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« Punks For Bush | Main | Tennessean Wrong on Amendment's Form » March 21, 2004Taxpayers Bill of Rights UPDATEThe Tennessean has finally noticed that there's a proposed Taxpayers Bill of Rights amendment to the state constitution pending in the state legislature. The paper has previously ignored the legislation - even ignored a "town hall" meeting on the proposed amendment even though the meeting attracted about 200 people, had well-known guest speakers that included the president of the Colorado Senate and the head of the influential Club For Growth - and even though the meeting took place less than a mile from the paper's downtown headquarters. So why is The Tennessean suddenly covering the story now? I suspect it's because the paper's editorial board may be worried the proposal actually stands a chance of passing in the Senate Judiciary Committee - and they want to try to prevent that. Their story today is exceptionally slanted against the proposed amendment. How? The paper quotes more opponents and critics of the legislation than it quotes proponents of it, and gives most of the story's coverage of the substance of the legislation over to the critics. The paper mentions a Colorado think tank, the Bell Policy Center, and its thumbs down analysis of the impact of Colorado's similar amendment - but failed to mention that much older and more established think tank, the Independence Institute, which found Colorado's Taxpayers Bill of Rights has had a positive effect on the state's finances and economy. (The Tennessee also fails to mention that ties the Bell Policy Center has to various big-government and liberal special interests that abhor limits on tax rates and government spending.) In all, The Tennessean quotes or paraphrases four critics of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights concept - the Bell Policy Center, Common Cause, Gov. Phil Bredesen's office, and Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, while quoting only two supporters of the legislation - the Senate and House sponsors. And only one of them, state Rep. Glen Casada, is quoted speaking on the substance of the legislation. An aside: Gov. Phil Bredesen is making a major political mistake opposing the Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Two weeks ago, I wrote an analysis listing five reasons liberals should support the proposed amendment. Soon, I'll post an essay explaining why Gov. Bredesen could assure himself a second term by championing the Taxpayers Bill of Rights - and why doing so would be in keeping with Bredesen's stance on fiscal policy, not in conflict with it - and why the Taxpayers Bill of Rights would enhance Bredesen's broader policy goals for Tennessee. The proposed Taxpayers Bill of Rights amendment, also known as Senate Joint Resolution 88, goes before the state Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 23. I urge you to call legislators and encourage them to support the Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Below I've listed all nine members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, including their phone and fax numbers and email address. They are the most crucial legislators in this debate as of right now. The first four senators - Fowler, Jackson, Kilby and Trail - are considered the swing votes on the committee on this issue. Senator Doug Jackson-D Senator David Fowler-R Senator Tommy Kilby-D Senator Larry Trail-D Senator Steve Cohen-D Senator Joe Haynes-D Sen. Curtis S. Person, Jr. - R Sen. Mark Norris - R Sen. Michael R. Williams - R Comments
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