Where I stand on the issues...

 

There are so many issues in our state that need to be addressed. Every household should be able to connect to the internet if they so desire. Internet connections are critical to everyday life and are part of the structure that should be considered as a necessary utility.

 

The current super majority continues to pass laws that they know will be challenged as unconstitutional. Those new laws will be challenged in court. It is no wonder that the State Attorney General's Office has to hire at least 10 more staff attorneys at an average salary of $145,000.00 per year (your tax dollars) to attempt to defend these bills.

 

 

The current super majority in the Tennessee Legislature has lost any and all concept of "For The People". The lack of morals, ethics and accountability are evident. From the recent resignation of Scotty Campbell for sexual harassment to the blatant abuse of per diem payments, along with republican members casting votes for their party members absent from the house chamber, as well as cocaine use in the Tennessee House, it is apparent that the concept of "For The People" is not even an afterthought.

 

 

Our state desperately needs common sense gun legislation. No one wants to take guns away from law abiding citizens. There has to be a resolution to all of the gun violence happening in our society. Doing nothing is not an option.

Hospital closures and elimination of services continues to be a problem across Tennessee. Our region has (or is) losing trama care at two regional medical centers. The healthcare monopoly that Ballad Health has in our region gives us no alternatives for healthcare without going to Knoxville or Nashville for our needs.

The Tennessee Legislature has proven that they want to eliminate unions across the state. When the super majority proposed to enshrine Right To Work in the State Constitution, we all cried foul. None of them listened. When the state threatened to deny funds to Volkswagon if they unionized, we all cried foul. None of them listened. The super majority has consistently tried to pass legislation against unions. The most recent was secret ballots for union negotiations, and the pay raise for teachers. That raise was tied to union busting by removing the ability to pay union dues through payroll deduction. Timothy Hill has stated that he would never support raising the state minimum wage. I serve as an officer in our local Central Labor Council.  I will advocate for unions at every opportunity.