Feds say farmers in Bradley County must have CDL to drive tractors

Better sit down and get a cup of coffee, pull a few eggs out of the hen house and pull Betsy up for a milking before you read this. Take a deep breath and have the nitroglycerin somewhere near you!

As announced on July 28th, 2011, The federal Government via the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an arm of the Department of Transportation, the DOT/FMCSA has new standards in the public comments stage of new regulation that would require all farmers and everyone on the farm to obtain a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) to operate any farming vehicle on Bradley County farms.

Yes, you heard it right! To drive any farming vehicle on your farm will require the driver to jump through many hoops to become a CDL approved driver and repeat those requirements every two years the same as Commercial Truck drivers do. Strenuous health physicals, drug testing, a CDL exam, driving tests and much more.

The DOT wants to reclassify farm vehicles and implement everything from tractors to cattle haulers as CMVs (Commercial Motorized Vehicles).

As a CDL “farmer” driver you would have to display DOT numbers, track mileage, track and limit hours worked, pay highway use taxes, probably higher insurance costs and maintain a Health Card, proving you are healthy enough to drive a vehicle which would require people with poor eyesight (greater than 20/40) and or diabetes to turn over their health card and stop driving or never meet the requirements to work on the farm and if you cant work the farm then……..you know!.
Long will be gone the 12 year old son or the 80 year grandpa working the farm into the wee hours of the morning or getting up before school and doing a few “driving chores.” If you aren’t old enough to drive or unfit to drive, you want be driving on the farm, at least not legally.

Just as a customary cost of doing business the farmer will probably have to assume the task of making everyone a “legal CDL” driver that works the farm. This will in turn, place a larger financial burden on the already cash strapped farmer. This cost will surely be passed on to the consumer in the form of paying more at the grocery store.

Just thinking out loud here, but after a farmer makes a sizeable investment in helping his hired help get a CDL license, what reassurance do they have they want hit the road and go drive a truck.

Legally and Constitutionally the DOT and the Federal Government should keep their grubby paws out of the states business but the fed has figured out a way around this also. The DOT plans to identify all agricultural commodities delivered to a processor as “interstate commerce” because their exists the possibility that the crop might actually leave the state.

This simple regulatory change would allow all federal agencies to override local, state and personal oversight of farms. The federal government would have full jurisdiction and the ability to micro-manage a farms day to day activities and practices.
Further thoughts on the farm should be the existing long simmering bills that would mandate the use of farmland based on a supposed importance of the environment or require the tracking of all farming inputs and activities to supposedly prevent outbreaks of diseases like e-coli. Does having the EPA in your backyard send a chill down your spine?

What can you do? The public comment period (the time you can call and gripe about it, which may or may not stop it) for these pending transportation rules changes is set to expire at the end of this month. Convenient, they gave you plenty of time, huh?
Farmers, let me warn you now!

I have been preaching about these and changes like them and how they will affect you and the new regulations that are coming your way for months now.

I have warned you that a huge property grab is coming your way in the form of the BCC 2035 Growth plan. I have written about the White House Rural Council and the multi member task forces that will eventually take your farm.

I still get the same response from most of you, “Mr Commissioner or Mayor said that will never happen or do you think we would ever vote in something like that?” The Constitution and the 10th amendment along with our forefathers warned us this would one day happen, well, that day is here. The local guys no longer have the correct answer, their authority has long been removed.

We are beyond the local level. The federal government will and can override any and all local regulations and replace it with their own and then provide oversight to make it happen. We are no longer in a wait and see pattern, we are in an implementation pattern and we have the right President in DC to pull this off. The tyranny our forefathers warned us about if we didn’t protect our republic, well its here and its happening.

Farmers are really the last bastion of Americana. You are the last of a dying breed. We need and value you. Future farmers if they have their way will be federal farmers hired by the states to run your farm the day after they over regulate your farm and take it away from you.
Only the will of the people” can stop this madness! You can go to http://www.regulations.gov and complain on the public comments section. Get busy or its going to get even uglier.

They are counting on you to stand, watch and do nothing.

Contributing Source: WXXR Channel 25 NEWS, New America website.

The New Missouri Compromise

The New Missouri Compromise
by John Wright

John is our first contributing reporter, thank you, and I hope you enjoy!

IN 2006 the debt limit was $8.3 Trillion. In 2006 the deficit was $160 Billion. That was the last year that Republicans controlled Congress. We have not had a budget in over two and a half years even though the Constitution mandates a budget. Every year the Democrat controlled Congress has increased the debt ceiling.

This year the debt ceiling is $14.3 Trillion. It is not accurate to say “current budget” as no such thing exists. What we have is an projection that the government will spend $3.5 Trillion dollars in this fiscal year. Revenues will only cover $2 Trillion. That leaves a deficit of $1.5 Trillion. Adding that debt to existing debt catapults us over the debt ceiling.

