Ed Wood "The Right Stuff" Published Aug. 28, 2002

How quickly will they forget?

Remember the sales tax increase that ended the budget impasse and permitted our state legislators to go home? It was described at the time as a stop-gap "Band-Aid" measure to carry state finances over until a new governor's budget could take effect. Even state Rep. Charles Curtiss (D-Sparta) described the sales tax bill he sponsored as a bad piece of legislation, but something that had to be done to prevent a government shutdown.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Van Hilleary, who strongly opposed the income tax, is still offering his no-income-tax pledge as a major part of his election campaign. So in an effort to defuse Hilleary's position, income-tax champion and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington) now says the income tax issue will be "dead for many years."

Even state Sen. Jerry Cooper (D-Smartt Station), author and senate sponsor of the sales tax increase, now says the state income tax is a dead issue, and that candidates for governor (meaning Hilleary, of course) should now focus on other concerns.

Naifeh, being challenged by write-in candidate Tony Lopez, goes even further with the commitment, "We are going to live with the revenue stream we have in place."

Sure sounds good. And we can only hope they mean it. But don't throw away your tax-protest signs, air horns and bumper stickers just yet. I'll bet the protest lines at the State Capitol will still be needed come the January opening of the 103rd General Assembly!

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Ed Wood is a resident of Sparta, TN. His column is published each Wednesday in the Crossville Chronicle.