Lots of Assumptions

I often wish that things were as easy as they seem to be, yet very few things ever are. I have spent a considerable amount of time looking for information on the Megasite proposal. Sure, I know that it is temporarily out of the spotlight. But, when the time comes for a request for additional funding, it is too late to just be starting to ask questions and find information. After several weeks of searching, I know a lot and a little but it is certainly more than I knew before I started asking questions. I know that Megasites in Tennessee are having a tough go of it right now. I know that Governor Haslam inherited the Megasite programs from his predecessor and that he, himself, has not jumped on the Megasite train. Instead, the current administration is busy cleaning up the current Megamess that is going on in Tennessee and promoting other avenues to bring industry to the State in the forms of good foreign relations and mid to small level site certification. Am I saying that the Governor will absolutely not invest in the Jefferson County Megasite project? I know that there are no absolutes in government or politics, however, I would not bet the house, or the farm or a Big Mac on it.

I encourage everyone to watch the video and read the article in the headline news on the front page. No matter what you call it-the Jefferson County Megasite, the East Tennessee Megasite, the North East Tennessee Megasite, or whatever-what we cannot afford to call it is the empty Megasite. Other areas that have Megasites in Tennessee are from much larger areas. Memphis, Chattanooga, Clarksville are all much larger than Jefferson County and all have a great deal of mid level industry to diversify the tax base. Here we rely on property tax to fund our County. Look to the Memphis project and see the amount of time that it has taken thus far and the amount of time it is still projected to take until an industry takes residence in the Megasite. Now imagine the payment for the Megasite resting on the shoulders of tax payers for those years and more, because there will be only indirect economic impact from the Megasite for around 30 years. Indirect impact will come in the form of property taxes from those moving into the area to work at the megasite or surrounding businesses or from sales tax from assumed growth. The only problem is that sales tax currently funds our schools in Jefferson County and that will have to change. Jefferson County will have to have the sales tax to pay the debt from the Megasite. How will our schools survive without sales tax and what will we replace it with? Of course, all the financial information is dependent on the Younger Report and they got their data assumptions from EDOC. Lots and Lots of assumptions and not a lot of substance-at least not in support of the Megasite.

Lots of great spin by the public relations company that has a client list that includes a couple of Knoxville TV stations and a print newspaper. Lots of “game changer” talks from the certification company (which I would better believe if they weren’t also changing the game for Davidson County at the same time). And a lot of noncommittal comments from the State of Tennessee and TVA. Oh yeah, and then there is Crockett County, Tennessee. They went out on their own to get a piece of the Megadream and they ended up in a nightmare. Ask the officials there if they would bet a Big Mac on the Megadream. They would probably be glad to answer you if their mouths weren’t full of crow.