For the past several years Tennesseans have watched the slow infiltration of partisan attacks spread throughout their state legislature. Compromise and cooperation are what make this country great, yet lately we’ve seen those trait replaced with vicious confrontation and political agendas. In recent weeks we’ve found some House and Senate Republicans deciding to use these tactics to discredit the bipartisan work accomplished during last year’s session. As Speaker of the House, I believe it’s time for me to set the record straight on who did and did not perform last year in the best interest of Tennesseans.

As you can imagine, the differences between Democrats and Republicans can be as stark as day and night. While we do have some House Republicans who act responsibly, there are a few who choose to let distorted partisan motives rule their every move, regardless of the merits of important issues.

For example, when Gov. Bredesen presented his B.E.P. reform plan to the House of Representatives, nearly all of Tennessee’s House members supported it. Though there were a few on both sides of the aisle who hemmed and hawed at the details, nearly every representative agreed the reforms were in the best interest of Tennessee’s schools and passed the bill on the House Floor by a vote of 84-11.

Yet when it came time to provide the necessary funding, a number of House Republicans* didn’t have the stomach to do the right thing. In all 22 House Republicans decided that funding Tennessee’s teachers and students wasn’t quite that important. However, thanks to a majority of Democrats and a few even-minded Republicans, we passed the Schools First Act and made sure the teachers and students of Tennessee got the funding and resources they need to succeed.

In addition to the Schools First Act, the House also passed a bill sponsored by Representative Les Winningham (D-Huntsville), Chairman of the House Education committee, which would have served to increase the scope of Tennessee’s Lottery Scholarships. It would have allowed non-traditional students access to lottery funds as well as lowered the grade point average eligibility from 3.0 to 2.75 for students who have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours. These changes would have offered more opportunities to working students as well as those needing more help making the transition from high school to college. Unfortunately Senate Republicans didn’t feel the bill was a priority to Tennesseans and left it on the table without passage.

Another issue where facts keep getting skewed is taxes. It seems that there are more than a few House members going around accusing Democrats of “stealing the peoples’ money,” while at the same time trying to tout their own work in providing tax cuts. Let me clear up the confusion.

The surplus we saw last year was, in large part, thanks to a better than expected forecast of Franchise & Excise Taxes coming from businesses. Individual Tennessee taxpayers paid approximately the same amount of taxes this year that they paid last year. Because of the unusual increase in Franchise & Excise Taxes, House Democrats chose the prudent course of action and increased the state rainy day fund by $250 million, raising it to over $750 million dollars. This fund continues to serve as the taxpayer’s savings account to provide relief when our economy is in a downturn. Once that fund was adequately increased, we then passed legislation creating a permanent and appropriate reduction in the sales tax on food.

As national projections show a potentially weak economy in 2008, thanks in part to a Republican president with a poor economic strategy, our efforts to prepare for hard times continue to prove wise. We must continue to prepare for the future and make sure we have a stable, secure Tennessee to give to our children and grandchildren. Not being able to pay our bills is what is bankrupting our federal government and, as Speaker, I will not allow that kind of fiscal behavior to happen on my watch.

Finally, I want to address the issue of illegal immigration. Every year our federal government wastes time arguing over serious immigration reform without ever coming to a compromise. First and foremost our borders need to be protected, and each day we wait is another day we leave ourselves open to a potential attack by those who would do us harm. Because of this lack of action, states have been forced to take up the issue themselves.

Last session Representative Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville) proposed the “Tennessee Immigration Compliance Act.” This act would require employers to verify the legal status of their workers and enforce stiffer penalties on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. In the House we passed it 93-0, but unfortunately the Senate Finance, Ways & Means committee couldn’t see the importance of acting swiftly on this legislation and failed to move the measure out of committee. In addition to this bill, the Legislature also abolished Tennessee’s controversial certificates for driving (CFD) program and replaced it with a new approach that offers a temporary driver license only to those foreign residents who are lawfully in the United States.

As the son of legally-naturalized Lebanese immigrants, I understand the issue better than most. Those who come here legally and who embrace the culture of this country should be rewarded for their commitment to the idea that this nation is a nation of laws. But we cannot pick and choose who should and shouldn’t follow the law. Those who willingly disobey our laws should be punished, not rewarded. The “Tennessee Immigration Compliance Act” is vital to improving the plight of legal immigrants as well as holding those employers accountable who exploit illegal workers to turn a profit. I hope Senate Republicans realize that soon and don’t drag their feet again on this important issue.

Friends, in a few weeks we will begin the last session of the 105th General Assembly of the Tennessee Legislature. We have come a long way since I started in this body nearly 34 years ago, and I look forward to continuing my work for the people of Tipton and Haywood Counties as well as all the citizens of this great state. We need to work together, Democrat and Republican, to continue to improve on our accomplishments from last year. Tennesseans want leaders who are thinking about the future and the next generation, not just the next election.

