What are the real consequences of TABOR?
Tennessee will remain at the bottom for generations to
come.
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here for update: Tabor defeated!
Tennessee is already 49th in education spending per capita,
46th in high school graduation rates, 42nd in environmental
spending per capita, 50th in home and community based care
for seniors, and 42rd in “Condition of Children”
index. By locking Tennessee down where
we are now, the TABOR cap will assure Tennessee stays
at the bottom for generations to come.
Tennessee won’t be able to compete with other states.
 The
TABOR cap will prevent Tennessee from making much-needed
investments in education and other services vital to economic
growth and job recruitment. Studies
have consistently shown that one of the most important
factors for business location and expansion is education
of local workforce, far outranking taxes in virtually every
study.
Tennessee will be governed by a “tyranny of the
minority.”
 By
requiring a 2/3rd majority of the General Assembly to pass
any tax increase, TABOR gives just 12 state senators the
power to hold the state hostage to their minority viewpoint.
Instead of promoting good democratic principles and majority
rule, TABOR will result in a tyranny of the minority.
Big money interests will have greater influence on tax
policy.
 In
practice, most all tax increases would go to a public
referendum where big money can exert greater influence over
public policy, again eroding our democracy. That’s
because the campaign finance laws that help level the playing
field in the legislative arena do not apply to public referendums.
With no limits on how much anyone can spend to influence
a ballot measure, those with the biggest advertising budgets
usually win.
Get more information on TABOR:
Posted April 2, 2004
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