economic development

14 Dec, 2015

Report: Fiscal impact of tax breaks kept confidential

By |2015-12-14T10:14:05-06:00December 14, 2015|Categories: economic development|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

Tom Humphrey reports in his Humphrey on the Hill blog about a report to the state's Fiscal Review Committee last week that highlights an inability to measure the cost of tax breaks because of a confidentiality exemption regarding tax records. The exemption, T.C.A. 67-1-1702,  makes confidential "returns, tax information and tax administration information" and prevented the committee's staff from checking on whether cost of a tax break was accurately predicted when legislation creating the tax break passed. From the blog, "Impact of tax breaks kept confidential": The confidentiality granted state Department of Revenue records prevents legislators from learning whether the estimates used in adopting tax credit legislation are accurate, the executive director [...]

2 Nov, 2015

Haslam administration slow to share economic incentives for development deal

By |2015-11-02T10:25:55-06:00November 2, 2015|Categories: economic development|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Why is the Haslam administration so hush-hush on how much in economic incentive dollars it is giving to companies? In a case that Knoxville News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy uses as an example in his Sunday column, Advanced Munitions International has already received the deed to 269 acres in Blount County for an ammo factory and headquarters. Governor Bill Haslam and his ECD commissioner, Randy Boyd, attended an event to announce that 605 new jobs would be created. But the Haslam administration wouldn't reveal what it's giving Advanced Munitions for those 605 jobs. The economic incentives or grants is likely in the millions. But paperwork not yet signed, check back later. When the [...]

7 Aug, 2015

New accounting standard to require governments to disclose cost of tax breaks

By |2020-11-19T12:24:13-06:00August 7, 2015|Categories: economic development|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board approved a new rule on Monday that requires governments to include in financial statements the value of tax abatements given to companies to spur economic development starting next year. "The results of external research ... suggest that tax abatements are an issue of concern among citizen groups, county board members, and municipal bond analysts, and that each group desires to receive information about the level of abatement activity and the results of the abatement programs," according to GASB. "However, the researchers found relatively few states (six) with statutes requiring any level of external reporting after tax abatements are granted. These findings indicate that there is an important information need that [...]

5 Aug, 2014

Open Records Counsel tells Greene County mayor citizens must be able hear at meetings

By |2014-09-10T09:06:10-05:00August 5, 2014|Categories: Open Meetings|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

The state's Open Records Counsel warned Greene County Mayor Alan Broyles in a letter Monday that the law requires citizens to be able to hear deliberations and decisions at public meetings, and the Greene County Industrial Development Board which he chairs should consult with its attorney after 59 citizen complaints over a July 18 meeting. Elisha Hodge, state of Tennessee's Office of Open Records Counsel While her letter made clear that an inaudible public meeting would be in violation of the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, she chose not to address the arrest of citizen Eddie Overholt, who was kicked out of the July meeting, cuffed and charged with [...]

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