For that reason Democrats want to increase that ceiling again by lifting it to $16.8 Trillion over five years. That would be adding $2.5 Trillion in new debt to the existing $14.3 Trillion in debt. They want to do this even while they say they are cutting, and some complicit Republicans are going to help them do just that.

You’d be right to ask, “how can they say they are cutting, but then we have the debt go up?” That’s a good question. The answer is something you are being distracted away from. It resides in that body of “details” the President does not want to bore you with. The answer is very simple.

The fact is, none of the politicians except for Rand Paul, are discussing cutting the budget. They are arguing over how much the budget increases, over the next five or so years. The venom you hear about is in regards to which programs increase and which do not. When you hear them talk about a $2T cut, that isn’t a cut from the $3.5 Trillion pseudo-budget. Such is what we desperately need, but that isn’t what they are discussing.

To the politicians, that $3.5 trillion dollars of current spending is a baseline, to that they intend to add a projected 5-7% increase compounded every year. They are simply wrangling over what parts of the increases to trim down to stay within that 5-7%. It’s not the existing level of spending that’s in question, it’s what gets increased and how much. That’s the dirty little secret, the details that Obama did not want to bore us with. This is how they talk about cuts even while the CBO says that we keep having ever larger debt.

The Democrats want to keep spending because they buy their votes. Some Republicans, those who tend to vote along with the Democrats are guilty of the same thing. That is why Democrats, and Republicans who act like Democrats, or RINOs, want desperately to put things off till after next year’s election.

But here is the rub: As long as we keep electing leaders that serve themselves instead of ‘We the People’, the economy will never improve, wages will never go back up, manufacturing will continue to flee our shores, new career level jobs will not reappear, homes and retirement accounts will never regain their value, and we will be locked into a never ending cycle of “stagflation”. And it all will likely get worse.

The long term solution requires that we elect leaders who have the courage to stop compromising and fight. They have to stop serving their position in the oligarchy and serve the best interests of We the People. And we the electorate simply must stop following pundits such as Bill Kristol, Carl Rove, and Charles Krauthammer. They are naught but Big Government Centrists, statists, corporatists, economic fascists, globalists, and self-righteous National Socialist windbags. They self identify as Neo-Conservatives to fool us into thinking they are true Conservatives. They are not, and they lead us awry every time by convincing Conservatives to compromise.

There can be no more compromises if we are to escape the debt trap into slavery. Especially now, as to compromise on raising the debt ceiling, and not demand actual budget cutting, is as sure a tool of slavery as was the last great compromise, the Missouri Compromise. And indeed, Democrats and those Republicans who are their accomplices are setting in effect the terms of our nation’s very enslavement with what they are proposing. So stand strong, and hold the line as you demand that there be no debt ceiling increase, only a cutting of spending.

TACIR is our ICLEI!

We have recently recognized our own City Mayors recent “Prestigious” re-appointment to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Affairs, TACIR for short.

This organization in my opinion, is to be most feared in our community and threatens our livelihood and economic stability of our local community, FAR BEYOND WHAT I CAN DESCRIBE TO YOU!

This agency although government associated, not elected by our people, has been adopted and embraced by our Local City Mayor Tom Rowland. He has elevated its status and it has been allowed to set policy, mainly our growth policy in Bradley County for many years unrecognized for it leftist agenda. It has been allowed to be a reckoning force of setting a liberal policy in Cleveland and eventually Bradley County for many years.

The direct minion of this disastrous community effort has been re-appointed by Governor Bill Haslam recently.

TACIR is to be feared.

The Tennessee General Assembly created a framework for development of sound growth policy in 1998 by enacting Public Chapter 1101 (PC 1101), “The Growth Policy Act.”

PC1101 requires local officials within each of the ninety two non-metropolitan counties to shape growth policy through the development of 20 year old growth plans. The act did not impose a single state wide solution, it did however, include five statements of legislative intent:

1) To eliminate annexation or incorporation out of fear
2) To establish incentives to annex or incorporate where appropriate
3) To more closely match the timing of development to the provision of public services
4) To Stabilize each county’s education funding base and establish an incentive for each county legislative body to be more interested in educational matters.
5) TO MINIMIZE URBAN SPRAWL!!!

The General assembly has assigned ALL responsibility for monitoring the implementation of PC 1101 to TACIR!

PC 1101 provides that counties and their associated municipalities are to develop county wide growth plans. These plans are to be developed and recommended by coordinating committees and submitted to county commissions and the governing bodies of the municipalities within the county. Counties and municipalities may reject or ratify those plans. Ratified plans are are submitted to the local Government Planning Advisory Committee (LGPAC).

The plans are to establish Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), Planned Growth Areas (PGA), and Rural Areas (RA’s).County and Municipal governments may declare an impasse and have plan conflicts resolved by the Secretary of States Office.
Smart Growth and Urban Sprawl.

