shirleyNANNEY
Editor
State Senator John Stevens for the 24th Senatorial District was guest speaker at the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Capitol Talk session on Friday morning at the Carroll County Civic Center.
On March 10 House member Tandy Darby will speak and on April 14 House member Brock Martin will address the audience.
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce president Brad Hurley noted that Stevens had spend 3,685 days in the General Assembly. He represents Carroll, Benton, Henry, Houston, Gibson, Weakley, Stewart and Obion Counties.
He is vice chairman of the influential Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
“Tennessee is in an enormous good financial shape,” he said. “In Tennessee, taxes are being cut.”
in 2022 there was $2.6 billion in unspent funds.
Although the state budget has not been passed this year, it is expected to be $55.6 billion.
A billion will be spent on TCAT education. Natchez Trace Lodge is being renovated.
The major item for spending this year is transportation.
“Roads are insufficient,”, he said. “We simply must do more roads.”
Three hundred million dollars will be placed in state aid.
The state is looking at “Choice Lanes” like Texas built.
“Those that use them will pay for them,” he said. “Private contractors will build them.”
$1.1 billion will be designated for K-12 education with new a new funding formula in place. Teachers’ salaries must include $125 million.
The Third Grade Retention Law is causing concern he said.
If a child has not learned to read by the third grade, they can go to a six weeks literacy camp and also have tutoring in the fourth grade if the score is below a certain mark.
Stevens said he is definitely against marijuana legislation because it is a very dangerous drug.
