Tough Drivers License Bill Turning Away Legit Immigrants
Tough Drivers License Bill Turning Away Legit Immigrants -- The Knoxville-News Sentinel picks up an AP story relating how some legitimate guest workers are being turned away from getting a TN drivers license because of tough regulations aimed at cracking down on providing licenses to illegal immigrants. The law that took effect in October allows licenses to be issued only for the period that an immigrant is legally authorized to be in the county. But, they cannot be issued for less than one year or more than five years. That creates a problem for workers with visas expiring in less than a year. Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Deb Woolley says the legislation may be yanking the welcome mat for foreign investment.
Rochelle Influenced Registry Decision? -- To say that former State Sen. Bob Rochelle is not well liked by TN Republicans may be an understatement. Rochelle, the former architect of a proposed state income tax was called in one ad the last election cycle "the prince of darkness." Now, the City Paper reports that when the Democratic rep on the State Registry of Election Finance board George Harding successfully argued before the board that it should consult the Attorney General on whether it could fine State Sen. Jerry Cooper $120,000, it may have been Rochelle who pointed out that he should. During the meeting, Harding, a self-described “good Democrat,” said he had consulted with an “old friend of mine” who had helped draft the legislation creating the Registry. The friend was former State Sen. Bob Rochelle.
AT&T Gears For Round 2 -- AT&T says it will try again this coming year to launch efforts to gain a statewide cable franchise so it can offer the so-called "triple play" of communications - cable tv, phones, and internet. That plan intiated last year, drew the ire of the Tennessee Municipal League as well as existing cable providers, who previously dealt with local governments when negotiating their contracts to provide service. Gregg Morton, the state president of AT&T: "Local control has allowed cable rates to go up. ... TML doesn’t want to talk about that, and cable certainly doesn’t want to talk about it. The only way you’re going to fix that is through competition."
Local Quick Hits -- Here are some items from local government:
- Knox Co. Schools is considering adding a student representative to the school board. The idea is being proposed by the Knoxville/Knox County Mayors' Youth Action Council. Hamilton Co. already has a student rep.
- In Shelby Co, since the fiscal year started in July, commissioners have doled out $565,000 in unbudgeted grants, courtesy of the taxpayers. A budget crisis could be looming because of the excessive spending. The budget year that ends June 30 is about halfway over and, as of Friday, all but $60,505 of the money had been used up.
- Apparently in Knox Co., Knox Co. Commissioners felt they were so unpopular they decided not to show up to wave to the crowds at the annual Christmas parade in that county. A float sponsored by local radio station WIVK had to be pulled out of the lineup at the last second when no county commissioners or other officials showed up to ride.