The TACIR paints this relative but bleak scenario of our county on its website and I quote loosley:

People are driving 50 miles or more to their jobs, sitting in traffic for hours each day. Like generals going to battle every day, they plan their activities strategically before leaving home. When they pull out of their driveways, many see a transformed driveway, one that does not look like the place where they settled just a few years ago. Farms are becoming housing-subdivisions or shopping centers, small towns are becoming suburbs, suburbs are becoming sattelite cities, two lane roads are becoming 4 lane highways…..this phenomenon has become known by a single word……SPRAWL!

Smart Growth according to the TACIR website is about:
1) Finding new sources of economic vitality for rural towns and counties that are spiraling downward with a loss of jobs, tax revenues, social services and people.
2) Finding ways to preserve the scenic beauty …to attract tourism, second homes and retirement development.
3) Rejuvenating Cities and inner suburbs

The TACIR website continues to elaborate ,Smart Growth then, is not about curtailing all growth, it is about each community planning wisely for the future.

Source: Smart Growth for Tennessee Towns and Counties, a process guide by Mary English, Jean Peretz and melissa Manderschied, UT Knoville, feb 1999

SPRAWL: Some reasons to be concerned:
1) It sucks the life out of older downtowns and neighborhoods
2) Destroys community character and countryside
3) Reduces face to face interaction among people, thereby making it difficult to create or retain a sense of community.
4) Forecloses alternatives to the automobile as a means of transportation
5) Leaves older cities and towns with excessively high concentrations of poor people, social problems…

Source: Constance E. Beaumont, 1996. Smart States, better communities, Washington DC, National Trust for Historic Preservation, page 264.

TACIR also on the site shows links to Multiple Perspectives on Growth. Pay special attention to some of the sites where they develop their philosophy and refer to to drive their policy, listen very carefully!

1) The Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org Ding Dong, huge bells!
2) Smart Communities network http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org
3) US Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov More bells and whistles sounding!
4) US Dept of Agricultures Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov
5) American Farmland Trust http://www.farmland.org
6) AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION!!!! DING DONG< HUGE BELLS! http://www.planning.org
7) American Policy Center http://www.americanpolicy.org, most interesting to me!
8) Center for Liveable Communities, http://www.lgc.org
9) Center for Neighborhood technology http://www.cnt.org
10) Congress for New Urbanism http://www.cnu.org
11) The Conservation Fund http://www.conservationfund.org
12) Environmental Law Institute http://www.eli.org
13) Environmental Law from Lexis Nexis http://www.lexisnexis.com
14) International City/County Management Association http://www.icma.org
15) Lincoln Institute of Land Policy http://www.lincolninst.edu
16) Local Government Commission http://www.lgc.com
17) National Association of Home Builders http://www.nahb.com
18) National Associatio of Local Government Environmental Professionals http://www.nalgep.org
19) National Association of Realtors http://www.realtor.org
20) National Center for Smart Growth and research and Education http://www.smartgrowth.umd.edu
21) National League of Cities http://www.nlc.org
22) Natural Resources Defense Council http://www.nrdc.org
23) National Trust for Historical Preservation http://www.nthp.org
24) Planning Commissioners Journal http://www.plannersweb.com
25) Smart growth America http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org
26) Smart Growth Network http://www.smartgrowth.org
27) Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse http://www.sprawlwatch.org
28) Sustainable Communities Network http://www.sustainable.org
29) Urban Land Institute http://www.uli.org
30) The Trust for Public land http://www.uli.org

I am reading this at tacir@tn.gov and my heart is racing and I have discovered that I am in the belly of this beast, I have stumbled upon the organization that is solely responsible for this horribly expensive, expansive overreach into our daily lives that will directly affect our quality of life for many years to come in the form of higher taxes, new regulations, land grabs, and governemnt encroachement into our lives. Just like ICLEI!

Our future is being determined by this Non Governmental Organization and has been given state and Federal approval to enact any part of an International growth Plan that they decide upon and it started with The Presidents Council on Sustainable Development.

One profound conclusion; TACIR is our ICLEI!

Watch them closely!

Contributing source: Tacir@tn.gov website

Bradley County stimulus plan not working, Obama agrees!

Drop your stimulus weapon, you professional politician! The gig is up!

The dream of little soft beds padded with money are gone! The stimulus didn’t work……..what?………I don’t understand!……..But Barrack Obama said the endless tax dollars pumped into our neighborhoods would create jobs and save the world! The White House admits its not working!

I know as this is being reported many within our Local City and County elected leadership are back on their heels wondering why their government teet was impolitely yanked from our Mayors mouths!

While most of us had a wonderful long weekend over the July 4th holiday, President Obamas own Council of Economic Advisers provided powerful evidence that the American recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009 was nothing more than a very expensive myth and not working, so they released the news release while you were celebrating the 4th.

