State Sen. Becky Massey, a Republican who represents roughly half of Knox County, started February with a rough morning at a legislative forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the East Tennessee chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
I’ve watched Massey for years, and noticed her pattern is to diffuse controversial topics with discussions of process. She’ll take a tough question about pending legislation and talk about which committee it’s in, whether she serves on that committee and the status of that bill — and frequently not commit to her stance on the matter.
That deflection was not possible at the start of the forum when the moderator, Scott Barker of the Knoxville local news site Compass, directly asked each of the attending five legislators to explain their vote on the voucher bill. House Democrats Sam McKenzie and Gloria Johnson bashed the many flaws of the plan, noting it is a costly subsidy going mostly to families already sending children to private schools. Senate Republican Richard Briggs reiterated his opposition, and House Republican Dave Wright had just a few words in support of his yes vote.
Massey mentioned overall state spending increases for education and changes in funding formulas and then declared, “When I was on the campaign trail, I talked to people when I was at their doors. We polled on it this summer. So, there’s been lots of conversation . . . I read every email that came in to me.” She also mentioned talking to people at church or invited events. “I looked at all the details of the bill, and did get my answers” on the “hold harmless” provision of the legislation, describing it as a baseline so schools will not lose money.
Members of Knox County’s legislative delegation at a recent forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the East Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. From left: Democratic Reps. Sam McKenzie and Gloria Johnson, Sen. Becky Massey, Rep. Dave Wright and Sen. Richard Briggs, Republicans. (Photo: Mark Harmon)
Johnson said at the same meeting that “the fiscal note says this coming next school year TISA [Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act, the formula for state public school funding] will be $45 million short in the funding because of the vouchers…In the hold harmless fund there is $3.3 million. Now, that might be some voucher math, but that’s not math where I went to public school, because $3.3 million is not going to make up the $45 million that we are short.” Further, the funding gaps only grow more severe as the voucher program goes through scheduled expansion. Massey does not explain where that mystery money will come from, and it seems very likely public schools will suffer.
When the subject turned to a recently-passed immigration bill promoted by Gov. Bill Lee, Massey also had some curious statements. Her rambling answer included the line, “the original people registered at Ellis Island.” McKenzie, who is Black, did not interrupt to say some of his relatives may have arrived by a different route. Massey then said immigration is a Tennessee issue because of fentanyl overdoses from drugs being brought into our state, leaving unstated the assumption that Mexican and other Latin American migrants bring it with them. It took someone during the question-and-answer session to correct her; the vast majority of such drugs enter through ports of entry and the actions of citizens, not migrants.
Let’s temper our criticism with some appreciation. These five legislators were the same ones who showed up last year for the same forum at the same location, a YWCA in Knoxville. State House Republicans Michele Carringer, Elaine Davis, Justin Lafferty, and Jason Zachary (plus Lt. Gov. Randy McNally) all were invited to this month’s forum but did not attend.
Massey also gave a prompt response to an email from me, clarifying a point raised at the forum and insisting, “I evaluate each piece of legislation on its own merits which is what I did with the Education Scholarship bill last week. After doing my research, I got my questions answered and I voted for the bill.”
Fair enough, but close inspection of the bill’s merits simply does not justify anything other than a resounding “no” to Lee’s voucher schemes.
Massey certainly knows politics. In her early elective years, her name most often appeared as Becky Duncan Massey, a not-so-subtle reference to the family name of her brother and father, who represented the Knox County area in Congress for a combined 54 years. So, when the numbers start coming in about the failures of the voucher plan, she will need to give stronger answers for switching her 2019 “no” vote on a similar voucher plan to a 2025 “yes” vote based on dubious reasoning. And process answers will not suffice.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
SUMMARY: Rome Ramirez, former Sublime member, celebrates his solo debut with the single “Why Me.” The song reflects his 15-year journey with Sublime, flipping the negative question “Why me?” into a message of gratitude and perseverance. Written with close friend Chris Galbuta, the track showcases Ramirez’s personal growth. The debut single’s cover artwork features a young Ramirez with a Sublime poster, symbolizing his roots. Ramirez, now living in Nashville, is also gearing up for upcoming festivals, including Summerfest in Milwaukee, while releasing more music throughout the year. He remains grateful for his experiences with Sublime and his musical journey.
He is a multi-platinum singer and songwriter, and now He is debuting his solo career today on Local On 2! You know Rome Ramirez from his time as the front man of Sublime and Rome! Now he is stepping out on his own with his new song, “Why Me?”
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-18 12:36:00
(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s revenues for March were $33.3 million less than the budgeted estimates, according to Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson.
The $1.6 billion in collections is $69.3 million less than March 2024.
“Sales tax receipts, which reflect February’s consumer activity, were likely impacted by adverse weather conditions,” Bryson said. “Corporate tax collections came in slightly below target but remained largely in line with expectations.”
Fuel taxes exceeded budget expectations, increasing by $9.1 million, a 10.39% jump.
Corporate collections are down 13.9% when compared to March 2024, a difference of $44 million. Corporate tax revenues year-to-date are 9.65% below estimates and down 22% when compared to August 2023 to March 2024 numbers. The General Assembly passed a corporate franchise tax cut in 2024 that was estimated to cost the state $1.6 billion. Corporations started applying for the tax break in May 2024.
Bryson reported a decline of $35.4 million in general fund revenues for March.
“Although we fell short of our monthly target, year-to-date revenues remain just below forecast,” Bryson said. “We will continue to closely monitor economic indicators and revenue trends to maintain fiscal stability.”
March is the eighth month of the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget.
The General Assembly passed the $59.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 earlier this week, which does not include any tax breaks.
Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about possible federal budget cuts that could affect Tennessee. Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, said when the budget process began in February that the state was already seeing a freeze in some programs.
House and Senate Democrats sent a letter to Bryson this week asking for more details on federal budget cuts.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday it will hear oral arguments next month over President Donald Trump’s efforts to restructure birthright citizenship, though the justices won’t decide on the merits of the case just yet.
Instead, they will choose whether to leave in place nationwide injunctions from lower courts that so far have blocked the Trump administration from implementing the executive order.
The oral arguments, scheduled for May 15, will likely provide the first indication of whether any of the nine justices are interested in revisiting the Court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 following the Civil War.
The amendment states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
The Supreme Court ruled in 1898 in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that the 14th Amendment guarantees any child born in the United States is entitled to U.S. citizenship, even if their parents are not citizens.
Trump disagrees with that ruling and signed an executive order on his first day in office seeking to change which babies born in the United States become citizens. If that order were implemented, babies whose parents were “unlawfully present in the United States” or whose parents’ presence “was lawful but temporary” would not be eligible for citizenship.
Several organizations and Democratic attorneys general filed lawsuits seeking to block the executive order, leading to nationwide injunctions against its implementation.
Last month, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the lower court’s nationwide injunctions, limiting them to the organizations and states that filed suit.
The three cases are Trump v. State of Washington, Trump v. CASA, Inc. and Trump v. State of New Jersey.
Legislation
Nationwide injunctions by lower court judges have become an issue for Republicans in Congress as well as the Trump administration.
Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced a bill in Congress that would bar federal district court judges from being able to implement nationwide injunctions.
“We all have to agree to give up the universal injunction as a weapon against policies we disagree with,” Grassley said during a hearing earlier this month. “The damage it causes to the judicial system and to our democracy is too great.”
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
