This calls into question many claims that implementing an income tax in Tennessee or asking corporations to pay their fair share would harm recruitment to the state. We need MORE REVENUE with justice, and Tennessee's tax "burden" has actually shrunk in recent years. This ranking is nothing to brag about - we have the 4th lowest overall tax rate, and that leads directly to Tennessee's poor rankings in the following areas: (thanks to TFT intern Katie Findley for her research on this!)
Children and Education
• 37th in percent of public school eighth graders proficient or better in reading in 2007
• 39th in estimated average salary of public school classroom teachers in 2009. (National average = $55,350/ Tennessee $46, 290) = interesting statistic given the attack on teachers' collective bargaining rights this legislative session
• 9th highest children living in poverty in 2008
• 39th in child poverty
• 41st in percent of public school fourth graders proficient or better in reading in 2007
• 41st in percent of population graduated from high school in 2008
• 41st in percent of public school eighth graders proficient or better in mathematics in 2009
• 44th in books in public libraries per capita in 2007
• 44th in percent of public school fourth graders proficient or better in mathematics in 2009
• 23rd in per capita state and local government expenditures for education in 2007
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
Economy
• 2nd in personal bankruptcy rate in 2009. (National rate = 434 per 100,000/ Tennessee = 843 per 100,000)
• 36th in Per Capita personal income in 2009. (National per capita = $40,208 / Tennessee = $34,976)
• 45th median household income in 2008. (National Median = $51,297/ Tennessee = $41,978)
• 29th Average Annual Pay in 2008. (National Average = $45, 563/ Tennessee Average = $ 39, 996)
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
Elderly
• *4th highest rate of elderly individuals living in poverty rate for in 2008
• ^ 52.5% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^ "American Fact Finder". U.S. Census Bureau. 3/30/10
Hurting Residents and the Economy
According to a November 2010 report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Tennessee is among 29 states that are expected to cut services to individuals who are elderly or disabled. These cuts are arguably due to a tax structure that does not produce the adequate revenue to support services for the most vulnerable. This reduction in services not only impacts the recipients, the elderly and disabled in communities across Tennessee, but it also negatively affects the state economy. The CBPP states that cuts to services will reduce overall economic activity and therefore dampen the recovery of the economy.
Systemic change to the tax structure is needed, as the state cannot rely mainly on the revenue from sales tax. Tennesseans for Fair Taxation supports, through legislative change and advocacy, a diverse and fair structure for state revenue collection that both bolster residents and economic growth.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1214
Environment and Conservation
• 9th most released toxic air emissions in 2007
• 10th most toxins released (includes air, water, underground, and surface land) in 2007
• 8th most coal mines in 2008
• ^39th: Air Pollution
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
Health Care
• *14.4% = Percentage of population not covered by health insurance in 2008
• *10.4% = Percentage of population lacking access to primary care in 2010
• *6th highest births of low birth weight in 2007
• *4th highest infant mortality rate in 2006
• *13th highest death rate by diseases of the heart in 2006
• *13th highest in estimated deaths by cancer in 2009
• *9th highest teenage birthrate in 2007
• *2nd highest in percent of adults overweight or obese in 2008
• ^48th: Poor Physical Health Days
• ^46th: Infant Mortality
• ^46th: Cancer Deaths
• ^45th: Preventable Hospitalizations
• ^44th: Cardiovascular Deaths
• ^41st: Smoking Prevalence
• ^39th: Infectious Diseases
• ^47th: Prenatal Care
• ^41st: Poor Mental Health Days
• ^31st: Lack of Health insurance
• ^21st: Public Health Funding
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
Higher Education
• 37th in percentage of population who have completed an advance degree in 2008
• 41st in percentage of population that has a bachelor's degree or more in 2008. (National percentage = 22.9 / Tennessee = 27.7%)
• 49th per capita state and local government expenditures for higher education in 2007
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
Hunger and Poverty
• *5th highest percent of population receiving public aid in 2007
• *4th highest elderly in poverty rate in 2008
• *9th highest children living in poverty in 2008
• *10th highest poverty rate in 2008
• *10th highest families living in poverty in 2008
• ^16th Geographic Disparity
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
As organizations that provide food for the hungry are reporting supply shortages, the need for food continues to increase. Communities across the state are riddled with unemployment and hunger is on the rise. Organizations that often rely on donations are struggling to provide services to an increasingly growing population of those in need.