Oh, we got suckered and I doubt our leaders have ever seen this news release straight out of the White House. I know they want hear about any of this cause the news to the left will keep it hush hush and the politicians who have fumbled over taxpayer dollars from DC will be slightly embarrassed!

We have signs all over our county showing our dedication to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the ways of Obama! You know them! On nearly every road, the round ones with the leaves and the website at the bottom, red and blue, yeah, you have seen them. Now do you understand our City and Counties motivation over the last 2 years to spend like drunken sailors on shore leave.

The move to covertly announce the news while you were busy, was intentional, to hopefully get it past you while you were sleeping.

The White House Economic team came out at the same time on the 4th and said that the stimulus “created or saved” 2.4 million jobs, the total price tag, nearly 1 trillion dollars and growing. That is about $ 277,500 dollars per job created or saved, that is the same amount of cash delivered by Obama to our local politicians and are they ever accepting it. Hand over fist!

What did we get out of this stimulus package? We got Broadband Internet Services for a cool 7.2 billion, rural broadband that was often duplicated in the “country”, remember the White House Rural Council and the plan to take your property and make a park out of it, yeah, I wrote about it about a week ago.

The Omaha World News reported that the Omaha School Board voted to spend $130,000. In stimulus funds to buy 8,000 copies of a book on how to “become more culturally sensitive”. Our own County school board received a big ole Small Learning Communities grant to turn our local high school into a Global thinking High School complete with Social Justice for all.

Do you remember not to long ago the President rammed through this legislation that was supposed to save the world and get us on the track to prosperity? Remember it was supposed to create 3 to 4 million new jobs by the end of 2010. Can I remind you that in 2009 when this all started unemployment was 7.8% and this was to keep it from going over 8.0%, now we sit at 9.2 % by conservative estimates, some say is actually higher. Newest estimate nearly 420,000 new people unemployed.

Our locally elected officials believed in Obama! They saw the green lined coffers that will grow on the backs of this socialist acting president! They believed that change was coming to Bradley County and they were hopeful, they believed in the change agent and gave it a very sophomoric approach and went into this blindly wwithout much thought. Just looking at the money!

What is missing is how it backfired on them. It is economics 101! The government sends you money, you gladly take it and spend, save or invest the money, the money is gone and we see no positive effect on the economy. Just like at home, you make it you spend it, its gone.

The result we do see from a broken stimulus package is that higher taxes, bonds that still need to be paid off, TIF programs that are still going to need your taxpayer money to fund, higher interest rates, trillion dollars in debt, PILOT programs, no sales tax agreements with huge corporations, the free market depleted, the local guy out of business, fake worthless money being passed around like candy, a crashing pre depression economy and a big huge hole left in our local economy where stimulus money once flowed freely and we took it freely and we stand around and dare wander, “what happened?”
Our money ran out in May and the President is begging for more, the debt ceiling debate continues.

All that stimulus taken away and who is left holding the bag? Who ignored the concerned citizen who without the money in front of their eyes could not see the writing on the wall, your locally elected professional politicians, that’s who! Lets hold them accountable for this near bankruptcy of our county.

The dog and pony show is over! The Obama stimulus package is no longer stimulating, the thrill is gone. Time for us in Bradley County to breathe deep, put on our big girl panties and somehow seek a solution to fix this mess! 2012 and 2014 couldn’t come soon enough!

We would have been much better off if we had not gotten on the “change” wagon so quickly and believed that Obama could fix all our ills with his socialist ideas, advisers and eloquent speeches. We should have went with our gut on this one!

Contributing source: The Chattanooga Times Free Press

Hungry Wolves, Kings, Peasants, Higher taxes, Costly Growth Plan, in Bradley County? Time for change!

As many of you know we are heading toward a financial disaster for our town if the Growth plan goes forward as many in local government predict it will. We will be faced with a huge tax burden that will reach even into our childrens childrens future.

Billions of dollars from you and a promise from the Federal Government to provide your tax dollars to supplement this effort.

Speaking recently to a County Commissioner who will remain unidentified, because I did not disclose that I may use this in this article, but he relayed to me that he doubts future money will be there in the form of “stimulus money” in the years to come and look where we are at that point. Up to our necks in this growth project and the funds are cut off. What will that do to our coffers.

Right Mr Commissioner, not only is the Federal Government not sending our tax dollars back to us we will have to go after more at the local level in the form of a property tax or other taxes too.

Do you know how many people see our bodies and land as a tax revenue source…..bunches. They stare at you and everytime they see you they salivate, dollar bills flash in front of them like a wolf views a bloody piece of meat. (To be honest have never seen a wolf stare at a bloody piece of meat, but I have an imagination) And we are to date allowing them to do whatever they want especially as it relates to our schools.

