State legislators Eric Swafford and Charlotte Burks along with Fourth District U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis spoke to a full house at the Legislative Breakfast organized by the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Progressive Savings Bank.
During the program, the legislators addressed a number of issues facing the local community, the state of Tennessee and the country.
Local concerns addressed included the status of several road projects by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), including the long-awaited Lantana Road widening.
State Representative Eric Swafford started out by thanking Congressman Davis for his help in securing a $6.4 million federal earmark to help pay for the Lantana project, a fact that Swafford said would help “dramatically” with the funding on the project. Swafford explained that the right-of-way process for the Lantana Road improvement is well under way and all the studies have been done. He said the next step is the purchase of the needed land.
Swafford also said that plans for the Peavine Road bridge across I-40 was moving forward as well. State Senator Charlotte Burks said she had recently been told that the bid would be let on the bridge project in March of this year so the project was moving forward quickly. Burks added that work on both 127 N and 127 S were also progressing, but as is often the case, the projects take a longer than officials or the public would like to get finished.
According to Burks, TDOT officials also told her that construction could start on the Lantana Road project in late 2009 or early 2010.
Both Swafford and Burks said they felt the state was in excellent financial shape, even though the revenues for the current year were lower then originally estimated. Burks said the state had more in its rainy day fund that it has for 15 years. Swafford added that Tennessee was in better financial shape than many other areas and he is pleased with Governor Bredesen's proposed budget.
Both state lawmakers discussed proposals for the use of excess lottery funds. Since there are only certain uses for the money based on the original lottery referendum, Burks said she agreed with Bredesen's proposal to allow students that make a lower GPA to maintain their scholarship funding. According to Burks, some 80 percent of students lose their scholarship after the first year of college. The proposal would allow students with a 2.75 GPA to keep their scholarship where currently they must maintain a 3.00 GPA.
Burks said that the changes in high school requirements recently approved by the Tennessee Board of Education would go a long way in correcting the problem of students going to college but not having adequate skills to be successful.
While Swafford said he was concerned about the number of students losing scholarships, he felt that “access does not equal success.” Swafford explained that he would like to see the excess funds used to help schools construct new buildings for more capacity, something that he felt could help the Cumberland County school system.
Congressman Davis addressed questions concerning the national debt and concerns about the economy. He said, “We have to change the way we do business.”
Davis said that at the rate the U.S. was going, they could easily end up being asked to defend Taiwan from China using money borrowed from China and equipment purchased from China.
Davis said part of the change was a need for those in Washington who “put America first and party second.” Davis said the so-called “Blue Dog” caucus he belongs to wanted to look at the previous tax cuts adding that with the current deficit, he felt there were only two choices, “cut spending or revenue enhancements.”
“The United States has borrowed more money in the last decade,” according to Davis, “than in the history of the country.”
“How to fix the problem?” Davis asked rhetorically. “If I know that, there would be no questions who would be elected president this fall, I would!” Davis quipped.
Area News
Related Photos
State lawmakers weigh in on local, national issues at Legislative Breakfast
- Area News
-
-
Plane has rough landing
No one was injured when a pilot veered off a runway to avoid a deer that was in the path of his light airplane as he landed the craft.
-
Lemert grave site rededication set Monday
The restoration of the gravesite of 1st Sgt. Milo Lemert, Cumberland County's only WWI Medal of Honor recipient, is finally complete after months of repair and rebuilding. A special dedication will be held May 28 at the City Cemetery at Sgt. Lemert's gravesite. The dedication will immediately follow the 11 a.m. annual Memorial Day Ceremony for Cumberland County in downtown Crossville. The public is invited to both events.
-
County to use new district boundaries to fill vacancy
The Cumberland County Commission approved a resolution to use new district boundary lines in the August County General Election in order to fill the vacancy created by the death of 9th District Commissioner Clyde Cramer.
-
THP to enforce seat belt usage this Memorial Day weekend
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is planning to step up efforts to enforce seat belt usage over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. State Troopers along with other state and local law enforcement agencies are participating in the national seat belt enforcement campaign, Click it or Ticket, May 21 through June 3.
-
Shooting victim identified; accomplice jailed
A burglar who fled from a home invasion after his partner was shot by a resident may be held responsible for his friend's death, sources close to the investigation of Tuesday's fatal shooting have told the Chronicle.
-
Healthy eating, activity earn CO honors
Students at Crab Orchard Elementary have been eating better and getting more activity during the past school year. Those efforts have been recognized with prestigious awards for school health.
-
Defendant pleads guilty to avoid jail
A Crossville area man told a Criminal Court judge earlier this month he was entering a plea of guilty to fraud to keep from going to jail.
-
Man sentenced in sexual battery, statutory rape cases
A Crossville man charged with raping one woman and with having sexual relations with an underaged teen in a separate incident has pleaded guilty to related charges and was sentenced to jail.
-
County to build, operate Big South Fork Visitor's Center
The Big South Fork Visitor's Center may become a reality after the county commission narrowly approved building and operating the facility once the project is completed.
-
One dead in shooting near PH
One person is dead, a homeowner slightly injured, and at least a third person is in custody following a fatal shooting that may have been sparked by a home invasion near the Pleasant Hill community. And a fourth person might be connected with the incident.
- More Area News Headlines
-
Plane has rough landing
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
