TN Gov. Bill Lee to deliver State of the State on Monday
MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Tennessee Governor Bill Lee will deliver his first State of the State address next week and will unveil his first budget proposal.
Tennessee's budget last year totaled $37.5 billion.
Officials say the state has more money this year, but Gov. Lee said that doesn't necessarily mean more money for every state agency.
He said we can expect both increases and cuts.
One of his first acts as governor was preparing a state budget. Gov. Lee said he wants to focus on five areas:
- Education
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Mental Health
- Health Care
- Rural Economic Development
The governor wants to spend $4 million to increase STEM training in K-12 schools, $40 million to provide more school resource safety officers, $15 million to expand access to mental health services, and he wants to repeal the amusement tax on gym memberships.
Critics, including members of the Memphis City Council, say the tax is unfair to small gym owners and their members.
"It didn't make any sense to me why we would be taxing especially the smaller guys,” said Memphis City Council member J. Ford Canale.
At budget hearings in late January, the governor asked all state agencies how they would handle a two percent cut to their budgets.
Some agencies, like the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said it would be difficult.
"We would have to recommend a reduction of six agents, because that's where... that's the only place we could cut if we had to make a cut,” said TBI Director David Rausch.
The governor’s office says it doesn’t mean agencies will receive a cut, but Gov. Lee wants to look for ways to re-prioritize spending, putting more money into state reserves to prepare for future possible downturns.
The state's rainy-day funds have about $861 million in them right now.
The governor will deliver his state of the state to the General Assembly on Monday.
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