Enough is enough Bradley County and City elected officials. We are staring at a huge beast and it fangs are glaring and the growl is at a low rumble (like the wolf staring at the bloody piece of meat, I was hoping I could use that description again). We are in the belly of the beast and our future is in the hands of the County Commission, the City Council and its Mayors.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a group of elected officials who are ignoring the cries of its citizens in hopes that someone will plant a dollar bill in their hand. Makes me want to pull what little hair I have left in my head out.

Do they not see it or are they ignoring the obvious manifestation of an ill thought out plan with a diabolical outcome. The masses must speak up on this issue.

The Nation is watching Bradley County, the eyes are upon us and our elected leaders. The County Commission has the opportunity to do the right thing and be a saving grace to our community. Lets hope they dont get distracted by the dollar signs and the minions on these Non Governmental Boards who are driving this! Lets rethink this!

Lets get the Federal Government out of our decision making at the local level and do as the state has asked us to do per public act 1101. Lets get together with the cooler heads that are prevailing here and rethink the requests of the 1101 State Act which requires us to have a growth plan or repeal the act all together. We can do that too!

Lets rethink through this and see if we can come up with an alternative plan to thwart the astronomical costs of doing it the way of the federal government and International bodies that are trying to gain ground on our freedoms. Something else must work better. Swallow the costs associated with the many misled opinionated consultants that have led us astray, forgive the politicians who know not what they have done to potentially bankrupt the City and County, forgive the few gainly professional politicians who hold state board positions who give the iron fist when negotiating and pushes their agenda down the throats of those that have a soft backbone and no padding on the behind.

Those who stare you down when you walk in the room trying to intimidate the concerned citizen, forgive them all and lets start over, with citizen input. Lets get the beuracrats, the politicians, the minions, the NGOs, the people who stand to benefit from the billions and will quickly line their pockets with taxpayer money, away from the decision making.

Where have we gone astray! Our forefathers warned us and gave us the ammunition to arm ourselves when our government at any level becomes a monarchy. Grab the Constitution Bradley County it is time to go to war, to use the constitution and remind these politicans, especially the professional ones that they work for us and we do not have to be intimidated with their tyranny.

King George had his day and believe me their are several King Georges in our midst. Time to run them accross the pond as we did a few hundred years ago. The kingdom is being built, the Kings are gaining strength and the peasants are tired of all the new taxes being forced upon them. Its time to stand up!

Lets bust up the “good ole Boy network, expose them and proverbally cut their heads off at the ballot box.Lets defang the wolf, lets vote out the Kings, rid our county of the costly Growth Plan, thwart and divert higher taxes, its time Bradley County!!!

We can do this.

Lets take our county back!

Thats a great idea!

Lets give it a try.

How about that for change!

Lets change the way the Change agent in DC is doing things.

Thats the ticket Bradley County!

GO TO WWW.bradleycountynewsnetwork.net under the government banner and vote NO on an online petition against the BCC 2035 Growth Plan!

Lets get busy!

Robins and Morton Division gets “massive 80 million dollar contract at Olin”, 2 months experience!

How did this happen?
The local news media is making it extremely easy to cover the news in Bradley County from the “other side” perspective. There always seems to be a side that isnt told, a side that isnt reflected in the pages of our local media. That is why Bradley County News exists! Please don’t stop here!

In the July 15th issue of the Banner they reported and mislead the people of Bradley County into thinking the MASSIVE CONTRACT of 80 MILLION DOLLARS was awarded to a very experienced and grounded organization with over 65 years of experience. In fact, Robins and Martin Contractors have been in business for some 65 years…………..building hospitals and outpatient centers.

Lets put this into a little perspective. How does a company with so little experience in the “chemical” field get such a lucrative contract largely funded with taxpayer dollars and the public is completely unaware?

Then lets look what is in the immediate vicinity of Olin Chemical, schools and people who live in subdivisions, that’s who. It has been rumored that Olin has been spewing Mecury into the community for years. Do we also want a new division of a company handling all those chemical irresponsibly? You decide! It isnt hard for me!

Another fact, Robins and Morton Power and Industrial Division who were just awarded a massive 80 billion dollar contract was formed only two months ago, they have not according to their website been in the Power and Industrial business but 2 months, established May 2011. (taken directly from their website) http://www.builders@robinsmartin.com just in time for this “Massive contract.”

This division of this company was formed less than 60 days ago! I call this NO EXPERIENCE handling Mercury, Chlor alkalai, bleach, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen, potassium hydroxide and other bleach products. A recipe for disaster! Im sure they have a scientist or to and someone will show me a few, but, this seemingly has not been their “line of business’ but for 60 days.

This hardly sounds like a company I would pay 80 million dollars to head a massive project of this magnitude. I don’t know about you but this is not a place for on the job experience. If I were needing work on my house, I wouldnt go looking to pay the least experienced, least qualified company to hand over $ 80,000,000.00 dollars to let alone over half of that taxpayer money……..unless of course I knew them or they were family!

