Tennessee ranks 43rd in the nation when it comes to Job Growth, according to the latest FDIC study, as is noted in Facing South in a post by R. Neal. The state is still tops in the nation (again) when it comes to personal bankruptcy filings. As I reported in earlier posts, the unemployment rate in the surrounding ET counties has been steady at 6 to 7% or higher.
And whatever you earn now, look for more tax hikes and tax bites out of your pay. The school system wants a segregated "international" school it can't pay for, which shifts the burden to county tax-payers, and the city won't even talk about it unless the county commits to funding it. The city is engaged in a wasteful $20 million creation of a cable, internet, and phone company to be operated by the utility system -- have you seen any ads for those jobs?? Nope. Guess they already know who they plan to hire. The latest stats on Bristol's jump into the media business show it's a huge loss:
"Bristol, Virginia, operates a municipal communications utility that it launched in 2002. It’s had net operating losses and negative free cash flow each year, which isn’t surprising for a start-up.
What is surprising is the utility’s advertising, programming, and finance costs are all rising faster than expected, making it unlikely it will ever achieve positive free cash flow. It was originally funded by a $15 million revenue bond issue, then refunded in 2004 at $27.5 million, it has borrowed $14.9 million from the electric utility, and it has had operating losses (including cost of capital and interest) of $8.6 million so far." via The Heartland Institute.
And before anyone tells you different, let me state is plainly - I do promotional work for Charter Commnunications, hosting a question and answer program with Charter executives about local issues and general questions about their operations. I am not a paid employee. And yes, this blog is monitored by certain local officials who fear the facts.
That said, if anyone wants to hire me, I am available and searching for jobs, like many many others in Tennessee.
Okay, we all agree that education is the one sure way to better jobs and better pay. It's also the way we get a more enlighted electorate. That having been said, how do we get there without someone paying for it? Say all you want to about wasteful public officials, but the truth of the matter is that you get the kind of education system that you are willing to pay for, the same way you get the kind or automobile you are willing to pay for.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have problems seeing education as just 'job training' and think education has a value all on its own.
ReplyDeleteAnd segregating non-white students is not the way to encourage their English reading/writing/speaking skills.
The costs of such a facility and the teachers to work three seem high, especially if the school board says they need more money for their current staff and new teachers as well.
Hamblen County government spends 85% of their entire operating budget on local schools, so it is obviously a priority.
In terms of academics, sports programs, and national testing, the results show Hamblen's students do excell.
Sales tax dollars, wheel tax dollars, state and federal dollars all flow into the schools and if we don't demand fiscal accountability money WILL get wasted.
Given that the average wage in this county hovers at $23,000, the education lesson seems to be "leave town and work somewhere else."
dag-nab-it, Tennessee ranks pretty low on class issues don't it? Divorce, Bankruptcy, unfair taxes and crappy education...no dang wonder I fit in so well.
ReplyDelete"And yes, this blog is monitored by certain local officials who fear the facts."
ReplyDeleteDo we detect delusions of grandeur here??
Oh, Anonymous -
ReplyDeleteEveryone has delusions of some kind. But in this case, it's just a simple matter of being able to know when anyone visits this page. It's called "technology."
Thanks for playing!