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Location: Nashville, Tennessee, United States

7/25/2002

Whom Do You Trust?
Gov. Don Sundquist announced today that he plans to vote for Jim Henry in the GOP primary, shocking no one. Then he gratuitously added that he thinks Van Hilleary would be a "horrible" governor.

"Trust me," Sundquist didn't say, "I know first-hand what a horrible governor looks like!"

If Sundquist's assessment is right, Hilleary would still be a better governor than Sundquist himself has been. But Sundquist is wrong, of course, because Van Hilleary not only is right on the issues, he has one crucial thing Sundquist lacks: credibility. And another: the courage to keep his promises.

No one suspects Hilleary is lying when he says he is against the income tax. Think about that for a second. No one suspects Hilleary is lying when he says he is against the income tax.

Can that be said of any other major candidate in the race in either party? No.

The other significant Republican candidate, Jim Henry, is suspect on the issue because, well, because he signed a form listing himself as a paid lobbyist "for the income tax" for then-Gov. Ned McWherter. And on the related issue of controlling spending, Henry's legislative record includes repeatedly helping the Legislature pass bills authorizing it to exceed the state constitution's spending-growth cap.

In Henry's favor, it must be said, he does now say he believes the income tax is unconstitutional. And if he were to be elected and then kept his word and sought a constitutional convention on tax reform, our side could use that convention to kill the IT permanently and mark the grave with a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights capping both allowable revenue growth and tax rates and giving voters the final say over increasing either.

As for the Democrats, Randy Nichols is openly for the income tax.

Charles Smith says all options are on the table. When a politician facing a controversial issue says "all options are on the table," you can bet the ranch he favors the one most people oppose, but lacks the courage to say so. You can bet the ranch Charles Smith is for the income tax.

And Phil Bredesen says the income tax isn't the "right solution" for the current budget problem, and accurately fingers the problem as being one of the state increasing spending too fast. But Bredesen has never issued a "Hell No!" statement ruling it out in all eventualities and, to my knowledge, never said he thinks the income tax is unconstitutional.

Alone among the five, Hilleary is not suspected by anyone of lying when he says he is against the income tax. And he favors amending the state constitution with a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights.

No wonder Don Sundquist doesn't like him.

It must tough to be a lame-duck governor with a limited legacy of gubernatorial achievement highlighted mainly by runaway spending, a notorious "Read My Lips"-level lie, a failed three-year grab for an unconstitutional income tax, and what may become a steady drip-drip-drip of investigations into various alleged ethical improprieties, sweetheart contracts for friends and mismanagement of state funds.

No wonder Sundquist is lashing out at Hilleary, who appears to be the kind of man who stands on principle, keeps his word, and has the kind of straight-arrow Boy Scout image one imagines he'll strive hard to not sully by letting his "close personal friends" make millions off no-bid state contracts because he is governor.

Sundquist may think that is "horrible."

I don't.