Follow the money trail! May surprise you where it ends up! No proof, just stinks!

You may ask why are you so worried about this in the Bradley County News. Well for one I knew when I saw this headline plastered on the front page glaring “Massive Contract Awarded by OLIN”, It caught my attention and one click on the net and I got the information I needed! I suspect something is up!

Secondly, I saw that the local Cleveland Bradley County Industrial Development Board was directly involved, whose board is chocked full of realtors, investors and contractors.

Thirdly, if there is such a word, it appears huge amounts of taxpayers dollars in the amount of 41 million dollars are being partially paid for by the ever so progressive CLEVELAND BRADLEY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD to the newly formed Industrial company! Not to mention, it will be financed for 15 years complete with interest payments by your non elected, non accountable, low responsibility Industrial Board.

But who is reading the local papers and who dares to do the research, a two month old division of a company gets an 80 million dollar “massive contract” for a major project that could affect thousands of citizens of Bradley County if they mess something up!

Think about it!

Then go back to sleep as our County falls apart before your eyes.

Sleep Bradley County………………sleep!

Bradley County News Reaches 1000 readers!

In as little as one week, the Bradley County News Blog site sees over 1000 readers!

Thanks to all of you “concerned Citizens” that are making this site a huge success! You are what this is all about! You are the one that makes this online news site what it is in Bradley County Tennessee. I am only here to inform you of the “other news” that does not get covered in the local headlines.

My sometimes silly and quirky assessments of what is going on in Bradley County and the nation seems to have found a landing spot you seem to have accepted me and I you. I think most are ok with a little humor in reporting.

I have spent the last few years trying to get my opinion articles in the local biased left leaning papers and I have for the most part been unsuccessful, a little over a week ago I decided enough is enough!

There are always two sides to every story and for so long we have only heard one side. Every day now I can write a “letter to the editor” The cathartic affect that has on my body is undescribable.

Please keep sending out the links and driving “eyeballs” to this site. I put the info out there, YOU are the catalyst that makes it happen, you choose to read or not!

Thank you readers! We have many miles yet to travel together! Get on the site, subscribe and lets get the other news out there. Lets have fun with this! You are also welcome to send out opinion pieces and you too can submit to our site. Thanks and have a great day, keep reading!

http://www.bradleycountynews.wordpress.com

McDaniels scores high, raise pending, more money, new 10 year plan, 2 County schools needs sink to bottom of list!

Scoring a 4.68 out of 5 from the Bradley County School Board is like conducting a survey at a family reunion for uncle of the year and only one uncle present. It is a given that he is going to score well in the environment of the YES people that surround him.

Board member David Kelley said he would like the Board to do a wage compensation study before a final contract is negotiated.

Here we go! Spend more money and see no improved results, a failing system getting ready to ask the taxpayer to foot more of the bill to give the School Director a raise and build more schools. According to the last comparison he saw the Bradley County’s Director was in the bottom half of director salaries in the state.

Kelley wants a study done to see if this is still accurate. He also wants the salary information to be taken into consideration during the new contract process.

Also during the “gathering” of YES men and women on the board Mr McDaniels presented a “revised capital needs project” plan which covers potential needs for the next 10 years based on projected growth. We now have a glowing job performance, a raise and possibly 5 new schools and no one on this board seems to care that we are in a near depression and definitely in a recession and they are asking for about a half a billion, BILLION, in spending to be placed on you the taxpayer.

Chairman Troy Weathers has been quoted recently that the only way we can support the growth to our schools is to raise the property taxes. Come on Chairman!

This sounds like one big nice butt scratching board meeting they recently had. WOW! Stick it to the taxpayer meeting. Would love to have been in the room just to feel the love! Yeeee haah! Gotta love it!!!

Is the board aware of the hardship this will place on the citizens of this county? Are they completely out of touch? Are they so far up the behind of board leadership that they cant see what they are doing to the people they serve, the citizens of this County? Does anyone know that times are hard and that having a single meeting that potentially will raise their property taxes and God only knows what other taxes.

Also, it was reported earlier that there are three other needs in the County, this project was 4th on the list and came out of nowhere to 1st and trumped the other needs in the County that is affecting thousands of school kids in the County.

The board did offer a peace offering of sorts when Board Member Christy Critchfield reiterated that she is aware of this project being 4th down the list, by saying she is upset that Blue Springs was 4th on the list (really numero ono) but went on to say” I don’t know what we could take off the list, cause we need everything on the list.”

The list just grew longer and the initial Lake Forest and Walker Valley needs have slipped further down the list to perhaps 6th or 7th further behind the Directors Raise, a glowing evaluation, 5 to 6 new schools and a 10 year growth project, an old school demolition, a new sewer system, purchase of new land for a school we already have land for, a new school on that property, wait a minute that is a drop from 1st and 2nd down to the bottom 9th and 10th priority.

