I think it's interesting that Tennesseans find it acceptable that an institution of higher education finds itself face with selling milk to make money instead of selling a high quality education. But it's not surprising when Cumberland County, for example, recently opted to close schools rather than raise property taxes a few pennies. It's not surprising when Wilson County schools put extra cirricular activities on the chopping block in favor of tax cuts.

Not paying taxes takes a higher priority than education for a majority of Tennesseans, and that's why Tennessee floats around the top of almost every bad list and the bottom of every good list.

The impact of cuts in education in this state will further plunge this state into the same intellectual poverty that grips the South because uneducated citizens are being duped by the wealthiest 5% into believing raising taxes would be too much a burden for the rest of us to bear. The fact is the average Tennesseans pays more in sales taxes than they would if we implemented a state income tax. The average TN worker pays $2,300 in slaes taxes. A family of two pays $4,600. Under a state income tax, the sales tax could be reduced 3 percentage points. Implementing an income tax woud further shift the tax burden away from a majority of Tennesseans and to the wealthiest 5%.

An uneducated work force will continue to feed downward spiraling health care costs and out of control spending on government programs required to care for an increasingly obsese, impoverished, diseased and needy population.

If you don't believe that is where our state is heading under the conservative fiscal policies that have wrecked this nation over the p[ast 7 years, look at Alabama. They can proudly proclaim the lowest taxes in the country along with one of the first major cities teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. Alabama is one of the largest welfare states int he nation, dependent on the federal government spreading the wealth around more than any other state except for Alaksa. Alabam is one of the most obese and uneducated workforces, and businesses are now looking to move away because of the costs associated with providing health insurance and training required for an uneducated workforce and the poor infrastructure that results from a depressed tax revenue base.

It's time Tennessee stand up to this anti-tax crowd that have brought our nation to the verge of a depression and stop them from retreating to the hills of Tennessee to prey on uneducated citizens.

That's why there are all those sandy spots on the old farm. I thought they were building a golf course.

Cows, shmows... With the veterinary school “at risk” of losing accreditation, they don't need no stinking cows. Of course, Petersen probably stretching it a bit.

that an institution of higher education finds itself face with selling milk to make money

Well, when you put it that way. Heh.

But seriously, the guy running this one-man crusade says they can build the Cherokee Farm R&D extravaganza (when someone can come up with the funding) somewhere else (i.e. Cherokee Trail), and UT doesn't need its own golf course.

Some budget data for states....

Scroll down to see several rankings tables
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State budget troubles worsen with mid-year budget gaps...
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TACIR has a very interesting report on local tax burdens by county.

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