legislative leaders

Legislators and the Governor are at odds over the details of the buyout offers Gov. Bredesen wants to give state employees in order to cut reoccurring expenditures:

From the AP:

Lawmakers plan to divert land conservation money to help close a shortfall in the Tennessee state budget.

The $15 million hole in the spending plan was created after lawmakers rejected an administration plan to end a tax exemption on certain family-owned businesses.

State legislators continue to request new spending despite a less than rosy budget outlook:

Spending proposals include a $97,200 budget amendment filed by Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, for programs and services at the Chattanooga Zoo, records show.

Jeff Woods reports that the state legislature still has not done anything to correct the fact that a history of mental illness presents little impediment to purchasing a firearm in Tennessee:

Mike Huckabee’s big press conference came and went and as of yet no endorsements by legislative leaders in Tennessee have been announced.