Call Marsha at 741-2495
Let the complaining begin!
Let the spoiled citizens of Tennessee cry in their beers! Let state parks close for budgetary reasons—and watch the uprising commence! Let the middle-class vacationers drive their SUVs to the gates of the parks and find them locked!
Oh, this is fun. For once, the political stupidity of Gov. Don Sundquist has not overwhelmed the man. With state revenues plunging, the state’s bond rating dropping, and legislators spending the state’s one-time tobacco windfall to balance the budget, our unremarkable governor did what he should have done two years ago: He closed 14 state parks. He also reduced park hours at 47 others, temporarily closed operations at two resorts, and initiated plans to lay off 184 parks staffers. The point was well made.
Not that the move was all theatrics, but it did have its intended public relations consequences—TV stations converged on Labor Day vacationers as park gates prepared to close. Better yet, on-air comments included the occasional diatribe against the state Legislature for failing to provide enough revenues to operate state government.
In fact, Sundquist simply gave the anti-tax mob in Tennessee what it wants: less state spending. He handed it to them on a platter. He bowed to the right wing of his party. And now we will see where the state really stands on the issue of spending and taxation.
State Sen. Marsha Blackburn, an incredibly narrow-minded poof of hair whose legislative district includes a pack of gated communities in Williamson County, has emerged as the leading proponent of less spending. During the recent state budget debate, she argued for a bill that would have authorized state commissioners to cut up to 5 percent from their departmental budgets.
We are now living in accord with the Credo of Marsha. First, it was $15 million from higher education. Now the state parks system is being cut. And if Sundquist has his wits about him, he’ll move on to other departments as well. Soon, we’ll all discover that managing this way—as dictated by the Legislature—works only in la-la land, where you think you can cut some more, but in fact you find you’re slicing into the bone.
The amount that Tennessee government spends per resident is one of the lowest in the nation. We are a low-tax, low-services state. We always have managed to rise above Mississippi, but soon our neighbor to the south will eclipse us in starting public school teacher salaries. Ladies and gentlemen, we are rapidly moving backwards.
Don Sundquist, the Republican who demagogued against taxes most of his adult life, is now leading the charge for a state income tax because he has discovered you can’t run a state without money. The irony is too delicious to appreciate, but in the interest of helping him run the state, we would advise that he take these other actions:
Temporarily suspend all road construction projects. Shutter the highway patrol. Slash prison payrolls by introducing an early inmate release program. Reduce higher education hiring. Do what it takes to get this budget balanced. And do what it takes to get the public’s attention.
Give your right-wingers what they want. And before you know it, tax reform will be there for the asking.
Meanwhile, dear citizens, if you have a problem with your favorite state park being closed, give Marsha Blackburn a holler. She deserves all the credit.
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