Roy Exum: The Beacon Center List

  • Thursday, July 21, 2016
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

It came as no surprise to anyone that the idiotic Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee was found to be the worst example of taxpayer spending in the just-out 2016 Pork Report. The project, to “unearth wasteful government spending,” is a really funny – but very saddening – look at how state government misuses our tax dollars.

It is compiled by the Beacon Center of Tennessee in Nashville, which is an independent, not-for-profit, nonpartisan research organization. Beacon’s goal is to provide … “expert empirical research” … and solutions to hopes Tennesseans can reclaim control of their lives and “freely pursue their version of the American dream.”

Don’t worry, the actual report is written with a lot of humor, no matter what “empirical” means, and when I caught notice of it I wondered what other lulus were included. You will not be disappointed! There are some staggering ways our taxes are wasted. The Beacon Report has a great section on “local waste” but we're sticking with just the state problems today.

You will remember that wackos at UT wanted to change the pronouns to be “gender friendly” and also gave us the “Best Practices for Inclusive Holiday Celebrations in the Workplace.” The thinking was so twisted and bent, the legislators stripped the $436,000 appropriation last April, but the Beacon Center just awarded the defunct office its annual “Lump of Coal Award.”

In the same spirit, allow me to present the other state contenders that actually talked our politicians out of a lot of our money:

* -- The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women received $150,000 for one event.

* -- The American Legislative Exchange Council received $100,000 to help underwrite a conference.

* -- “Small, minority and women-owned businesses” received $250,000 to compete with those that are not.

* -- The Tennessee Arts Commission received $6.4 million for “projects.”

* -- State Tourism Development received $19 million for “travel writer trips” to Tennessee.

* -- Studies show “Pre-K” is little more than a baby-sitting service but state legislators have increased $91 million to $100 million this fiscal year. That does not include $1 million for “a kindergarten entry screener to measure benchmarks for kindergarten readiness.” (Don’t worry -- the child still goes to kindergarten.)

* -- A “beautification project” at UT-Knoxville received $2 million and another $3.75 million was allocated to spruce up Volunteer Boulevard.

* -- A new visitor’s center at Fall Creek Falls in Spencer received over $3 million and another $3 million was allocated for one at Cummins Falls State Park in Cookeville.

* -- The Tennessee Department of the Treasury makes a determined effort to find owners of “unclaimed property” but $120,000 was spent on the salaries of two people who answer questions about it.

* -- To modernize the state’s revenue and tax collection system -- $12.7 million.

* -- The state’s Community & Rural Development office got a $10 million increase, bringing its total to $12 million.

* -- Investment in growth and development to the Mississippi Delta region -- $95,000.

* -- After receiving $45 million, the TV show “Nashville” was cancelled, this after the state paid $8.5 million to move the show from ABC to the CMT Network. An additional $6 million was spent for film incentives.

* -- The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis received its annual $300,000 stipend despite the fact ticket prices are $15 per adult and $12 per child.

* -- The Tennessee Performing Arts Center received $300,000 for maintenance costs.

* -- The state’s largest four zoos (including Chattanooga) and the Tennessee Aquarium received $200,000 each in taxpayer dollars.

* -- Two state golf courses – Montgomery Bell and Fall Creek Falls – received $30.4 million to improve grounds and related buildings.

* -- “Job creation” through FastTrack Development and Job Training Assistance -- $80.9 million

* -- Headquarter Relocation Assistance (for companies with at least 100 jobs) -- $400,900.

* -- The Tennessee Jobs Skills Program: $1.5 million.

* -- The Jobs4TN program: $71 million.

* -- the TNInvestco program (for small businesses): $30 million.

* -- Tenn. Law Enforcement Training Officer’s Association: Treasurer Robert Hall and Project Director Gary Bradley wrote themselves checks totally $176,000.

* -- The Cherry Tree Food Program, a vendor for the Dept. of Human Services, allowed the Executive Director to skim $181,000 and has been terminated.

* -- The crude “Legends of the Stall” anti-drunk driving program, which was immediately canned when a furious Gov. Bill Haslam learned of it: $465,923.

* -- The Nashville Airport installed charging stations for electric cars for $181,250 but, in the first five weeks, only 29 drivers elected to “charge.” At $2 a jolt, “Tennessee Watchdog” predicts it will take three centuries to pay for itself.

* -- Bob Martineau, the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, flew 170 miles rather than drive for three hours to make a brief speech. A small crowd of 30 allegedly heard it.

* -- Nine Development Districts that “promote intergovernmental cooperation on growth and development issues;” $2 million each.

* -- Marilyn Truss allegedly stole $7,900 from the Tennessee State Veterans Home in Murfreesboro and another $1,800 is in question. At the time she was caught, it was found she had a felony theft charge in Hamilton County and an outstanding warrant for her arrest. It was also learned she was stealing prescription drugs that had been mailed to the veterans.

* -- Pellissippi State Community College opened a branch at Strawberry Plains four years ago. Already repairs cost $3 million.

* -- Pellissippi State Community College (main campus) to repair lighting in the Performance Arts building: $230,000.

* -- The Interlock Assistance Fund, which pays for the installation and removal of a device to keep the cars of drunk drivers starting if alcohol is detected on their breath: $463,500.

* * *

Here’s a tip of the hat to the Beacon Center’s Justin Owen, Lindsay Boyd, Mark Cunningham, Hannah Cox, Jason Edmonds and designer Lauren Crownover. What an empirical stride towards the American dream!

royexum@aol.com

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