Speaker Jimmy Naifeh
(D-Covington)

* - In all twenty-two (22) House Republicans voted for HB2293 (B.E.P 2.0) and then voted against HB2354 (Schools First Act):

Mike Bell (R-Riceville), $2.159 million for McMinn County ($456,000 for Athens City Schools, $142,000 for Etowah City Schools) and $1.2 million for Monroe County
Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland), $4.5 million for Bradley County ($1.98 million for Cleveland City Schools)
Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), $14.4 million for Knox County
Jim Coley (R-Bartlett), $21.62 million for Shelby County ($65.82 million for Memphis City Schools)
Chris Crider (R-Milan), $4.24 million for Gibson County and $2.44 million for Carroll County
Thomas DuBois (R-Columbia), $6.127 million for Maury County
Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), $14.4 million for Knox County
Delores Gresham (R-Somerville), $4.4 million for Tipton County, $1.7 million for Hardeman County, and $1.2 million for Fayette County
Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), $20.154 million for Davidson County
Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough), $2.689 million for Washington County
Curtis Johnson (R-Clarksville), $16.2 million for Montgomery County
Phillip Johnson (R-Pegram), $1.88 million for Cheatham County, $16.2 million for Montgomery County, and $2.96 million for Williamson County
Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), $21.62 million for Shelby County ($65.82 million for Memphis City Schools)
Ron Lollar (R-Bartlett), $21.62 million for Shelby County ($65.82 million for Memphis City Schools)
Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), $4.016 million for Sullivan County ($1.457 for Bristol City Schools, $2.05 for Kingsport City Schools)
Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet), $8.034 million for Sumner County, $4.041 million for Wilson County
Debra Maggart (R-Hendersonville), $8.034 million Sumner for County
Steve McManus (R-Cordova), $21.62 million for Shelby County ($65.82 million for Memphis City Schools)
Minority Leader Jason Mumpower (R-Bristol), $747,000 for Johnson County, $4.016 million for Sullivan County ($1.457 for Bristol City Schools, $2.05 for Kingsport City Schools)
Donna Rowland (R-Murfreesboro), $16.140 million for Rutherford County ($3.757 million for Murfreesboro City Schools)
Curry Todd (R-Memphis), $21.62 million for Shelby County ($65.82 million for Memphis City Schools)
Eric Watson (R-Cleveland), $602,000 for Meigs County, $848,000 for Polk County, and $4.5 million for Bradley County ($1.98 million for Cleveland City Schools)

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House Democrats put $250 million of a $1.3 billion revenue surplus into savings. Isn't that special...especially when the revenue surplus was further enhanced with an increase of over $200 million, estimated, due to increased taxes, bringing the total to an estimated $1.5 billion or more. So, they barely saved the estimated tax increase. With a FY 2008 State budget of $27 billion, a "rainy day fund" of $750 million represents a mere 2.8% reserve based upon current spending. Grandpaw would guffaw, and he was a farmer with no credentials in accounting.

Mr. Speaker Naifeh cites abolishment of our Tennessee certificates for driving (CFD) program which, in fact, was a replacement for issuing drivers' licenses to Tennessee residents of questionable legal resident status. He fails to mention, however, that both of these programs were initiated by democrats in the first place, with the CFD program being initiated only after Tennessee drivers' licenses began being questioned as legitimate forms of identification in other States and by commercial enterprises.

During the 2007 period of the current legislative session, democrats, specifically our Finance & Administration Commissioner Dave Goetz, a Democratic appointee, told Tennesseans that state revenues were running at all time highs. Six months later we were told, as cited in the news media, by this very same individual that his department has been preparing for a budget shortfall for the past five years; "We knew this day was coming; it's here. We've been preparing for this for the better part of five years. We're ready to manage our way through it."

Which is it Mr. Goetz, Mr. Speaker Naifeh?

Statistically, a very high number of Tennesseans have been born at night. Mr. Speaker Naifeh needs to understand that was not last night.

The same might be said of Republicans...

Royce E. Burrage, Jr.
Royce@OfficiallyChapped.org

* * *

First, allow me to apologize for the absolute evil that you seem to see in the Republicans, even though it is only your imagination. Apparently the only good Republicans in your eyes are the ones who vote the way you want. If they oppose you, then they are wrong and are playing partisan politics. But, isn't voicing that opinion also partisan politics? After all, you are apparently only supporting the bills that are fronted by the Democrats.

Judging from the tone of your epistle to the masses, only Democrats can introduce the legislation that is beneficial to Tennessee. And the Republicans are properly acting in the interests of Tennessee when they follow in the footsteps of the Democrats. Aren't Republicans able to come up with good ideas? After all, can't all the money that these "rich Republicans" have buy them a good education? I believe you need to evaluate your own feelings about partisan politics and realize that you are the pot calling the kettle black.

I notice that you limited your subject matter to "who did and did not perform last year in the best interest of Tennesseans." Had you gone back a couple of years, you could have included Ward Crutchfield, Chris Newton, John Ford, and several others. By the way, all of them save for one, were Democrats. And some us even remember basking in that "Ray of Blanton sunshine." Or am I practicing "partisan politics"?

I do agree that there is entirely too much partisan politics on bot sides. Maybe it's about time for all of our elected officials to remember that they are Americans and were supposedly elected to represent their constituents, not run off on their own path or simply follow the party line.

Ed Bradley
s10drivr@yahoo.com

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As a Republican, I'm glad to know I can sleep better at night knowing that Speaker Naifeh is the conscience of the Tennessee Legislature, the nation and all other worlds.

Michael Craig
michael_craig57@yahoo.com