chance of hitting the Powerball Lottery than finding someone willing to pay them $30 million.  If you don’t believe me, then I might have a nice piece of waterfront property on the Mississippi River that I’d be willing to sell you.

Make a deal? No. DO THE DEAL!

When you have a first-term Governor from East Tennessee with strong ties to the University of Tennessee stepping up to publicly commit state funds to the deal, despite opposition from within his own party, you don’t say, “Billy, I’m going to go with what is behind door number 3.”  This isn’t “Let’s Make a Deal.”

Lambuth’s leadership team is in no position to grandstand when they are being presented with a more-than-generous offer that would keep an institution of higher learning on its campus.  I did a quick search of headlines from the past few years and the picture they paint is telling:

Nov. 8, 2008 – Some Lambuth Students Worried About School

Dec. 19, 2008 – Lambuth University Cutting Staff, Some Athletics

May 5, 2009 – Lambuth Doing Additional Cuts

May 15, 2009 – Lambuth University Again Delays Payroll

May 29, 2009 – Lambuth Employees Get Late Paychecks

June 11, 2009 – Lambuth Officials Say All Options Will Be Explored

July 2, 2009 – Lambuth University Officials Again Delay Payroll

July 16, 2009 – Jackson College to Pay Employees Late

July 30, 2009 – Lambuth Gets Extension to Qualify for Aid

Sept. 17, 2009 – Lambuth Enrolls Fewer Students (From 800 students the previous year, they were down to 650.)

Dec. 10, 2009 – Lambuth Welcomes Extended Probation

May 21, 2010 – Sale of Lambuth University in the Works

June 16, 2010 – Lambuth Enters Joint Venture with Investment Firm (never came to fruition)

April 14, 2011 – Students Told Lambuth Will Close

Notice the headline I underlined above from June 11, 2009?  ”Lambuth Officials Say All Options Will Be Explored.”  I guarantee you that this is the spin they are going to sell come tomorrow or later this week.  Did you catch the date on that?  This was TWO YEARS ago!  If this “new deal” is merely an old deal repackaged from last year, why has Lambuth been wasting everyone’s time?  Why should a middle-man be brought into this deal?  Who is getting paid here?  Where will all this $30 million go after debts are repaid?  Why are Board of Trustee members who have loaned Lambuth money (and expect to be repaid) involved in these negotiations?  Isn’t that a slight conflict of interest?

Jeff VanV says, "Do you accept the help that is being offered to you today?"

Lambuth is acting like a junkie addicted to meth trying to tell interventionist Jeff VanVonderen on the A&E show, Intervention, that he doesn’t need to go to rehab, he can quit any time on his own.   Looking at the university’s most recent “relapses” in judgement, I have little confidence in their ability to make wise decisions.

The time for “Plan B” has long since expired.  This isn’t the time to do ANY deal; it is the time to do THE deal, where “the deal” means “accepting the help that is being offered today” by the State, City, County, Univ. of Memphis, and other stakeholders.

Just do the deal; don’t screw the deal! 

Sign it, seal it, and we will deliver it!

Here we are baby!

We, the people of Jackson, Madison County, and West Tennessee have the future in our hands.

We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring the University of Memphis to Jackson, but we need your help to show our community leaders that we stand with them as they make this visionary decision.

Please take a moment to commit one (or more) of the following:

1.  Go online and sign your name to this petition of support for the University of Memphis coming to Jackson.

2.  Send the link to your friends and invite them to do the same.

3.  Join the Facebook Group, Support University of Memphis in Jackson, TN to stay up to date on news surrounding the plan.

4.  Ask your friends to join the Facebook group.

5.  If you have a business or you will be attending a gathering of local friends, download a Lambuth University Petition PDF and collect signatures from your group, place it in your business, or send it around your office.  Let me know this week if you have any signatures that I can pick up from you.

Here is the content of the petition.  I encourage everyone to look at the signatures and read the comments of support from your neighbors.

We the undersigned residents of Jackson, Madison County, and the surrounding West Tennessee area believe this community’s strong pursuit to acquire a University of Memphis campus in Jackson is an investment in the future of Jackson and Madison County and all of West Tennessee through industrial recruitment and job creation.

