tax collections

From the Times Free Press:

Tennessee shoppers won’t get another sales-tax holiday next spring as state officials try to cope with the biggest drop in sales-tax collections in a half century.

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette confronts Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey on the similarity of his position on the gas tax and that of the likely Democratic nominee for President:

“That’s one of those feel-good things that doesn’t do any good,” Ramsey said.

From Theo Emery:

Government hiring has not missed a beat despite stagnant growth in the private sector:

Revenue data released this morning by the Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration indicates the state's revenue crisis is going to be twice as bad as the Bredesen administration had

John Rodgers reports that Governor Bredesen embraces the opportunity to get creative in lean budget times:

Despite the dwindling tax collections, Bredesen remained upbeat, saying that while the state is “having challenges,” tight financial years “can be healthy.”