With creativity and cooperation, policy changes can be the solution to reducing the hunger problem in Tennessee. A fair taxation system in Tennessee that collects revenue from many diverse sources, and does not rely primarily on sales tax, is crucial. Increased revenue into the state can translate into additional services for those in need, fully fund and support existing programs, and subsequently reduce hunger and poverty.
http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13521873
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89817185&ft=1&f=1001
Labor and Worker Rights
• *29th Average Annual Pay in 2008. (National Average = $45, 563/ Tennessee Average = $ 39, 996)
• *45th in average hourly earnings of production workers on manufacturing payrolls in 2009. (National Average= $ 18.49/ Tennessee = $15.12)
• *34th in job growth from 2008 to 2009. (National percent change = 3.1% decrease / Tennessee = 3.9% decrease)
• ^30th: Occupational Fatalities
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
Tennessee’s Time
With the state unemployment rate at 9.4 percent, it is time for legislative changes to make Tennessee a leader nationally in job growth and economic stability. Governor Bill Haslam, the self-titled “chief salesman” of the state, has vowed to bring sustainable jobs to Tennessee.
“Bill understands that we must get people back to work quickly while also having a plan for long-term economic growth. Bill will lead an administration whose overarching goal will be to make Tennessee the No. 1 state in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
-Bill’s Priorities, www.billhaslam.org
Given Tennessee was ranked 34th worst in job growth from 2008 to 2009; state government officials must act now to support existing businesses and encourage new business growth. Creating an environment where business can flourish and the unemployed can re-enter the workforce must be a priority of the new administration. Effective policies that reduce the financial tax burden on small businesses can increase both the workforce and economic sustainability in communities.
http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/6609
Persons with Disabilities
• 35th in average monthly social security supplemental security income payment (disability) in 2007
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
Public Safety
• *3rd highest violent crime rate in 2008 (Includes murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault)
• *3rd highest crime rate in 2008
(Includes murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft)
• *2nd highest aggravated assault rate in 2008
(Aggravated assault is an attack for the purpose of inflicting severe bodily injury)
• *8th highest murder rate in 2008
• *8th highest robbery rate in 2008
• *31st lowest per capita state and local government expenditures for police protection in 2007. (National Average = $279 per capita, Tennessee = $221 per capita)
• ^48th: Violent Crime
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
^United Health Foundation: America's Health Rankings 2010. No. 1 is best; No. 50 is worst.
Jobs, Small Business, and Income (please double check all menu titles for correct naming)
• 2nd in personal bankruptcy rate in 2009. (National rate = 434 per 100,00/ Tennessee = 843 per 100,000)
• 36th in Per Capita personal income in 2009. (National per capita = $40,208 / Tennessee = $34,976)
• 45th median household income in 2008. (National Median = $51,297/ Tennessee = $41,978)
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
Transportation
• 2nd in percentage of commuters who drive to work alone in 2008
• 15th in deficient bridges in 2008
• 40th in percent of commuters who travel to work by public transportation in 2008
• 47th in percentage of public road and street mileage federally funded in 2008
* Morgan, Kathleen O'Leary and Morgan, Scott. CQ Press's State Fact Finder Series: State Rankings 2010. Washington, DC, 2010.
Moving Forward
“To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information -- from high-speed rail to high-speed Internet.
Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.”
We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, constructed the Interstate Highway System. The jobs created by these projects didn’t just come from laying down track or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town’s new train station or the new off-ramp.
So over the last two years, we’ve begun rebuilding for the 21st century, a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. And tonight, I’m proposing that we redouble those efforts.
We’ll put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges. We’ll make sure this is fully paid for, attract private investment, and pick projects based [on] what’s best for the economy, not politicians.”
-Remarks by President Obama in the State of the Union Address, January 25, 2011
The cooperation of state government is needed to support federal efforts to improve the highways and byways of American communities. These construction efforts may only be possible with the financial support of the federal government and a state tax infrastructure. Such support will bring much needed revenue to Tennessee which can be used to support existing projects and create new ones. Critical projects, such as the construction and repair of roads and structurally-deficient bridges, can only move forward when adequately funded. State leaders must enact legislation that can increase revenue to fund transportation initiatives that can become catalysts for economic growth and poverty reduction.
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