NASHVILLE – The state’s former economic and community development commissioner, Matt Kisber, has canceled a planned meeting with Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to discuss what commitments former Gov. Phil Bredesen made to lure Amazon to Southeast Tennessee.
No explanation was provided. Efforts to contact Kisber were not successful.
Ramsey, the Republican Senate speaker, said last week that Kisber had agreed to meet with him and discuss details of two last-minute economic recruitment deals struck late last year, which includes Amazon’s plans to build two distribution centers in Hamilton and Bradley counties.
Ramsey has also criticized another deal involving the construction of an Electrolux plant in Memphis.
Bredesen’s successor, Republican Bill Haslam, has all but acknowledged that the state is waiving requirements that would make Internet retailing giant Amazon collect sales taxes on purchases made by its Tennessee customers.