Sen. Bo Watson: In Tennessee we only write checks we can cash

Candice McQueen, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, discuss education during an event at the Volkswagen conference center in 2016.
Candice McQueen, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, discuss education during an event at the Volkswagen conference center in 2016.

NASHVILLE - Billy Graham once said, "Give me five minutes with a person's checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is." People may obscure the truth with their words - but numbers don't lie. This axiom applies to state government as well. As Tennessee's new fiscal year begins, let's take five minutes and look at the state's checkbook and her priorities.

  • The largest check the state will write is to TennCare with a total cost of $11.6 billion.

Health care is a huge issue at both the state and federal levels, and it is clear we have made the health and well-being of Tennesseans a top priority. This year the legislature made a number of improvements in health care, including the allocation of $54 million to fully fund TennCare inflation and utilization growth. We also restored TennCare's prior-year cuts at $42.4 million and through the Hospital Coverage Assessment we have prevented more than $446 million in potentially catastrophic cuts from taking effect. This assessment has restored more than $3.1 billion in state funding over the last seven years.

  • At $10.6 billion, the check to education is the second largest the state will write.

About $6.2 billion has been appropriated in the fiscal year for K-12 schools. Tennessee now ranks in the top 11 in the country in percentage increases for K-12 state education expenditures with more than $1.3 billion in new investments over the past seven years. We also outpace the national average increase in teacher salaries. Our students are among the fastest improving in the country in two categories, and the achievement gap for minorities is narrowing, but we still have a long way to go.

The investment in our K-12 schools is not the only area of education being prioritized. We will write a $4.4 billion check to higher education, increasing funding by $149.2 million. It establishes Reconnect Grants, building on Tennessee Promise, so that every Tennessean without a degree has the opportunity to attend community college tuition free. It also provides further funding for numerous capital projects and creates a pilot program for those who protect and serve their state and country. Locally, our college and universities will benefit from $15.4 million in capital maintenance from this budget.

  • The next three checks in the state's checkbook are social services at $5 billion, transportation at $2.2 billion and corrections at $1 billion. When added to health and education, these five checks consume more than 80 percent of the state's budget.

In social services, Tennessee's focus is on those with the greatest need.

In transportation, Tennessee is one of only five states which do not use debt to fund our roads. This pay-as-you-go practice is one of the reasons for the state's top financial rankings. Infrastructure is critical to pave the way for new jobs. This year we invest in Tennessee's future by providing new funds to maintain and expand a safe, reliable transportation system that facilitates economic development.

Public safety is one of state government's most important duties. This budget provides several improvements to keep dangerous criminals behind bars while providing more funds to local jails which house state prisoners.

  • And, of course, one of our biggest priorities is returning money to the taxpayer in the form of tax cuts. So this year we are writing a check to the taxpayers of Tennessee for nearly $300 million - the largest tax cut in our state's history. That means more money back in the taxpayers' pockets to spend on their priorities.

Tennessee's families understand you don't spend more than you take in, you pay your obligations on time and you save for emergencies. This simple budgeting approach has made Tennessee one of the best managed states in the nation with the highest AAA bond rating possible. Our state's debt and pension liability are the lowest in the U.S., and this year we will raise our Rainy Day Fund to an all-time high of $800 million.

From the checkbook to the savings account, Tennessee's priorities are clear - a focus on the health and safety of our citizens while investing in Tennessee's future: education and jobs. We have increased accountability, kept taxes low, kept debt low and put money away for a rainy day. These are real priorities of which all Tennesseans can be proud.

Bo Watson, the Tennessee Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee chairman, represents the 11th District in Hamilton County and lives in Hixson.

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