By Dave Shiflett on 6.7.02 @ 12:04AM
It just kills progressives that a state-wide anti-tax movement is led by an informed and vigilant radio talkshow host.
Tennessee may be most appreciated for country music and whiskey
-- and, come to think of it, despised for the same reasons -- but
the state is also notable for its politically correct citizenry.
Over the course of the past couple of years, thousands of
Tennesseans have taken to the streets to stop a proposed state
income tax. This is meant literally. When word has gotten out that
legislators are about to vote in a tax, these good citizens have
circled the legislative compound in their cars and pickup, horns a'
blazing. At times they have dismounted and charged the legislature
on foot, and in the process have been blamed for inspiring heart
attacks in frightened legislators. Over the past couple of weeks,
on the 15th, 22nd and 29th of May, they have gathered to practice
the politics of intimidation, and they have prevailed. This is
political correctness of a high order.
The fight is hardly over. The pro-tax forces pledge to resume
their evil campaign a bit later on this month. I called Phil
Valentine, a local radio talk colossus and the undisputed
ringleader of the anti-tax protesters, to get an update.
Phil, it should be said, is a madman on this subject. He sets up
his microphone outside the legislative building whenever inside
sources tell him a tax vote is possible and calls in the troops. In
his spare time he actually reads the state budget and documents
where the government is wasting money. His radio show and website are the rallying points
for the anti-tax movement.
"Here's the reality," Phil reports. "We're looking at a grand
total deficit of $490 million. Let's say a half-billion dollars.
The entire budget is $20 billion. According to my calculations,
that means they only have to make up about 2.5 percent. However,
Governor Sundquist wants to spend $1.1 billion in new money.
Besides that, during the last 10 years of prosperity, they've only
managed to sock away $178 million in the rainy day fund. To me,
this is the most salient point. It demonstrates that the general
assembly has not been a good steward of our tax dollars. Why in the
world would we give them more? The solution is to tighten the belt
by 2.5 percent and wait for the economy to rebound."
Phil is not merely a theoretician. He has a list of specific
budget cuts that will seem reasonable to most people. In addition,
he antagonizes his critics, and inspires his troops, by pointing
out some of the more questionable projects tax money is earmarked
for in this time of economic "crisis":
• Tennis Facility at East Tennessee State University -- $1
million
• Golf Practice Area at ETSU -- $250,000
• Sports Museum at Middle Tennessee State University -- $1
million
• Campus Entrance at UT-Knoxville -- $2 million
• Swim Facility at UT-Knoxville -- $19.3 million
• Athletics Center renovation at UT-Knoxville -- $19.4
million
He also spears some really sacred cows, such as the governor's
$90 million "Reading Initiative" program. It takes some stones to
attack a program dedicated to teaching every Tennessee child to
read by the third grade, but Phil's not backing off.
"In this state," he argues, "our education system is called the
Basic Education Program. If learning how to read isn't
part of a basic education, what is? They learn everything there is
to know about the rain forest -- but they can't read? This is not a
problem of money. It's a problem of priorities."
Those priorities, he says, include requiring K-2 students to
"name community health workers" and "identify agencies within the
community that provide health services" in order to become "aware
of and appropriately use health services, practices and products."
Other learning requirements for Tennessee tots include "Develop an
understanding of dance as a response to experiences and the
environment" and "combating career stereotyping."
The past month has seen intense skirmishing between the people
and their representatives. On May 22 House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh
(pronounced Nay-FEE) called for a tax vote, a process which
included the unusual step of leaving the vote "open" for two hours
while the speaker privately twisted arms. Meanwhile, the citizens'
committee kept its noisy vigil, which in turn inspired the governor
to deploy police, which in turn disturbed Phil. "The governor told
the TV stations that we were getting ready to riot. We won, for
crying out loud. Why would we riot? Plus, these folks weren't the
rioting type. We had everything from grandmas to soccer moms to
little kids in strollers. The troopers lined up across the street
and we all laughed at them. Many of them realized how ridiculous
they looked and dropped their clubs to their sides."
All told, the protesters have gathered around 20 times over the
past three years. They will probably be mustered again on June 19,
for Speaker Naifeh has vowed to bring the tax up for yet another
vote.
"In the meantime, the propaganda machine is in full force," Phil
says. "News stories abound that all the children will suffer and
old people will die if we don't get an income tax. In fact, one of
the pro-income taxers labeled the anti-income taxers as the
'do-nothing caucus' and listed them. AP picked it up as a
legitimate story and ran the list like it was credible! I doubt
very seriously if someone had labeled the pro-income taxers as the
'big-spender caucus' that AP would've run the story. It's amazing
what passes for real news."
The Tennessee tax revolt, of course, is real news. And, as
Brother Drudge might say, it is Developing…
topics:
Education, Sports, Environment
