Tennessee
Memphis Sales Tax Revenue Is At Whim Of Tennessee Government
Sales tax revenue, often a significant source of funding for local governments, may be perceived as securely allocated to the municipality where it is generated—but this assumption overlooks the reality that state governments often retain considerable control.
In many states, the allocation of sales tax revenue to municipalities is not guaranteed, and may be contingent on compliance with state policies. This can be a powerful tool for reinforcing state priorities over local autonomy.
Memphis Gun Reform
A recent example in Tennessee illustrates the dynamic between states and municipalities. Memphis city leaders had approved a plan to place a gun control referendum on the November ballot, much to the chagrin of Tennessee state Republican leaders.
The referendum would address critical issues such as requiring permits for guns and banning assault rifles outright—but its placement on the ballot is an open question.
Tennessee Republican leaders threatened to withhold Memphis’ share of sales tax revenue, arguing the referendum would be tantamount to a circumvention of state law. The threat underscored the vulnerability of municipal budgets to state-level political decisions—because it worked. Election officials agreed to leave the gun control questions off the ballot.
The distribution of state sales tax revenue is often not a matter of simple allocation to where the revenue was generated, but implicates a complex interplay of power and politics.
Broader Implications
The outcome in Tennessee is a clear illustration that sales tax revenue, crucial for funding local services, can be wielded as a tool of political influence.
The ability of states to control the flow of sales tax revenue raises questions about municipalities’ ability to legislate—doubly so in states where there are significant political differences between cities and state government.
This pressure can stifle innovation in governance and prevent municipalities from addressing the needs and desires of their residents, where local conditions and priorities may differ significantly from those of the state. It also emphasizes the importance of the state government in any policy reform.
Policy Reforms
Moving forward, state initiatives could be encouraged to draft legislation that protects municipalities from financial retaliation in much the same way many state constitutions prohibit state legislatures from cutting funding from the judiciary.
Such legislation could include revenue allocation safeguards, wherein states guarantee municipalities will receive their share of sales tax revenue based on where it is generated, regardless of any local policy decisions.
Further, non-retaliation clauses could be encouraged, which would explicitly prohibit the withholding of funds as a punitive measure for policy differences. Such policies would, at least, require state governments like that in Tennessee to make their reallocations less explicitly retaliatory.
Ultimately, there would need to be judicial oversight, giving municipalities the right to challenge withholding of revenue in state court, with clear standards as to when it is and is not appropriate.
Conclusion
The ability of states to wield sales tax revenue as a cudgel presents challenges to local governance. To protect municipalities and ensure they can address their unique needs without fear of state financial retaliation, it is crucial for states to enact legislation guaranteeing fair and consistent allocation of sales tax revenue.
By implementing safeguards, non-retaliation standards, and judicial oversight, a balance can be struck that upholds both local autonomy and state interests.
Tennessee
Tennessee wrongly kicked thousands off Medicaid, judge rules
Tennessee
Can Tennessee football make playoff in 2024? Best-case scenario for the Vols
Tennessee is only two years removed from touting a College Football Playoff caliber team, but it happened in the wrong format and the wrong season.
The 2022 Vols would’ve hosted Kansas State in a first-round playoff game if the bracket had already expanded to 12 teams.
So breaking into the CFP this season isn’t a pipe dream. It could happen, and here’s how.
Tennessee football’s best-case scenario in 2024?
Vols host College Football Playoff game
In a 12-team playoff, the four highest-ranked conference champions will get a first-round bye. The next four seeds will host the bottom four seeds in the first round.
UT could host a first-round game at Neyland Stadium by being the second-best or perhaps third-best team in the SEC. That would mean an 11-1 record and likely trip to the SEC title game or maybe a 10-2 record.
If the Vols beat NC State, split the Oklahoma and Alabama games and lose to Georgia, then a playoff bid likely would be in cards. Whether that meant a home game would depend on the resumes of other playoff teams.
TENNESSEE 2024 SEASON PREDICTIONS Game-by-game picks for Vols
Beat Alabama in Neyland Stadium again
UT had already shown that it could reverse the curse of Nick Saban when it beat Alabama in 2022, which triggered an unforgettable fan-storming at Neyland Stadium.
So why couldn’t the Vols defeat an Alabama team coached by Kalen DeBoer?
It could be quite the matchup in the third Saturday in October.
To that point, Alabama will be favored in every game except a home tilt against Georgia. So the Crimson Tide could be 5-1 or 6-0 and ranked in the top 10 when it travels to Knoxville.
That would make a win over Alabama that much sweeter for the Vols.
Double Heisman buzz, even for a short time
UT quarterback Nico Iamaleava has gotten preseason Heisman Trophy buzz despite starting only one game as a freshman last season.
And UT edge rusher James Pearce was ranked the No. 1 player in college football by ESPN.com.
Don’t pencil in either for the New York ceremony just yet. But there’s a plausible scenario where both players could earn Heisman consideration during the season, even for a short time.
If UT’s offense returns to its record-breaking production of 2021 and 2022, Iamaleava would rack up eye-popping stats. And although defensive players rarely get Heisman attention, Pearce could grab the spotlight temporarily with multiple sacks in UT’s key games.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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Tennessee
Tennessee parent proudly calls herself a ‘Venmo mom’ — why her stance is dividing the internet
A Tennessee mom says she doesn’t want to volunteer in her kids’ classrooms or for their extracurricular activities — and said she’s “found her community” after posting a video on TikTok explaining that she’s a proud “Venmo mom.”
