Local Issues

Oppose elected School Superintendents - Encourage the legislature to reject any proposal to allow for the election of local directors of schools. Professional school superintendents are tremendously important because they need to have academic improvement and execution of strategies to increase the skills of graduates as their singular focus. These professionals cannot be distracted by periodic elections.
Support continued implementation of state educational standards as described in the Tennessee Diploma Project, defining proficiency in a manner consistent with NAEP, and establishment of "cut scores" calibrated to those standards.
Continue to oppose BEP 2.0 - BEP 2.0 recalculates how the 136 different school systems receive funding through the Basic Education Plan (BEP). The new formula severely reduces the amount the state contributes to all three school systems in Blount County.

Support completion of Pellissippi Parkway to Highway 321 - TDOT proposes to extend and construct Pellissippi Parkway from SR 33 to SR 73 (US 321). The completion is approximately 4.4 miles and is included in the TEA-21 Federal Highway program as a high priority project.
Support completion of Alcoa Highway - The Alcoa Highway project consists of four different projects. The Blount Chamber supports the completion of the entire project which serves as the most direct route to McGhee Tyson Airport. All projects will widen the existing road to three lanes in each direction. Specifically, the Chamber supports the redesigned Alcoa Parkway section of the highway located in Blount County. The portions of SR-115 and SR-335 to the proposed interchange at McGhee Tyson Airport would be widened to eight lanes. The proposed section is 5.5 miles in length.
Support the Knoxville Metropolitan Airport in their quest to secure additional low fare carriers to McGhee Tyson Airport to further encourage competition.