By Andy Sher
asher@timesfreepress.com
NASHVILLE – Gov. Phil Bredesen on Monday proposed what he called a “straightforward” 2010-11 budget that calls for permanent spending cuts totaling nearly $400 million, elimination of more than 1,000 state jobs and “judicious” use of state reserves to avoid even harsher reductions.
“I believe it is a commonsense family budget in a very difficult time, and I hope you will consider and enact it promptly,” Gov. Bredesen said as the Democrat presented the $28.4 billion spending plan during his eighth and last State of the State address to the General Assembly.
He acknowledged “this is a very difficult budget, and it will seem even more difficult as the year unfolds.”
The plan continues to address lagging revenue and other recession-related problems. Overall spending, which includes federal funds, would decrease 5.1 percent. The state-funded portion of the budget would rise from $12.2 billion to $12.44 billion, a 1.9 percent increase.
The governor is calling would cut 767 filled positions and 456 vacant positions for a total of 1,223. But the governor has created an additional reserve fund with some $202 million, which if lawmakers go along, would provide $51.2 million in funding and preserve 313 currently filled jobs as well as 80 additional jobs that were already slated to be cut at the end of the current budget.
Also recommended is a substantial increase in Tennessee driver’s license fees to raise $21.9 million a year. Fees would rise from $19.50 every five years to $46 every eight years.
For complete coverage see Tuesday’s Times Free Press.