Summary

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 221587
Story Slug Gov - Legislative - Preview
Location Nashville, TN
Format Pkg
Date 01/07/2002
Archive Time 55:08
TRT 2:14
Supers Nashville, Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist Michael Douglas, Charlie Bob's Restaurant Patto Hare, Waitress Will Tidwell, Voter Ben Hall, Reporting
Video Description GOVERNOR SOT, PICKETERS CHANTING, GOVERNOR SOT, MAN AT MIKE TALKING, LEGISLATURE, GOVERNOR SOT, CAMERA, MAN AT PODIUM, RESTAURANT, MAN SOT, WOMAN SOT, MAN SOT, MAN AT GRILL, WOMAN SOT, MAN SOT, PEOPLE CHANTING AND SCREAMING, GOVERNOR SOT, PEOPLE CLAPPING AND CHEERING, PEOPLE BOOING LEGISLATURE
Script LEAD: TENNESSEE LEGISLATORS WILL BE BACK IN SESSION TUESDAY DEALING WITH A BUDGET BATTLE. ON MONDAY, GOVERNOR DON SUNDQUIST URGED THEM TO COMPROMISE AND PASS SOME KIND OF TAX REFORM. REPORTER BEN HALL SHOWS US WHY THIS WILL BE ANOTHER WILD LEGISLATIVE SESSION. (TAKE PKG) SCRIPT: (SOT - SUNDQUIST "We need a solution I'm ready to work on a solution.") GOVERNOR SUNDQUIST HOPES THINGS ARE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. HE MET WITH REPORTERS IN HIS CAPITAL OFFICE. AN OFFICE THAT HAD A WINDOW BUSTED OUT LAST YEAR WHEN INCOME TAX PROTESTERS SURROUNDED THE CAPITAL. GOVERNOR SUNDQUIST WANTS TO COOPERATE WITH LEGISLATORS, BUT HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN FROM HIS CALL FOR TAX REFORM. (SOT - SUNDQUIST "This is my forth year on this problem. I don't want to say I told you so, but I did. My worst fears have occurred.") WHEN LEGISLATORS CONVENE THEY FACE A HUGE BUDGET SHORTFALL AND NEXT YEAR THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO USE FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN TOBACCO MONEY AS THEY DID FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. (SOT - SUNDQUIST "I hope the people of Tennessee will speak up and say fix it.") GOVERNOR SUNDQUIST BELIEVES PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS THE BUDGET SITUATION IS. FAR FROM THE CAPITAL AT CHARLIE BOB'S RESTAURANT YOU BEGIN TO HEAR PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATE HAS A BUDGET PROBLEM. (SOT DOUGLAS "Were running out of money, we don't have enough money and we go to put income tax on us." (SOT HARE What's happening to our money, it's still going to them right, lets take care of the little people.") (SOT TIDWELL "Clearly there needs to be some changes in the budget, where that is I really don't know.") BUT THERE IS NO SILENT MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF AN INCOME TAX. (SOT HARE "Can we still afford to pay that out and work for $5.30 and hour or a server like me working for $2.15 an hour bologna.") (SOT DOUGLAS "You know we don't want no income tax, we're not going to have it.") AND FOR THOSE WHO SAY MAKE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CUTS -- GOVERNOR SUNDQUIST SAYS NO. (SOT - SUNDQUIST "I am not going to put together a budget that moves this state backwards.") THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR ANOTHER DRAMATIC LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AN INCOME TAX, SALES TAX INCREASE AND HUGE CUTS ARE ALL ON THE TABLE. (END PKG) TAG: ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES LEGISLATORS WILL TAKE UP IS REDISTRICTING. MANY REPUBLICANS FEEL DEMOCRATS HAVE REDRAWN DISTRICTS UNFAIRLY. ATLANTIC
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