Monday, March 8, 2010
Legislature / Woods Nature for Sale: Saying So Long to Tennessee's Beauty Spots
Posted by Jeff Woods on Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 3:15 PM
Check out this waterfall. That's Cummins Falls, the highest privately held waterfall in Tennessee. Now, imagine it with houses all along the bank. You might not have to use your imagination soon. It's one of many scenic gems now for sale to developers all over Tennessee.
The state of Tennessee can't buy any of this land to conserve it because we don't have the money. To make ends meet, legislators have been emptying the state's land funds. Here's my story about it in The City Paper today.
For once, you can't blame the legislature. I'm as green as Aldo Leopold, but even I wouldn't squirrel away money for land conservation when I'm cutting health care for the poor and laying off prosecutors and public defenders. Unmet needs are mounting. Even once the economy recovers, land conservation never will become a high priority. Until we reform the tax system and make the wealthy pay their fair share, we may have to say goodbye to beauty spots like Cummins Falls.
Comments (14)
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Good that you posted something Jeff, or it might have been a day in which NOBODY commented on anything.
What can you expect when Pith becomes about movies, TV and which obscure local parks are good for dogs?
Or maybe everyone is commented out after the Walt Baker episode.
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While I also think Woods is awesome, I feel compelled to point out that the site was down intermittently all day.
And I love my park reviews. Don't make me challenge you to a duel, What'sHappenedToPith. Because I totally will fight you.
Tennesse has become a third world state. Though Williamson County has established itself, according to Forbes magazine, as the 17th richest county in the U.S. The first thing that a third world state does is bend over, for the royal screwing and total destruction of its natural resources.
Tennessee is a beautiful state, we've got wildlife, nature, falls, trees, lakes, all for sale because we've got so many rich folks here who don't give a hoot about it, unless it's directly related to them, and who don't want to give our state a dime to maintain and keep these resources, because they enjoy most of their untaxed income!
"The first thing that a third world state does is bend over, for the royal screwing and total destruction of its natural resources."
No they bend over for the IMF World Bank to screw them. You Bubbas want to know why TN and the rest of the country is going 3rd world, you may want to learn a little geopolitics
"Until we reform the tax system and make the wealthy pay their fair share..."
If the wealthy paid their fair share, they would all get a massive tax cut.
Seeing as how they already pay far more in taxes than the value of government services that they personally receive in exchange for their money.
I also enjoy the parks reviews.
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Gilbert, paying taxes is not a tit-for-tat. It's not like going to a store and buying something worth what you pay.
Taxes are to provide for various services which benefit all citizens. It's constitutional: provide for the common good.
"Gilbert, paying taxes is not a tit-for-tat. It's not like going to a store and buying something worth what you pay."
That is exactly what it is supposed to be like.
"Taxes are to provide for various services which benefit all citizens. It's constitutional: provide for the common good."
Transfer payments from one group of people to another do not benefit "all citizens".
They provide no benefit at all to those on the paying end of the equation.
"Until we reform the tax system and make the wealthy pay their fair share, we may have to say goodbye to beauty spots like Cummins Falls."
Seldom does Woodsy express his socialist ideals so succinctly.
The only green space the wealthy are interested in preserving is golf courses. Spend thousands of dollars a year to join a country club so you can "go enjoy nature" but don't care if tax dollars to go preserve natural wonders like Cummins Falls for everyone to enjoy.
"The only green space the wealthy are interested in preserving is golf courses."
Really?
Explain the existence of Percy and Edwin Warner parks.
The wealthy already pay about ninety-five percent of the taxes in this country and now you want them to subsidize your aesthetics, too. If the wealthy packed up and left all there would be left is landfill and whiny people wondering what happened to the good times. Wealthy people provide the jobs that enable you to work and feed yourself. Their taxes and donations provide the universities where you yourself can be educated and learn how to become wealthy. The wealthy are society's piggy bank. If this is not so, ask yourself how much money you've ever made from poor people.
This is simply a possibility, but maybe when Ed cured himself what he was truly practicing was quickening the body’s physical operations, hence instantaneously clotting the combat injuries. A side effect might be him developing but as well dropping off a few years off of his life. Or he just finally hit pubescence.
To help or to learn more, visit tenngreen.org. Tennessee is 7th worst in how quickly we develop woods and farms to roads and subdivisions. We lose 80,000 acres per year. If we want our children to have clean water, air and abundant food -- we must invest in conserving woods, water and wildlife. It is vitally important to life in Tennessee. Also to our tourist based economy. Saving Tennessee creates jobs!
