Reform or Status Quo?

Taxes. Tennessee ranks highest among all 50 states in a new study of state and local sales taxes according to the nonpartisan research organization - The Tax Foundation. In fact, according to their study, Tennessee has the highest combined state and local sales tax rate with an average of 9.43 percent. (link...)

Existing Tax Holidays. Since 2006, Tennessee has held its sales tax holidays during the first week of August for clothing, school supplies, and computers. The holiday last for three days. During a few select years the sales tax holidays have also taken place in April; however that hasn’t happened for the last several years.

Economic Impact of Tax Holidays. According to Vanderbilt University Economist, Malcolm Getz - "What the consumer saves on taxes reduces government spending, so the net effect is zero." Reference - The Tennessean.

Current Grocery Tax. The state sales and use tax rate on sales of food and food ingredients is currently at 5.25% plus the applicable local sales and use tax rate. Prepared food, dietary supplements, candy, alcoholic beverages and tobacco continue to be subject to the general state sales and use tax rate of 7% plus the applicable local sales and use tax rate. There has been much debate and some progress on lowering the tax on food; however, Tennesseans still pays amongst the highest combined sales taxes on food in the entire nation.

Learning from the Past to Improve the Future. I remember how my mother and grandmother bought groceries; they used the freezer and pinched pennies whenever they could. I remember them stocking up on non-perishables, while buying the perishable fruits, vegetables, bread and milk weekly and only buying meat once a week, if even then. Your family was more than likely just like mine. These are Tennessee traditions, our values.

Reform. I would propose legislative reform that would allow a semi-annual 3-day Holiday on the Grocery Sales Tax for food and food ingredients from the 5.25% rate to 0%. This proposed Sales Tax Holiday on Groceries could help families plan for their future while saving money on their taxes. This proposal would be another bold step in the right direction; not the ending point.

Status Quo. What has Ken Calfee proposed? Vague generalities. The election is right around the corner. It’s time for Kent Calfee to provide specifics. Who is Kent Calfee? What is Kent for? He has proven that he’s not willing to debate for anyone to find out.

Unveiled! I hope voters realize that Kent has always been for the status quo, even though he's trying to re-invent himself and seems to think that the opportunity to represent you is a foregone conclusion. I ask you to stand with me against the status quo. We can reform the government to make it work for the people and the economy.

My leadership in the community is not just campaign fodder. I am a candidate that cares deeply about my fellow citizens. I am ready to work for you. I am ready to discuss the issues. I am accessible. I am ready to lead.

I ask for your vote.

Jack

Vote New, Jack McNew
Vote New in 32

Missing? I attended the Oak Ridge League of Women Voters Forum tonight at 7 p.m. I was joined tonight by Conservative Allen Cole. As typical, Kent Calfee was not present. The moderator ended up reading a statement provided by Mr. Calfee that said he had another engagement. I have to ask, what was more important tonight? The Roane Alliance had their Elected Officials Appreciation event tonight at 5:30 p.m., but Kent is not an elected official. So where was he?

Presumptuous? House Speaker Beth Harwell seems to have already anointed Mr. Calfee as the State Representative for the 32nd District by default; however, Kent hasn't yet won the election. I don't believe that he should already be referred to as State Representative Kent Calfee by Speaker Harwell. Do you? The campaign is far from over. His actions are presumptuous. He seems to believe that he’s already won the election and doesn’t need to debate. I have participated in three debates so far. Kent showed up at the Tea Party debate, which ended up getting him in hot water for his misstatements. Kent failed to show up for the remaining debates during the primary season too.

Unanswered Questions? The debates and forums give the people the opportunity to learn about the candidates. The voters have the opportunity to compare us side by side. I have to ask, do the people of the 32nd District really know the real Kent Calfee? Is he a leader? Is this how a leader is supposed to act? Even though Kent Calfee held a seat on the County Commission for 20 years, I don’t believe the people of Roane and Loudon Counties truly know the politician Kent Calfee. During the primary season, the voters only heard the talking points of a well-funded campaign run by outsiders masked by the now re-made candidate Kent Calfee.

Unsuccessful Leadership? We know that Kent has been unsuccessful fighting against the disabled tigers at Tiger Haven. He also lost in his fight against the Crete Carrier, the trucking company that invested millions in Lenoir City and Roane County. Kent was even on the opposite side of the Roane County Commission and the County Mayor in his efforts to stop economic development.

Unveiled! Is Kent scared to debate me? Is Kent even scared of the public? I have proven that I am accessible. I stand by the fact that I am not for sale as a candidate. I pledge that I will not be for sale as your State Representative. I will fight for bold reform for the 32nd District and all of Tennessee.

Reform or Status Quo? I hope that you will take the time to understand who I am. I am for reform that will position the State well for the future. I hope you realize that Kent has always been for the status quo, even though he's trying to re-invent himself and seems to think that the opportunity to represent you is a foregone conclusion. I ask you to stand with me against the status quo.

I am ready to work for you. I am ready to discuss the issues. I am accessible. I am ready to lead.