“I don’t know about anyone else out there, but ‘Meet the Teacher’ is super stressful because I do not want to be involved at all,” Casey Neal, 31 and a mother of four, said in her video that has grabbed at least 450,000 views.
“I will make sure my kids obviously do their homework and get to school on time … but I don’t want to be on PTO, PTA, room mom, team mom — I don’t want to do any of that.”
Neal indicated that when the start of a school year or sports season rolls around, she gets ready to duck.
“I start getting real stressed when they start asking for volunteers,” Neal said in her video.
“I’m like, ‘Oh no, I know they’re judging me because I’m not raising my hand,’ but I don’t want to do all that extra sh–,” she said. “I don’t want to come in. I don’t want to set up.”
But she’s more than happy to Venmo money to help with whatever is needed, she said.
“If the room mom needs money for everyone to participate, fine. I’ll Venmo money right over,” Neal said in her video.
“I do not want to set up for it. I don’t want to do it.”
This year, to avoid the stress, she said she made that perfectly clear to all the classroom and team organizers.
Neal and her husband have four kids — ages 11, 7, 5 and 3 — who are involved in all kinds of activities, such as cheerleading, baseball, football and more.
“I even told one of the coaches today that I am a ‘Venmo mom,’” Neal said.
Neal, who worked as a district manager and ran five stores for Andy’s Frozen Custard until moving to Knoxville this year, said her job made it difficult for her to attend school functions during the work day.
And that didn’t seem to sit well with some people.
“When I wasn’t as involved as the other moms, I didn’t feel very welcome in certain situations,” Neal told Fox News Digital.
“My two youngest, they went to a private school before we moved, and they had a bike day, where you brought their bike or their scooter, and [some people] were like, ‘Oh, you’re not staying?’ Or, ‘Oh, you’re not staying for the party?’ I’m thinking, ‘Does nobody work anymore?’”
Neal said she also had a bad experience with some cheer moms a couple of years ago.
“Their practices are two to three hours long,” Neal said.
“So I just come back and pick up [her daughter] when practice is over. There was a mom who was talking very poorly of me, and this is one of the practices I happened to go to. When she realized I was there, her face dropped. There was even a dad there who was, like, ‘Not cool.’”
Said Neal, “I don’t need that drama in my life or in my kids’ life.”
“We’re here to set examples, and if they’re talking poorly in front of all the parents, I’m sure some kids heard some stuff. I just don’t think that’s necessary.”
That’s when Neal realized she could avoid all the trouble and still help out by donating her money rather than her time.
Thousands of people agreed with her — all for their own reasons.
“I’ll literally pay for the entire event, just don’t make me actually go,” one viewer of Neal’s video said.
“This is so me. Just let me know how much money and I will send it,” another viewer said.
“As an introvert, please don’t ask me. I’ll send all the money and cheer in the audience, though,” another person commented.
“This. Can we normalize this?” another person commented.
“You need door prizes, meals donated, crafts? I’ll drop it at the office. I’m not staying,” another viewer stated.
What’s even more validating, Neal told Fox News Digital, are the comments of appreciation for “Venmo moms” by the ones organizing the events.
“There is a place for everyone,” one viewer commented.
“As a room mom and team mom, I can’t thank you enough for being a Venmo mom,” someone else added.
“As a room mom, I love Venmo moms,” another viewer said.
Neal said she now has a community of moms who are supportive of this behind-the-scenes role.
“Not to sound cheesy, but I just thought it was really beautiful,” Neal said.
“Never did I think my rant would go off. But the comments and women supporting each other in the comments and supporting me meant a lot. It takes all kinds of people doing all kinds of things,” she added.
“We’re all there for the same reason. We just contribute in different ways. I just thought it was really beautiful and positive.”
There were a few who disagreed with the notion of not giving time to an important cause, such as a child’s education experience or extracurricular activities — and they didn’t mind saying so.
“I do want to be involved [because] I wish my mom was when I was a kid,” one viewer commented.
“Your kids would love to see you helping,” someone else said.
“I was a Venmo mom until I lost my son last year. This year I’m doing everything to be involved in my daughter’s life. Every moment counts,” another user wrote.
Others said that they didn’t really want to volunteer their time — but they’re willing to take one for the team.
“As a new PTA president, I don’t want to do it either, yet here we are,” another said.
“I don’t want to either. I do it to make sure my kids have the best experience [they] can. It’s not really about me at all,” someone else commented.
“My thoughts are if everyone felt like that, then the kids would have a sh—- experience in school,” another person said.
“So I suck it up and volunteer so the kids can have fun or whatever else it’s for.”
Neal said her kids love seeing her in the stands and they know she’s there to support them in all their activities.
“I love being on the sidelines. That, for me, is the biggest thing,” said Neal.
“But as far as being in charge, being a team mom, a room mom, I’m just not good at planning, and there are people who want to do that. I will get a teacher whatever they need to make them successful, to help make the class successful, but I just don’t want to be in charge.”
Neal added, “And the teen moms, they seem to have it under control. They don’t need me.”
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