We believe that this initial investment will reap enormous benefits for us in the future, as a magnet for high tech industry and business. Knowing that we have the infrastructure and a community of people with a tremendous work ethic, just waiting for the educational and job opportunities, we can make Jackson and Madison County one of the most appealing areas in the nation to be. This achievement could very well be this communities 401K for the future.

Further, it is our belief that the acquisition of the Lambuth campus by the University of Memphis in Jackson would in no way threaten or diminish the strong foundation of our existing institutions of higher learning, but would instead strengthen them as our community becomes known as one of the nations premier centers for higher education. This could only result in our community being recognized as a place to be for high tech industry and commerce.

Let it be known that we the undersigned citizens of Jackson, Madison County, and West Tennessee fully support our local and state leaders in their efforts to bring the University of Memphis to Jackson, and with that the creation of jobs and opportunities not only for today but for future generations.

You cannot not communicate.

As a student of communication theory in college, Paul Watzlawick’s five axioms of communications formed the foundation for much of my study.  These axioms are very instructive as the City of Jackson, Madison County, community stakeholders, and citizens discuss what role, if any, the community should play in the future of Lambuth University’s campus and the plan to have the University of Memphis locate there.

On June 30, 2011, after 16o plus years of operation, Lambuth will close its doors, leaving behind a historic campus in the heart of midtown Jackson.  While the demise of this institution is unfortunate, it brings a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the area to attract a four-year public university in the form of the University of Memphis.

An editorial in The Jackson Sun, Doing Nothing About Lambuth’s Campus Would Have Cost, Too, makes a worthwhile point:

Many people are concerned about the cost of repurposing the campus and whether public funds should be involved. These are legitimate concerns. But they must be balanced against a realization that there is a cost, perhaps even greater, to doing nothing.

This is where Paul Watzlawick comes into play.  His first axiom states, “One cannot not communicate.”  It recognizes that communication isn’t only verbal but non-verbal.  Behavior is communication.  There is no opposite to behavior (anti-behavior), therefore, it is not possible to not communicate.

How does this axiom apply?

Doing nothing (i.e. allowing the campus to be turned over to bondholders and the campus to fall into disrepair) says something; it says something about our values and our beliefs about our community.  Do we place a value on higher education?  Do we place a value on growing this community economically? Do we place a value on what Lambuth has meant to our community in it’s 160 plus year history? Do we have vision? Do we believe this community can be much much more?  Do we believe that the Lambuth campus can be much much more?  Are we concerned about the loss of jobs from the school’s closure and the loss of business to our local business community?  Do we see a need to better our workforce?  Do we see a need to offer people in this community an affordable option for higher education and advanced degrees?  Do we want our area to be able to retain graduates who come from the surrounding areas and not lose them to larger cities (like Memphis and Nashville)?

You see, doing nothing would send a message, whether we intend to or not.  That message might be interpreted as, “We aren’t willing to dream big.  We don’t care about the big picture.  We aren’t willing to invest in our future, because we are too concerned with ourselves and the here-and-now.  We’re doing fine, why bother?”  Pretty much, “nothing to see here folks… move along.”

This is an opportunity to do something and doing something big that will send a positive message about our vision for the future of Jackson, Madison County, and West Tennessee.  Will it come at a cost?  What doesn’t have a cost?  The issue isn’t so much cost as it is benefit.  Will what we are spending our money on produce benefits that outweigh the costs?

The economic impact analysis done by the University of Memphis makes it clear (even using conservative numbers): The benefits do outweigh the costs and we will continue to reap those benefits for decades to come.

Watzlawick offers another axiom of communication that applies here and brings an important element to the discussion: “Every communication has a content and relationship aspect such that the latter classifies the former and is therefore a metacommunication.”

What does this mean? That our words also involve a relational aspect, and that this relationship adds another dimension to the words that are being conveyed in both how the talker wants to be understood and how he/she sees himself/herself in relation to the receiver.

As our community leaders and stakeholders continue to meet and discuss how to proceed, their words will reveal much about how they wish to be seen within the community and how they view their leadership position in relation to us.  Will they step up as a visionary and big-picture thinker who sees potential and possibilities? Do they believe in the strength of our community and our people, and are they willing to take bold steps that will reap positive returns?  Do they view themselves as a leader who understands our interconnectedness?

My hope is that we do have visionary, big-picture leaders who will refuse to do nothing, and instead, will do something, something that has the potential to forever transform our area in ways we cannot even imagine.