I ask for your vote.

Jack

Vote New, Jack McNew
Vote New in 32

Do you want status quo or bold reform?

Bold Reform. It’s time for a new direction. It’s time for a new way of doing things. I believe we have much bigger issues that require immediate reform in order to position the State and our Counties and cities for the 21st Century as we compete with other States and countries around the globe.

Priorities. Voters tell me that their top State priority is modernizing our government for today’s economy and the future. Voters tell me that they want good jobs and a healthy community. We have so many areas in government to improve on. Like the voters that I have spoken with, I know that we need a new approach to governmental operations for the future, not a government stuck in the past. The status quo is just playing around the edges. I see no logical reason that our State and local governments cannot be improved. As a community leader, I know that we must aspire to achieve simplicity, efficiency and accountability in government in order to position the State and local governments to excel in the future and not just cave into the status quo. There is no time to waste; we have to get working! We can invest in our priorities through the savings and resources from true reform, not more status quo.

Metro, Hybrid or Status Quo. The time is right to move forward to a more streamlined and efficient government at all levels, especially under the purview of the State Representative’s legislative authority to reform government at the State and local levels. The platform for my campaign is simple – simplify government by streamlining State and Local government operations to save cost and invest for the future.

Leadership. As your next State Representative I can introduce laws and cast votes for this new approach. This is the job of the State House and Senate. No one else can change the laws that can improve our local governments – I will. I will introduce legislation in the House to reform government by streamlining the levels of government. I will propose ways to modernize the government by simplifying the cooperative agreements between the State and its Counties and Cities – basically, reforming Metro Government laws that offer the benefits of: simplicity, efficiency and accountability. We can achieve this through a reformed metro government model, a new Hybrid model or come up with a new way.

Current Laws Fail. Tennessee law is stagnant. Tennessee's out-of-date State laws on Metro Government were originally passed all the way back in the 1970s. They require cities and counties to mutually agree to Metro Government which is often against their individual political self-serving interest. Oddly Metro Government has only passed in 3 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. A new approach is needed right now to economically survive with our limited resources and tax dollars.

Status Quo. I am not one of those who think that our system is fundamentally broken or that our system is infested with “good ole’ boys”, but I do believe my new reforms will renew our economy. I believe cooperation makes perfect sense to voters; however, politicians often have a hard time achieving true cooperative agreements due to territorial protectionism. I sympathize with those elected officials and current government employees who are reluctant to accept change. I understand that it is always easier to keep on doing things the same way we have always been doing things, however the world is changing and we are competing with our neighboring counties, States, and other countries across the world. My opponent, Kent Calfee, has been the status quo for over 20 years. It’s time for new leadership.

Change is Fundamental. It all happened right before our eyes, but as a reminder - our current form of local government has, in fact, changed over the past 30 years. At the county level, we have gone from a county judge with a quarterly court to a county mayor with a county commission. Across the State, at the city level, we have gone from city commissions to city councils. We have always modernized our local forms of government in an effort to make them simpler and more efficient and more accountable. It’s time that someone with a vision fought for new, better government for Loudon and Roane counties.

Focused Leadership. As a candidate I have researched what "one" piece of legislation that I could introduce to make a positive impact and I firmly believe this is it. Why? Because, I realized that the combination of our many current local governments into one that would produce a government that would be simpler, more efficient and more accountable than the multiple separate governments that currently exists. I will reform those out-of-date laws to ensure counties consider the benefits of streamlined government. A metropolitan government is simpler - one government instead of many, one Mayor instead of many, one representative legislative body instead of many, one law enforcement agency instead of many, one finance department instead of many, one codes department instead of many, one public works department instead of many. In Roane County, they have already combined several aspects of government resulting in one dispatch department instead of many, one school system instead of many and one 911 departments; therefore, streamlining the local government is a logical next step to respond to economic demands.

Improvement:

• Would this mean better coordinated economic development opportunities? I believe, yes. The efforts of the County and cities would be working towards one common goal – more prosperity for all of all the people.
• Would this mean fewer employees? I believe, yes — over time, by reducing the necessary number of employees could be a benefit of metropolitan government.
• Would this mean less government buildings? I believe, yes. We could solve the problem of the courthouse and City municipal building overcrowding through a metropolitan government.
• Would this mean better government accountability? I believe, yes. Metro government could include an internal audit department. The new metropolitan could send out itemized tax statements so that every taxpayer would see where their tax dollars are being spent.
• Would this mean better education for our children? I believe, yes. Streamlined government would allow us to reinvest for our future and retraining for our workers.

Vote. This is your vote, it is not their's. If someone tells you that they are against my platform for streamlined government, then ask them why and then question their motives.

Action. When you think of streamlined efficient government, think of Jack McNew. When you think of a government structured for the future, think of Jack McNew. When you think of our limited resources realigned to support the local economy, think of Jack McNew.

Now is the time for new. It's time for a new approach. I will be your vote for an efficient government with investments for the future.

Jack

Vote New. Vote Jack McNew.