State Supreme Court agrees to hear appeal over school voucher law
The State Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear an appeal of lower court rulings that Gov. Bill Lee’s signature school voucher to be unconstitutional.
Nashville Chancellor Anne Martin ruled in May that the law violated home rule provisions of the Tennessee Constitution by applying to only Nashville and Shelby County school districts without seeking support from either voters or local legislative bodies. The state sought a direct appeal to the Supreme Court but the justices declined to bypass the intermediate Court of Appeals, which unanimously upheld Martin’s original ruling.
Attorneys for Nashville and Shelby County governments argued the Supreme Court shouldn’t take up the appeal because the defendants hadn’t brought new arguments about the case. The state maintains home rule protections shouldn’t apply because school boards are separate from the operations of county governments.
The Supreme Court case will be closely watched as home rule disputes are only expected to multiply as rural-urban tensions largely match the partisan divide in the state.
Here’s a primer on the history of the home rule amendment from The Tennessee Journal in May 2020:
The subject of extending greater home rule powers was the subject of the greatest debate at a 1953 constitutional convention, but opposition failed to materialize at the ballot box as the change was approved with over 70% of the vote. The overwhelming approval reflected a sentiment summed up in an editorial in the Knoxville News Sentinel at the time that the change was needed to “make it tough on city charter meddlers in Nashville.”
State Supreme Court Justice A.B. Neil told the delegates to the constitutional convention the home rule question would be key to their deliberations. The General Assembly had handed down “too much unwise local legislation” over the years, the justice said, adding that many of those acts had “no merit other than to serve the basest ends in partisan politics.”
In a historical twist, the president of the 1953 constitutional convention was Prentice Cooper, a former governor who opposed the home rule amendment. Cooper, who died in 1969, was the father of Nashville Mayor John Cooper, who has led the charge to dismantle the voucher law on the basis of home rule violations.
Legislature, other government offices close following Nashville bombing
The damage caused to telecommunications systems following a bombing in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day has caused legislative leaders to tell staffers not to report to the Cordell Hull Building on Monday.
Other state and local government offices are also affected by outages, including:
- Adult protective services
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory services at Ellington Agricultural Center
- Telephone services for applying for certain programs for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities
- TennCare Connect
- Tennessee child abuse hotline (telephone lines only; web referrals remain operational)
- Drivers’ license services
Secretary of State Tre Hargett announced his downtown offices would be closed Monday, though various divisions could be reached by email.
The state Supreme Court office building was also closed.
Here’s what Trump told donors at his Nashville fundraiser
The Washington Post has the details of what President Donald Trump told donors at a high-dollar fundraiser in Nashville before the final presidential debate last week.
The president said he expected Republicans to have a difficult time keeping control of the Senate, though he expressed confidence the GOP would claw back a majority in the House. He repeated the latter prediction (which isn’t shared by polls or conventional wisdom) during the debate itself.
“I think the Senate is tough actually. The Senate is very tough,” the Post quoted Trump as saying at the event at the new J.W. Marriott in downtown Nashville. “There are a couple senators I can’t really get involved in. I just can’t do it. You lose your soul if you do. I can’t help some of them. I don’t want to help some of them.”
Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said there’s no evidence the president isn’t supporting certain Republican candidates.
“The Republican-led Senate and President Trump have had a great partnership over the last four years, highlighted by the fact the chamber is poised to confirm a third Trump Supreme Court nominee in the coming days,” Hunt told the paper. “Nancy Pelosi has turned the House into a liberal nightmare and if Chuck Schumer gets control of the Senate, he’ll do the same thing.”
Republicans have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, meaning Democrats would need four seats to take control if Trump wins next, or three if the Biden prevails as the vice president serves as a tie-breaking vote.
The Post says Trump aslo bashed the news media, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Democrats for being obsessed with Russian disinformation. Nobody asked any tough questions from audience members, one of whom praised the president for taking on the “medical swamp” over COVID-19.
Tennessee politicos react to upheaval
Nashville Mayor John Cooper walks by the Metro Courthouse damaged during weekend protests on May 31, 2020 (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
Here’s how some elected officials reacted to statewide protests that included clashes with police, vandalism, and fires.
Violence and vandalism that occurred this weekend tears at the fabric of our community and stands in stark contrast to effective, peaceful protests that are foundational to our country.
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) May 31, 2020
Looting and burning the courthouse by a few dishonors the peaceful protest of thousands against racial discrimination and police brutality. @GovBillLee and @JohnCooper4Nash are right to call on the National Guard to restore order and allow Nashville to heal and rebuild.
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) May 31, 2020
NRA cancels annual meeting in Nashville due to coronavirus
The National Rifle Association is cancelling its annual meeting in Nashville next month. The gun rights group had planned to hold the event at the Music City Center from April 16 to April 19.
Here’s the statement from the NRA:
With our 149th Annual Meeting scheduled for next month in Nashville, we realize many NRA members and meeting guests have questions about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the potential impact on our convention.
We have been closely monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Tennessee Department of Health. In fact, earlier today, a state of emergency was declared in Tennessee.
Therefore, we have reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s NRA Annual Meeting, planned for April 16 – 19 in Nashville. This applies to all events and scheduled programs, including the NRA-ILA Forum. We sincerely regret the need for this action, particularly for our many loyal members who join us for this annual celebration of the NRA and our constitutional freedoms. Details regarding a rescheduled NRA Members’ Meeting will be forthcoming.
Under the direction of NRA President Carolyn Meadows, the NRA Board of Directors is working with the Office of the Secretary in relation to board elections, meetings, and the like.
Please know that we did not reach this decision lightly. We were ultimately guided by our responsibility to help ensure the safety and well-being of our NRA members, guests, and surrounding community.