As a salute to WVHS and LFMS that are way down the list and getting bumped for “prettier items” there are plans to build LFMS a brand spanking new Academic building and to Mr Coggin for pushing the good fight and some how placing some 1500 students into a 1200 student building, you steward of faithfulness, you product of the County System that has been trained to “keepeth thy mouth shut while I bump you to the bottom of the list, you sir will get a brand new building for you too at the the expense of the taxpayers, I mean peasants.

Gladly partake within my Kingdom! I am a giving King with an endless supply of the peasants cash! Heck, lets propose building a new city, a county, let me expand my kingdom till we are completely broke. AAAAA haaaaaaa hhhhhhhaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaah (that was a loud mean Kingly laugh) as I always say from my throne of Education “let them eat cake!” Or was that Marie Antoinette. I never get my facts straight!

Contributing source: The Cleveland Daily Banner

Bradley County School Board opts for 13,000 per acre and new School, Citizens urge use of existing land!

Last week the board traveled to the new site of the Blue Springs school to see if it was a good fit for the “citizens of Bradley County” and “did it for the kids” practically driving by the land already paid for by Bradley Countians en route to the new improved expensive site.

The board attempted to portray a group effort, working pictures on the site, complete with a rosy feeling of togetherness and teamwork, but as Im reviewing the article in the banner, I couldn’t help but think, they already had their mind made up. This decision was made long before they drove the less than two miles to get to the new more expensive plot of land.

Their effort to show a genuine interest in ‘THE KIDS” and acting on their behalf to make the best choices with the tax payers money. I see now this was a smoke screen! They have once again, with a beautiful marketing plan and assist from the local biased left wing local media once again put one over on the concerned citizen with the slick maneuvering of Johhny McDaniel, Troy Weathers and their willing minions on the school board!

The board has also okayed the approval of a downpayment on the new property. The Board is boasting that the bulk of the purchase will be in the form of an insurance payment that was I am guessing was intended to be used to fix the existing school and fix the property, not for the purchase of a new plot of land in which to waste another incredible lump of taxpayer money.

I can hear it now! The bulk of the expense is “insurance money”, it is free money, wont cost the taxpayer a penney. Its for the kids!

As long as you are shifting money in any direction and you are using it any way you feel necessary and the result of that action causes me millions in new taxes, I have a right to speak up and will continue to do so.

$ 13,000 an acre for 20 acres, that’s over a quarter of a million dollars just for the land. Come on school board, what ae you thinking?

$ 20,000,000.00 to 30,000,000.00 (million) for a new school.

The existing property $ 0.00, that is no dollars with the risk of a surplus pending insurance money for repair work to the existing area.

A ballpark at the existing property to be used for a new school $0.00

An existing sewer system and its surrounding infrastructure $ 0.00.

0.0 for the existing school

$ 30 to 40,000,000.00 (million)for a new school and an inevitable property tax increase!

SHOULDNT BE HARD TO MAKE THE ETHICAL AND RIGHT DECISION!

I guess the Capital projects budget will not be big enough next year to support itself to pay for this project either as Chairman Troy Weathers has recently been quoted as saying “we spent all the money on other projects and the only option he saw to pay for this would be a Property tax increase on the citizens of Bradley County.

Just think about this for future thoughts, the 2035 BCC Strategic growth plan calls for 10 new schools in Bradley County, who will pay for this? You and your property tax will of course, because Chairman Troy Weathers has said that is the only way to pay for it. This is just another request from our educational system to milk the taxpayer when 60% of our current budget goes to them already! 60%! And they are taking more!

Let me analyze this further with my limited but insightful ability;:
Lets say roughly 30 to 40 Million for a new school, property and sewage (and Mr McDaniels even said we can recycle some of the old sewer for spare parts at the new school and other schools, now that’s a planner right there for you, save the budget Mr McDaniels.

If I remember correctly one of the big reasons this property was deemed unfit for a new school was that the current sewage system was not adequate for a new school, but we are moving it down the road a cool 2 miles for use at the new school.

$ 0.00 minus insurance repair money= Where we might stand to break even or possibly see a surplus VS up to 40 million for a new school and supporting infrastructure.

The decision should be easy!

Let me ask again because the details will remain hidden and secret till after it is voted on by our Bradley County Commissioners, But I am going to ask the inevitable question, ready, here goes, if my numbers don’t add up and reflect the true numbers, then satisfy your constituency, please prove me wrong and tell us anything, and what you tell me and the people who vote for you will be received gladly, so now……………………..What will this cost the taxpayers?

Does our board really have the best interest of Bradley Countians in mind when they are allowed to make huge demands like this on their constituency. Their is an obvious disconnect between what is right and what is going to cost us tens of millions in new taxes.

