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Location: Nashville, Tennessee, United States

10/24/2002

TABOR Gets Bi-Partisan Candidates Support
Martin McBride, leader of the Oak Ridge Accountability Project, sends this update on the progress of an effort to enact a Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) to bring that city's soaring property taxes under control:

Last evening, candidates for state office discussed their support at an Oak Ridge Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) at a Tax Initiative Meeting at the Mid-Town Community Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The main feature of the TABOR is a provision which enables Oak Ridge citizens to vote on future increases to local property tax rates and future increases in long-term city debt. Over 50 concerned Oak Ridge citizens listened to the candidates, asking a variety of questions. The session was covered by local television media.

"It was a great meeting," said Martin McBride, Spokesperson for the group. "We really appreciate the candidates taking the time to talk with Oak Ridge citizens about the tax initiatives. Oak Ridge citizens pay one of the highest combined (city and county) property tax rates in the State of Tennessee. This was an important session, the first one that explored the issue of state-level support for an Oak Ridge TABOR."

Of the local candidates running for state office, Steve Mead, a Republican running for state representative, and Gary Farmer, a Democrat running for state senator, gave strong statements of support. Both said they are absolutely behind the proposed Oak Ridge TABOR and if elected, would work to clear any state barriers to a enactment of a TABOR for Oak Ridge.

Jim Hackworth, a Democrat running for state representative, also indicated that he would support an Oak Ridge TABOR, if Oak Ridgers voted for it.

Republican state Sen. Randy McNally sent a representative to the meeting who indicated that McNally is studying the proposal and had asked the State Attorney General for a legal opinion on it.

A representative from the Van Hilleary for Governor campaign said Hilleary is very supportive and discussed the Republican gubernatorial candidate's tax control stance. Hilleary has previously endorsed a state-wide TABOR for Tennessee, patterned after the Colorado example.

Concerning the issue of whether an Oak Ridge TABOR would be allowed under the state constitution, Hilleary's representative said Hilleary does not view a State Attorney General opinion as the last word on legal status.

Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Ray Ledford had planned to attend the meeting but canceled at the last minute due to illness. "Ray called just prior to the meeting and offered both his strong support for the Oak Ridge TABOR and his apologies for not being able to attend," said McBride. "He offered to come to a future meeting to discuss the TABOR, which we really appreciate."

Independent gubernatorial candidate Ed Sanders also planned to attend the meeting but had last-munite car trouble, McBride said.

(Editor's Note: No word on whether Sanders likes the TABOR concept, but his support for a statutory graduated income tax makes it unlikely he supports TABOR in any form.)

The Phil Bredesen for Governor campaign indicated that they would not attend the meeting and told the Accountability Project that they would be sending a letter discussing their position.

(Editor's note: Bredesen is on record opposing the TABOR concept.)

"We hoped the Bredesen campaign would be able to attend so that they could become better informed on both the tax problem and the proposed solution," said McBride. "We were disappointed that the issue was apparently not as high on Mr. Bredesen's screen, as it was with some of the other candidates for Governor."

According to the Tennessee Comptroller, Oak Ridge taxpayers currently pay the second highest combined (city and county) tax rate in the State of Tennessee at $6.08. Only Memphis (at $7.02) is higher than Oak Ridge. The combined rates in other Tennessee cities are lower, including those in: Chattanooga ($5.58), Collierville ($5.24), Germantown ($5.09), Kingsport ($4.70), Nashville ($4.58), Cookeville ($4.14), and Johnson City ($4.08).

"Oak Ridge property tax rates are a real issue in the community and we look forward to receiving Mr. Bredesen's letter on the subject. Planned annual property tax increases of 7% to 9% per year, could one day edge Oak Ridge area tax rates above those in Memphis."

After the meeting, Farmer, the Democrat running for state senator, "summed the case up for the Oak Ridge tax initiatives as well as anyone," says McBride.

He quoted Farmer as saying: "I am 100 percent behind an Oak Ridge TABOR because I am interested in helping people control their tax rates. I am concerned about helping the working poor, who have to struggle each day to make ends meet. They get hit hardest with these taxes. They need to be able to use their money to help their families."

The proposed Oak Ridge TABOR is posted on the web at
TNTaxRevolt.org. For further information, contact the Oak Ridge Accountability Project at (865) 482-7346 or send them an email at: accountable-at-earthlink.net

About 424 petition signatures would be necessary in order to trigger election of a seven-member Oak Ridge City Charter Commission, the next step in the tax initiative process.