Will the Pilot casinos be an election issue?

Look for a new issue to be raised in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Opponents of Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam know that the Pilot Travel Centers in Nevada include adjacent slot machines and advertise as “casinos,” though the issue thus far has been raised only by also-ran candidate Joe Kirkpatrick. He has brought it up on blog comments and at the Tea Party convention gubernatorial forum in Gatlinburg last weekend.

via MetroPulse Pilot Casinos Could Become Election Issue.

Battle of the state budget: House vs Senate

House leaders presented a state budget plan Tuesday that clashes with a Senate plan in several ways, though both chambers agree on ditching Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plans to raise new revenue by changes in the state’s tax code.

The differences between the House and Senate plans are relatively small in an overview of the proposed $28 billion budget, but leaders of the two chambers appeared adamant in their positions. The dispute makes it likely that the Legislature will be unable to complete the 2010 session this week, as many had hoped

via Tom Humphrey House-Senate Budget Differences Laid Out (Well, Sorta).

Wamp criticizes Haslam’s investment in theater, controversy ensues

Lots of back and forth about a controversial news release from the Wamp campaign.

A Wamp news release sent to media statewide said Haslam has “co-mingled and co-invested” $2 million of his money, along with $750,000 each from his father and brother, with city funds, and government grants and tax credits to underwrite the development, “which is now 100 percent privately owned by Haslam, his family and co-owner.”

“The mixing of personal investment funds with the taxpayer money you oversee for your own gain or profit represents a serious breach of ethics,” said Sam Edelen, Wamp campaign spokesperson. “Yet that’s exactly what Mayor Haslam did when he co-mingled his own personal money, as well as investments from family members, with funding from the city of Knoxville on a private real estate development he now owns.

via KnoxNews Wamp criticizes Haslam’s role in downtown theater.

and Nashville Scene: Haslam Fends Off Wamp Attack

After trying to register a stolen car, Clerk’s employee fired

Knox County Clerk Foster Arnett said today he fired a longtime employee for trying to register a stolen car.

Phylicia Washington had worked for the clerk’s office for 14 years, Arnett said. He said he learned May 12 that Washington had tried to register the car.

A routine check uncovered the attempt, he said.

via KnoxNews Clerk’s employee fired over attempt to register stolen car.

Clerk’s office at Five Points shuttered

Knox County Clerk Foster Arnett on Wednesday said he has shut down the East Knoxville satellite office at Five Points in order to save money “in really tough economic times.”

The three employees at the office have been transferred to other satellite locations, he said, and East Knoxville residents still have easy access to the downtown office and the one at Knoxville Center.

via KnoxNews  Clerk’s office at Five Points shuttered.