If you support the University of Memphis coming to Jackson, there is an online petition gaining momentum.  Stand with our leaders, show your support, and sign it.

To read the bill, or not to read the bill... that is the question

I came of age during the early years of the national literacy program, Reading is Fundament (RIF), started in 1966 by Margaret McNamara and given broader support after Congress passed the ”Inexpensive Book Distribution Program” (IBDP) in 1977.  The Reading is Fundamental campaign is as firmly cemented in my psyche as that of Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No.”  Indeed, the importance of early childhood literacy was mentioned frequently on the campaign trail in 2010 by gubernatorial candidates in Tennessee, with Zach Wamp making it a central focus of his education plan.

Does anyone think that reading is overrated?

Perhaps.

Yesterday in the House Finance Ways and Means committee meeting, it seems that reading was not so fundamental.

HB 130, the bill sponsored by Republican Caucus Chairwoman Debra Maggart, would effectively end collective bargaining rights for teacher’s unions, and to say that the bill has been controversial is an understatement.

About an hour prior to the committee meeting, Rep. Harry Brooks filed a 17 page amendment to the bill, giving members little time, if any, to review it.

After discussion, the Finance Committee voted 14-11 to send the bill back to the Education Committee.  Chas Sisk reported on the meeting in a piece in The Tennessean.

Some members of the Finance Committee objected and said the new language should have been cleared by the Education Committee, which has more expertise on education matters.

Four Republicans joined with Democrats on the Finance Committee to refer the bill back to Education. But the Education Committee had adjourned for the session earlier Tuesday, raising the possibility that the bill might be stuck there until next year.

Some members of the Committee and the Caucus were less than pleased with this outcome, to say the least, with some supporters whispering that the four Republicans who voted to send the bill back to committee would face opposition in 2012.  Whether or not this is mere talk will remain to be seen; however, I did overhear one House member last night trying to float the idea that one of the four had colluded prior to the meeting with Jerry Winters, the lobbyist for the Tennessee Education Association.   I know for a fact that this was absolutely not the case, as I was with this particular member for the hour leading up to the FW&M committee meeting up until the point the meeting convened.

Sen. Stacey Campfield posted his thoughts on the matter on his blog, Camp4U:

For years in the state house we sort of chuckled at the senate. We knew we house Republicans were the conservative body in the legislature. Now it is looking like the other way around. The senate Repubs have gone conservative and the house Repubs are all over the place. While the house has good members, they are not positioned very well. So some old problems keep coming back up. Today’s example was the bill to remove one unions monopoly from negotiations on contracts.

…

There are comments being made that some members are more interested in negotiating tactics to get other, non issue related, things added to the budget then they are about passing the bill.  Way to think for the team.

No offense, but nice narrative Stacey.  ”Way to think for the team?”  In the case of this bill and the ninth-hour amendment, apparently thinking was the last thing they wanted. (The statement about “comments being made,” is also a part of the spin to point the finger at fellow caucus members who voted to send the bill pack to committee. Mark my words.)

Ever heard of “read the bill?”

In early 2009, the speed at which Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi moved the monster 1500+ page stimulus bill had conservatives outraged.  Their message to Reid: read the stimulus!  Give the public and members of Congress time to digest the bill before putting it up for a vote.

A group of prominent conservative organizations and individuals launched ReadTheStimulus.org and submitted an open letter to Sen. Reid:

Majority Leader Reid, we ask that you publish the full legislative text of the compromise immediately, and furthermore, to delay any vote on the bill for at least five days following publication. The American public deserves time to read and understand the substance of this critical legislation, and to express their views to their Senators.

Mr. President, you have pledged that once legislation is passed by Congress, it will be placed online for public review for five days before your signature. In the same spirit, we ask you to add your voice to those encouraging Majority Leader Reid to publish this compromise bill and to allow time for public review during the critical period before the Senate votes.

The American public is watching, and we hope that you both will take these crucial steps to allow citizens to fully understand and participate in the workings of their government.

