Haslam to deliver annual State of the State address Monday

Gov. Bill Haslam speaks about the Drive to 55 initiative Friday, April 10, 2015, in the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga.
Gov. Bill Haslam speaks about the Drive to 55 initiative Friday, April 10, 2015, in the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is scheduled to give his annual State of the State address to a joint convention of the Tennessee General Assembly on Monday.

Haslam's top legislative priority this year is to boost state funding to begin tackling a more than $10 billion backlog in road and bridge projects in the state. The governor wants to raise $278 million a year in new transportation funding, largely paid for by a tax increase on gasoline and diesel.

In exchange for that hike, Haslam is proposing tax cuts totaling $270 million on groceries, income from stocks and bonds and for manufacturing locating in the state.

The governor has also announced a $45 million program to boost access to broadband internet services in rural parts of the state.

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