economic development Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

27 Feb, 2025

Industrial development boards can skip public hearings under proposed bill
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Industrial development boards can skip public hearings under proposed bill

economic development, Legislature, public comment

Industrial development boards can skip public hearings under proposed bill

By Deborah Fisher|2025-03-03T10:59:14-06:00February 27, 2025|Categories: economic development, Legislature, public comment|Tags: housing, industrial development board, public hearings|0 Comments

A proposed bill would allow industrial development boards to skip public hearings on new development projects when they "amend" their plans. This also means they would not have to publish two-week advance notice before voting on the amended plans. Industrial development boards are used to subsidize private development projects by capturing property and sales taxes to help pay for the project, usually through tax increment financing zones or payment-in-lieu of taxes agreements. The elimination of public hearings is part of a larger bill that appears designed to spur new housing by expanding the definition of what types of projects can be funded through the capture of property and sales taxes.

14 Jun, 2024

Nashville journalist Adam Sichko reveals state’s secret Amazon incentive — 5 years later
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Nashville journalist Adam Sichko reveals state’s secret Amazon incentive — 5 years later

economic development

Nashville journalist Adam Sichko reveals state’s secret Amazon incentive — 5 years later

By Deborah Fisher|2024-06-14T08:23:17-05:00June 14, 2024|Categories: economic development|Tags: Adam Sichko, Amazon, Bob Rolfe, ECD, economic development records, Nashville Business Journal|0 Comments

You've got to hand it to Adam Sichko, a senior reporter with the Nashville Business Journal. Five years ago, Amazon was shopping the country for a new headquarters location that promised 50,000 jobs and a $5 billion corporate investment. Which state and city would give them the most incentives (money)? But the state invoked a law that allowed it to keep what it thought was "sensitive" information confidential for five years. Well, that five years were up this year, and Sichko got the records.

8 Feb, 2024

State tourism department bill seeks sweeping exemption to public records law
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State tourism department bill seeks sweeping exemption to public records law

economic development, Legislature

State tourism department bill seeks sweeping exemption to public records law

By Deborah Fisher|2024-04-08T12:17:21-05:00February 8, 2024|Categories: economic development, Legislature|0 Comments

Gov. Bill Lee’s administration is seeking a sweeping exemption to the public records law that would close any public records of the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development if the commissioner determines that the information is too "sensitive" to release. The exemption would most likely hide information about outcomes related to its marketing efforts.

5 May, 2022

Citizen discovery is most important issue in vetting proposed developments
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Citizen discovery is most important issue in vetting proposed developments

economic development, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

Citizen discovery is most important issue in vetting proposed developments

By Deborah Fisher|2022-05-05T14:08:54-05:00May 5, 2022|Categories: economic development, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: economic development records|0 Comments

It’s hard for citizens to get the information they need about proposed developments in a manner timely enough to make a difference to protect their own property value and interests.

22 Feb, 2022

Bill would create 3-state governmental agency not subject to any state’s public records laws

By Deborah Fisher|2022-02-23T07:28:06-06:00February 22, 2022|Categories: economic development, Legislature|Tags: economic development, functional equivalent, interstate compact, RegionSmart Development Agency|2 Comments

A bill that would create a three-state interstate compact agency with eminent domain powers for economic development in the Memphis region may not be subject to Tennessee's public records or open meetings laws, according to an expert in the state's Office of Open Records Counsel.