Or, Steve Brown raises money from citizens, Foster, Elsten raise money at the kitchen table. Yep, Both Elsten and Foster have given their campaigns substantial loans ... while Brown has nearly matched them dollar-for-dollar and not loaned his campaign any funds. That means more donors for him -- which could be a sign of a broader base of support.
Late entrant Garry Forsythe hasn't raised much and has a long way to go to get to the $35-$40,000 believed to be needed to wage a competitive campaign.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
That's Quite a Group
The host committee for Alderman candidate Darrell Woodcock includes:
And he's running for ALDERMAN. Wondering how his opponent, Kee Bryant McCormick is doing with fundraising?
Surely Not...
... The Courtney Rogers campaign accuses Rep. Debra Maggart of using her legislative office for political purposes...
From the Nashville Post:
State House District 45 candidate Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers (Ret.) asked Speaker Beth Harwell today whether Debra Maggart’s use of her State House office phone number, taxpayer-paid employees and office space as a campaign headquarters. Maggart released her official state number at the bottom of an email asking voters to call Rogers’ unlisted home number to complain about her supposed “lying” about Maggart.
“If Maggart’s use of her official office number, space and people is not an ethics violation, it should be,” said Rogers. “Having someone else pay for your campaign staff seems to be an unfair advantage granted to incumbents.”
Campaign Manager Jeff Hartline commented, “As soon as I saw the number at the bottom of the email, I knew it was a Capitol Hill number. But I called it anyway and her Legislative Assistant, Brittany, answered the phone with an official response. Perhaps we should ask for equal access.”
Hartline continued, “This situation reminds me of her COMPASS relationship in Sumner County. Maggart uses the County Board of Education building and personnel to office and answer her phones. That’s a pretty sweet deal to have people helping you run for office that you do not have to pay for while you “earn” an income. Maggart has spent the entire campaign railing against a distinguished veteran for manufactured ethics violations when, in reality, Maggart, by her silence, supports “Ghost Voting” in the House, takes $173 per day for hotel expenses she does not incur when her colleagues from East and West Tennessee actually do incur those expenses, and uses her taypayer-supported office to run for re-election. Once Sumner County voters have heard the facts, they have been drawn to Rogers in droves. Stay tuned for a more negative campaign in these closing days.”
“The Courtney Rogers campaign has stuck to the facts in its mail, radio, and door-to-door work. We have talked about Courtney’s resume and her experience. That is our pledge and we will keep it. We call upon our opponent to pledge to do the same in these closing days of the campaign.”
From the Nashville Post:
State House District 45 candidate Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers (Ret.) asked Speaker Beth Harwell today whether Debra Maggart’s use of her State House office phone number, taxpayer-paid employees and office space as a campaign headquarters. Maggart released her official state number at the bottom of an email asking voters to call Rogers’ unlisted home number to complain about her supposed “lying” about Maggart.
“If Maggart’s use of her official office number, space and people is not an ethics violation, it should be,” said Rogers. “Having someone else pay for your campaign staff seems to be an unfair advantage granted to incumbents.”
Campaign Manager Jeff Hartline commented, “As soon as I saw the number at the bottom of the email, I knew it was a Capitol Hill number. But I called it anyway and her Legislative Assistant, Brittany, answered the phone with an official response. Perhaps we should ask for equal access.”
Hartline continued, “This situation reminds me of her COMPASS relationship in Sumner County. Maggart uses the County Board of Education building and personnel to office and answer her phones. That’s a pretty sweet deal to have people helping you run for office that you do not have to pay for while you “earn” an income. Maggart has spent the entire campaign railing against a distinguished veteran for manufactured ethics violations when, in reality, Maggart, by her silence, supports “Ghost Voting” in the House, takes $173 per day for hotel expenses she does not incur when her colleagues from East and West Tennessee actually do incur those expenses, and uses her taypayer-supported office to run for re-election. Once Sumner County voters have heard the facts, they have been drawn to Rogers in droves. Stay tuned for a more negative campaign in these closing days.”
“The Courtney Rogers campaign has stuck to the facts in its mail, radio, and door-to-door work. We have talked about Courtney’s resume and her experience. That is our pledge and we will keep it. We call upon our opponent to pledge to do the same in these closing days of the campaign.”
Maggart vs. Rogers
It's the Final Countdown! Incumbent state representative Debra Maggart is facing a stiff challenge from Courtney Rogers -- a challenge that will come to an end on Thursday.
Bankruptcies, gun rights, and "conservative credentials" are the fighting issues.
Bankruptcies, gun rights, and "conservative credentials" are the fighting issues.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
$1 Million More, Please
Because the School Board followed bad legal advice, they now will pay $1 million this year to teachers whose pay was retroactively seized in 2011 when the Board unilaterally violated the existing contract with the Sumner County Education Association. The contract called for the Board to pay 85% of health insurance benefits for that year, but the Board decided to fund a budget that only paid 80% without negotiating the proposal. Teachers had pay taken from their checks starting in February of 2011 to "make-up" for the difference. Now, that violation is costing the Board at a time when it is seeking at least $7.6 million in additional funds from the County Commission.
Quashed!!
The Silkwood Proposal was quashed on Tuesday night -- not even getting a second.
The proposal would have cut medical and other benefits to teachers and denied pay raises to over 600 employees who haven't seen a raise in four years now.
The Board will now resubmit their proposed budget to the County Commission.
The proposal would have cut medical and other benefits to teachers and denied pay raises to over 600 employees who haven't seen a raise in four years now.
The Board will now resubmit their proposed budget to the County Commission.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Teachers Win Lawsuit Over Health Insurance
The School Board lost a lawsuit filed by the system's teachers over the issue of health insurance. The suit originated when the Board unilaterally reduced its insurance match for teachers and retroactively seized teacher pay in 2011. They did so under advice from their legal counsel.
Yesterday, a judge ruled that the Board's action was wrong, violated the contract, and that the money MUST be refunded to teachers this year.
This will be an added, unplanned expense in a budget that is already $7.6 million out of balance and a County Commission so far unwilling to properly fund local schools.
The legal setback is the second in a row stemming from the Board's fight with the Sumner County Education Association.
Early in 2011, the Board issued a policy forbidding discussion of the Association on school grounds or during school hours. This is a clear violation of the First Amendment right of free speech and a court quickly agreed and ordered the Board to pay financial damages to the Association.
Yesterday, a judge ruled that the Board's action was wrong, violated the contract, and that the money MUST be refunded to teachers this year.
This will be an added, unplanned expense in a budget that is already $7.6 million out of balance and a County Commission so far unwilling to properly fund local schools.
The legal setback is the second in a row stemming from the Board's fight with the Sumner County Education Association.
Early in 2011, the Board issued a policy forbidding discussion of the Association on school grounds or during school hours. This is a clear violation of the First Amendment right of free speech and a court quickly agreed and ordered the Board to pay financial damages to the Association.
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