Please coordinate directly with any hotels, airlines or others who have assisted with your travel arrangements. Most companies have announced plans to accommodate travelers dealing with event cancellations.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Cooper trounces Briley in Nashville mayor’s race
Metro Council member John Cooper trounced incumbent David Briley to be elected Nashville’s next mayor. The result wasn’t unexpected, but the 39-percentage point margin came as a bit of a surprise.
Cooper is the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Nashville).
Here’s a release from the Cooper campaign.
NASHVILLE, TN – At-large-Councilmember John Cooper has defeated Mayor David Briley to become the ninth Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. According to the Davidson County Election Commission, unofficial election results show that Cooper defeated Briley by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent.
In a speech at The Nashville Palace, Mayor-elect Cooper thanked the voters and laid out plans on how to build a Nashville that works for everyone.
Excerpts from the speech are included below:
As Mayor, I will work every day to continue to listen and learn. To put neighborhoods first and make sure that this Administration reflects the values of our city and her people in all of our actions. To restore trust that our people and their needs come first.
In the speech, Mayor-elect Cooper also spoke to the issue of fiscal responsibility:
I’ve been told that I care too much about the numbers. But if we don’t get the money right, we can’t get anything else right. Because in government, to care about finances is to care about people. That is how you make their dreams real.
Paying attention to the bottom line allows us to support people on the front line — our teachers, our police, our firefighters, our bus drivers, our paraprofessionals. And yes: teachers are the real developers we need to support.
He also expressed gratitude to Metro employees and invited the entire city to come together and move Nashville forward:
And to the great people who work hard for Metro every day, I need your ideas and your help in the work to come. It is my job to support you in our work ahead.
For everybody who voted for me, thank you. For everyone else, know that I will work every day to earn your trust and respect. This is a city for everybody.
We’re going to have more growth in the next five years than in the last five years. Those new cranes are lifting up our skyline. We need to lift up our people with it. That is our challenge — using this prosperity to build a better, more livable city. This is the moment to make Nashville work for everybody.
We started at two percent in the polls. Hundreds of volunteers and more than a thousand donors — from every district — got us here.
But this isn’t the end. I need all of your help. We must not waste this moment. Together, we will make a Nashville for everybody. Thank you!
Tennessee GOP wades into Nashville mayor’s race
The Tennessee Republican Party is sending out mailers targeting Nashville Mayor David Briley, who is in a tough re-election battle against Councilman John Cooper. The runoff election is on Thursday.
The mailer seems to align Briley to the so-called Squad in Congress and attacks the mayor for his efforts to limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents. Briley’s recent executive order has also been criticized by new House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville). The mailer does not mention Cooper.
The reverse side of the mailer endorses Steve Glover’s at-large Council bid.
Glover has announced plans to sue to block Briley’s immigration policies.
Nashville mayor blasts comptroller’s letter as ‘political document’
Nashville Mayor David Briley is blasting a letter from state Comptroller Justin Wilson‘s office questioning the city’s finances as “essentially a political document.” The letter, Briley said, was instigated by Councilman John Cooper, his opponent in Nashville’s mayoral runoff next month.
“It’s my understanding that Councilman Cooper and his conservative, Republican friends on the council solicited it,” Briley said in a candidate debate Monday evening. “So he certainly should know a fair amount about it.”
The comptroller is elected by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, which has a long track record of nullifying ordinances enacted in the heavily Democratic city.
Cooper, the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Nashville), called the letter a “big wake-up call” as Nashville’s debt has doubled over the last four years.
“The facts speak for themselves,” Cooper said. “It’s not Republican and Democratic — I’m, of course, a long-time Democrat myself — it’s dollars and cents. Are we being well-managed? Are we on it?”
Briley cited the city’s strong credit rating from Moody’s as an objective seal of approval for the Nashville’s finances.
“Our finances are, in fact, under control,” he said. “And when the final budget is assessed at the end of this year, you’ll see that our fund balances are actually up over last year.”
The runoff is on Sept. 12. Early voting is underway and runs through Sept. 7.
Rep. Clemmons to run for Nashville mayor
Democratic Rep. John Ray Clemmons tells The Tennessean’s Joey Garrison he will run for Nashville mayor this year.
“I’m prepared to provide that strong, decisive leadership that Nashvillians expect and deserve,” Clemmons told the paper.
State Rep. @JRClemmons to run for Nashville mayor, challenging @MayorBriley https://t.co/FAlTtGOo7H
— Joey Garrison (@joeygarrison) January 16, 2019
Clemmons, 41, will challenge incumbent David Briley, who was elected to fill the unexpired term of former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry last year. Because it is an off-year election, Clemmons won’t have to give up his House seat to run.
Clemmons defeated incumbent Rep. Gary Odom, a former House Democratic leader, in the 2014 primary for House District 55.
Ernst & Young announces 600 new jobs in Nashville
Gov. Bill Haslam announces on Nov. 13, 2018, that Ernst & Young will add 600 jobs in Nashville. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)
A press release from Gov. Bill Haslam’s office:
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Ernst & Young LLP (EY) officials announced today that the global professional services firm will invest more than $20 million to establish a facility to deliver tax managed services for clients and tax technology operations in Nashville. EY expects to create more than 600 jobs over the next five years.
“EY’s decision to create hundreds of technology and service delivery jobs in Nashville affirms our ongoing efforts to bring high quality jobs to Tennessee,” Haslam said. “Tennessee’s pro-growth policies continue to attract leading international businesses to our state. I’d like to thank EY for making this major investment in Middle Tennessee and bringing us one step closer to making Tennessee the top state in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
