Ed Wood "The Right Stuff" Published Jan. 22, 2003

Isn't this where we came in?

Seems like only yesterday, and the day before, and the day before, that our legislators were struggling with our state's financial woes. What to do? How to tax? Who to tax? How much to tax? But finally a solution. Last June the Cooper-Curtiss tax bill enacted into law the "largest tax increase in the history of the state of Tennessee." It was a bitter pill to swallow, but we were consoled at the time by House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D- Covington) who said that the state income tax issue would be "dead for many years," and, "we are going to live within with the revenue stream we have in place." Bill sponsor Jerry Cooper (D-Smartt Station) said additional taxes are now a dead issue, and that gubernatorial candidates should focus on other topics.

Well they did. Both Van Hilleary and Phil Bredesen campaigned on the premise that there is nothing wrong with the state's financial resources that proper management couldn't cure. And indeed, Mr. Bredesen, being considered the more experienced financial manager, got elected on that basis.

But that was then, and this is now. Governor Bredesen stated last week, "Obviously, the state is in a more serious situation that anyone realized in September, October, or November." Oh really? Amazing how much he has learned since the election!

So what to do? Appoint a committee, of course. But the committee membership must be carefully chosen to reflect a balanced recommendation of whether to tax, or not to tax. So who will chose the committee? Why naturally those staunch opponents of additional taxation, Governor Don Sundquist, Lt. Governor Wilder, and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. They get to name five members each. And just to make it fair, former State Senator Bob Rochelle, who was defeated for his strong support of an income tax, has been brought out of forced retirement and pressed back into public service as a committee member.

So get ready folks, Mr. Bredesen is promising some real "belt tightening." Yours, of course!

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