This week’s Dose of news: Nashville is on a fiscal cliff while the state sits on millions – Tennessean
This past week marked the one-year anniversary of The Dose. We can’t even believe it! It’s been so much fun. Thank you for subscribing! We’ve enjoyed growing and learning more about what you want, and we are ready to make our second year even better. So, don’t be a stranger. Email me! You can send me feedback about this newsletter, story ideas, funny memes and random ruminations. But please give me a minute to reply, because next week The Dose will be on vacation. Now, here’s this week’s Dose of news from your very own Jessica Bliss — who really is so thankful for all of you!
This week’s dose of news
The state announced a plan to begin spending down $732 million in reserves to help the working poor. Then legislatures said: Hold on just a minute.
Let’s start from the beginning. A few weeks back, a new report by the Beacon Center of Tennessee (a conservative think tank) revealed the state has nearly three-quarters-of-a-billion dollars in unspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds (usually called TANF) — a block grant intended to provide aid to poor working families. What exactly does the program do, you ask? Here are five things to know about it and how the money is currently being used.
After news of the reserve surfaced, the Department of Human Services received a lot of flack for hanging on to the money. While other states used TANF funding on more job training, child care for working parents and new programs to combat the opioid crisis, Tennessee left millions unspent. (Here’s look back at the program through the years). So, on Tuesday, the Department of Human Services unveiled a plan to begin spending that reserve. (Want more details on that plan? We’ve got you.) State legislatures then balked at the move. “We are surprised and confused with the one-hour notice,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton said about how they were informed of the spend down. Meanwhile, the head of DHS said this plan has been in the works all along. Next steps? At a hearing with the House finance committee Wednesday, DHS was told to have a “come to Jesus meeting” and to “never allow it to happen again.”
Updates, quick hits and tidbits
- Here’s “a game-changer”: The Titans’ expansion project will nearly double size of team headquarters.
- And here’s something about the game that’s not changing: Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason will return for 2020 season. Here’s how he got off the hot seat.
- Someone else is leaving, though: Nashville’s Community Oversight director has resigned, citing “extreme stress.”
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Numbers worth knowing
The city’s budget is out of whack, and Nashville is now on notice.
Last week, state Comptroller Justin Wilson warned Metro Council members Nashville is on the edge of a fiscal cliff — and now the city’s independence is at risk. Without an approved balanced budget, the state can take control of the city’s finances and decide what gets paid, cutting first what state law determines as “optional services.” Here’s all you need to know, but first a quick look at the city’s finances, by the numbers.
$2.33 billion: The city’s current budget, a $101.5 million overall increase from the previous year.
102%: How much city revenues have grown since 2013, but spending is up more than 137%.
$336.9 million: How much Nashville is expected to pay on debt service this fiscal year, putting the city’s debt payments at a record level. Nashville has $4.6 billion in outstanding general obligation debt.
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All the good feels
Scott Hamilton and Brad Paisley have created a book for kids whose parents are battling cancer
The Olympic ice skater and country music star are buds. This year, they have taken that friendship to a new level to create a children’s book written to help parents talk to their kids about cancer. “Fritzy Finds a Hat” tells the story of a young boy who loves to skate looking for the perfect hat for his mom to wear when her hair falls out because of treatment to battle her cancer. Paisley did the hat illustrations for the story, which strikes close to home for Hamilton: A cancer survivor who lost his mother to the same disease when he was 18. Take a look!
Quote of the week
“The two gifts your parents give you are the people you want to be and the people you don’t want to be.”
— Country music star Garth Brooks on his early influences.
That’s right, it’s Garth Week! The USA TODAY Network sat down with Brooks ahead of his unprecedented seventh Entertainer of The Year win at last week’s CMA Awards. Brooks chronicled his rise from a young man in Oklahoma to becoming one of the biggest stars in country music history. This is chapter one in a five-part series. Plus, we have more on his big career gamble and how he found resilience in rejection.
The Dose is taking a week off. We’re going to dip our toes in the ocean and enjoy the best holiday of the year. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And, for those of you who still want to binge on news, right along with your sweet potatoes and stuffing, we have the perfect side dish. Sign up for The Tennessean’s Daily Briefing newsletter and get all the interesting reads over the holiday week.
HELP POWER THE DOSE: If you don’t already subscribe to The Tennessean, now is the best time to support local journalism.
Published 8:17 PM EST Nov 20, 2019