The letter was signed by the following groups and individuals:

Rob Neppell, ReadtheStimulus.org
Michelle Malkin, MichelleMalkin.com
Bill Wilson, Americans for Limited Government
Phil Kerpen, Americans for Prosperity
Kristina Rasmussen, National Taxpayers Union
Matt Kibbe, FreedomWorks
Joshua Treviño, Treviño Strategies and Media, Inc.
Clay Shirky, Shirky.com
Amber Gunn, Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Bill Goodwin, FreedomPolitics.com
Liza Sabater, culturekitchen.com
David Weller, All Things Reform
Thomas Lord, Basiscraft.com
WashingtonWatch.com
Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.com
Erick Erickson, RedState.com
Andrew F. Quinlan, Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Michael Patrick Leahy, Top Conservatives on Twitter
Read My Lipstick Network

Certainly the fact that conservatives were opposed to the bill, even if it were two pages long, factored into this strategy; nonetheless, the message they put forth was essentially, “reading [the bill] is fundamental.”

A later editorial on July 29, 2009 in The Washington Times echoed that sentiment:

Mr. Conyers might think it’s an antiquated notion that congressmen actually read legislation, but it is the most fundamental responsibility of elected representatives to know and understand laws and how they will affect the lives of their constituents.

Similarly, the Sunlight Foundation launched a website, ReadTheBill.org advocating for the same.  From the site:

Too often, controversial bills have been voted on mere hours after coming to the House or Senate floor. Typically, there had been no time for members of Congress to read the bill, and no chance for interested citizens to weigh in on the legislation.

ReadTheBill.org’s mission is to strengthen our democracy by making sure elected officials and citizens have the chance to read and understand legislation. A more transparent government begins with providing the people with the opportunity to tell their elected officials what they think of a piece of legislation, before it comes up for a vote. All non-emergency legislation should be online for at least 72 hours before moving to the House floor.

So is it good or bad to ask that we and our elected representatives have time to review legislation prior to it being put up for a vote?  Fundamentally speaking, is it fair to submit 17-page amendments an hour before a committee meeting on a piece of controversial legislation and expect members to vote without having read what they are voting on?  Should personal opinions about a bill factor into that equation?

The problem is not whether a particular bill is or is not a good piece of legislation.  The problem is one of the overall message it sends: shut up and vote; vote now, ask questions later.  Sure, I realize that HB130 is a bill that is near and dear to the Republican Caucus’ heart and they are anxious for it to pass, and I am am not alleging anything nefarious on the part of those who submitted the amendment.  I understand that there is a lot of support among conservatives in Tennessee for this bill to pass, and that if it doesn’t pass this session, it might not pass at all.  From a strategic standpoint, I get it.

The bottom line: Transparency and good governance should not be issue-specific.  If the people of Tennessee give license to the General Assembly to submit and pass legislation that even members have not had opportunity to review, much less the public, merely because we agree with a particular bill, then what grounds can you stand on when the bill is something you oppose?

Feel free to take members to task who don’t support a particular bill, but don’t do so because they believe they deserve the opportunity to know what you are asking them to support.

In my book, reading the bill IS fundamental.

A PDF of the entire study can be UM economic impact study.

Using an estimate of 1,000 students at the Lambuth campus, the City of Jackson could realize an annual impact of $28 million from student spending alone, with over 200 jobs generated as a result of the impact of that spending. Add to that the impact of salaries, taxes, direct spending by the University of Memphis, and that of visitors and parents, and it becomes clear that the face of Jackson will be forever changed for the better.

From the report:

When the sun comes up in Jackson, Tennessee, a new educational institution could be opening its doors. Jackson and residents of West Tennessee could be gaining access to one of the nation’s finest urban research universities: the University of Memphis. Opening the doors to higher education means providing improved access to employment and income opportunities that set the stage for a lifetime of success. Such a scenario is beneficial to all. The West Tennessee community benefits from attracting one of the outstanding research and education institutions to Jackson. The students benefit from having access to high quality faculty and administrators who care about their students.

…

Merging the interests of the University of Memphis and those of the Jackson, Tennessee, community is a complex process that begins with a campus facility. This merger is an once-in-a-lifetime event that brings together a major university and a growing community interested in expanding local education opportunities. The following tables provide some support for the importance of investments in higher education, the impact of student spending locally, and the impact of spending by the faculty and staff of the new Jackson, Tennessee, campus.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Jackson will require creative thinking and financial commitments from the city, county, and state. The report summarizes the outcome of this investment perfectly:

In every case, the lifetime of benefits from investing in higher education far outweigh the short-run costs for the community. If Jackson, Tennessee, is to grow and prosper, it will do it on the basis of having a highly educated workforce, and such a workforce will be incubated by uniting the University of Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee in a twenty-first century education project.