Mayor Davis says no new taxes, then explains increase in taxes!

Why does it seem we are not being told the truth?

Revenue neutral! Tax free financing! Free money! Property tax valuations! No new taxes (you can see). These all seem to be the popular buzz words of our locally elected leaders in Bradley County and the funny thing is people buy it!

We dont have a tax increase………we do have a tax increase…….which is it? Nonone else in Bradley County is reporting this! Why is that? Why not report the truth? If we dont report it, then the public does not find out? I am just seeking the truth.

Emails to several Commissioners, local newspapers and Mayor about this process, awaiting a response……day 2!

It somehow gives the leaders in this country and Bradley County the right to misdirect the public and the shame of it is the liberal media and the recent Chattanooga Times Free Press article by Randall Higgins that allows it to be a huge headline and no one calls the Mayor out on this, even touting the headline as Mayor says “no new taxes” which in fact their will be a fire tax increase for some as mentioned deep into the article.

A tax increase of any kind is still a tax increase! Lets report it, then you decide if this is something you want in a Mayor to represent you in Bradley County, thats all! Lets dont pretend it doesnt exist or didnt happen.

The article describes the huge efforts by the Mayor and select Bradley County Commissioners finally appearing to be working out an agreement on a fire contract and an enhanced fire program that doesn’t require our taxes to be raised. Or so it seems! Commissioner J.Adam Lowe even expressed how he was encouraged at how well the numbers looked.

The new enhanced plan calls for two new fire halls, salary for the existing fire halls and the building of two new fire halls, two pieces of new property, one already purchased, two new fire trucks at an estimated $ 300,000.00 each, one rumored to be already sitting somewhere near a beach complete with pictures, reocurring salaries for 60 or so firemen, benefits and insurance, gear and ongoing support and assorted unexpected and unknown costs.

Lets then add in the amount of money to buy out the Cities portion of this and the City demanding the cost estimates before they move on as mentioned by Bill Estes, and who knows what they will think the new value should be. Nonoe seems to know that answer either

But again many requests for cost are being ignored, either noone knows and they will be willing to vote on it anyway, noone really knows which is sad, because you would think the cost would be a major factor to their constituency or everyone knows and are unwilling to share because it will reveal too much information for some reason or another!

Again, as a concerned citizen, with all the self proclaimed money gurus and “professional politicians” in town, I am finding my self once again looking for the answers that should be easily available to the public. But here goes another estimate and please someone prove me wrong, the debate may reveal more information because in this day of secrecy from the “high society” any answers are profound ones and are quickly devoured by an interested public.

I am estimating this to be several million to tens of millions or better in cost to the taxpayers of Bradley County. This does not seem to be encouraging news to Joe The Taxpayer or to the citizens of Bradley County.

The article went on to describe the County placement of the additional fire halls within the county, the fringe area will also grow requiring some to see a fire tax increase!

This does seem to be a NEW TAX INCREASE!

YES, THIS IS A TAX INCREASE! AND IT WILL AFFECT “some” TAXPAYERS POCKETBOOKS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, one taxpayer is one too many!

It only makes sense that somehow in the near future we will have to pay for this “enhanced fire contract.” YOU AND ME!

The Mayor appears to have misguided the truth or at least twisted the truth or overspoke forgetting the details and the CTFP allowed him to post the wrong wording as a headline in their paper and not even tell the truth as it happened. The heading should have read, “Some taxes in Bradley County will be raised by Mayor!” Not “no new taxes.”

The fact is Bradley County, you will be facing a “new tax” and it will affect “some” Bradley Countians, period!

I think what the Mayor meant to say or should have said or quoted in this article was your property tax would not be raised on this project…………for now! Because earlier in the article it referred to no new property taxes, which failed to mention a new fire tax increase!

“As for a tax increase, rural rsidents who move into the “new fringe” area will have better coverage and will see a fire tax increase to the fringe rate.”, ” You are correct. It is a tax increase for those people. Keep in mind that in January, I defended our most affordable option and lost. I proposed renewing the contract with the city at a reduced rate and handing the savings back to the fringe residents in a tax deduction. Only Hall, Smith and me voted for it. To prevent hemorrhage, I turned to trying to make the county plan as affordable as possible but only because I cant get them on board with a contract renewal”, J. Adam Lowe, 4th District Commissioner

Your fire tax will be raised!

Amount unknown because the original reporter did follow up on the question. The article did partially report a difference of about 22 cents when quoting several rates, then again, I dont know!

So my question often ignored will get asked again and as Im accustomed to will probably get ignored again to expedite the process unseen, but I will continue to be diligent and true to my constitutional duty within the 10th Amendment, ready, here goes for all its worth………………………………….

Mr Mayor “what will it cost me?”

What is that silence?

Aaaaaah the breeze and the silence!

Im going to sleep now!