Morning update

Tom Humphrey has the details on the technical wrangling in the state senate on a bill to prohibit a state income tax and a bill that would make the state’s attorney general an elected position.

The TEA is starting to realize that, in fact, the Republican’s won the election and are setting about to do exactly what they said they would do. In an attempt to thwart the Republican’s they have decided to…claim it’s because they haven’t been bought like the Democrats. Right.  via Professor Humphrey

The TBI investigation into Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner appears to include his relationship with another person. Judge Baumgartner is currently on a medical leave of absence and is widely expected to resign.

Taking money from convicted criminals appears to be pretty standard fare – if you’re a democrat. Mark Padgett, democrat candidate for Knoxville City Mayor certainly doesn’t see any problem with it and isn’t going to return the money. Interestingly, former democrat Governor Phil Bredesen received money from the same Cocke County man but returned it. I guess some democrats have more integrity than others.

A judge has upheld Tennessee’s new lethal injection protocol.

The House Republican Caucus has announced a plan to help deal with illegal immigration. According to the release, “the plan calls for three distinct principles to address different areas of the law that need to be strengthened in order for private businesses and State and local law enforcement agencies to have the authority to effectively deal with illegal immigration.”

Morning Update

Former County Commissioner Pinkston is asking Knox County to pick up the legal bill for defending himself in an ouster suit:

“I’m not guilty of anything,” said the South Knox Countian, who is no longer in office, having been defeated in last year’s election. He said former Law Director John Owings told him that the county would pay his fees if he won the case.

A round-up of red light camera news in the state legislature where there are three primary bills between the House and Senate:

• Rep Ryan Haynes (a Knox County YR) has one to eliminate the rolling right turn on red violation state wide.
• Senator Stacey Campfield introduced a bill that is basically the same as Haynes, but applied to Knox County only.
• Rep John Ragan filed House Bill 33, which would require 95 percent of revenue from red-light cameras be earmarked “solely for educational needs.” That would likely eliminate the cameras from a practical standpoint by removing the revenue incentive the cameras have.

See the following for details: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jan/23/et-legislators-look-curb-camera-fines/ and http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13892822

They do face some obstacles according to this article: http://www.wdef.com/news/bills_aimed_at_traffic_cameras_face_obstacles_in_general_aseembly/01/2011

Knoxville Convention Center: can we have $1.3M?

2006-2011, it will have cost Knoxville over $8M. Each year it runs a $1.35~ million deficit. Only in government can you say “we were not built to make money” as justification.

The Knoxville Convention Center will operate with a deficit of $1.3 million in the coming fiscal year, although convention officials stress the facility was not built to make money.

“We operate at a deficit,” said Mary Stephens-Bogert, convention center general manager. “We were not built to make money.”

via KnoxNews  Convention Center to operate with $1.3M deficit.