December 31, 2007

Ballroom Update

The Memphis Commercial-Appeal's legislative reporter, Richard Locker, updates the Bredesen Ballroom controversy in a big story today that glosses over some key facts. While Locker accuses the Tennessee Republican Party of making "exaggerated claims" in this news release on the ballroom's history and funding, Locker ignores a key fact revealed in that press release - the Bredesens' fiscal shell game designed to pretend the underground party hall is being financed with private money rather than tax dollars.

(And while Locker's article gives his opinion about the TRP's press release, he doesn't give readers any link or help to find the lengthy release - and 20 pages of supporting state records - online, so they might read it for themselves and come to their own conclusions.)

While Locker's story does inform readers that taxpayers are now paying $12.8 million of the total cost of the renovation and expansion of the Governor's Mansion, he doesn't put that figure in proper context, which is this: Five years ago Gov. Bredesen and his wife told the people of Tennessee that the project would require only $1.5 million in tax dollars. And the underground ballroom project is the cause of more than half of the $11.3 million in additional tax dollars going to the project.