Tennessee residents should prepare for another tough budget year at the state level.
That was one of the main messages state Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and state Rep. Jimmy Matlock, R-Lenoir City, told constituents during a question and answer session at Sweetwater City Hall Wednesday evening.

"It will be a difficult year moving forward," Matlock said. "We've got some difficult decisions to make."
While there are some signs nationally that the recession has ended, sales tax revenue growth for the state remains flat, McNally said.

When the 106th General Assembly meets again in Nashville in January, McNally said lawmakers could be forced to pass a budget that calls for the layoff of 1,300 state employees as part of an overall plan to slash hundreds of millions from the state budget.
McNally said the state already runs on a lean budget and such drastic cuts will curtail services.
The two lawmakers said they also realize tough budget times in Nashville mean tough times for local governments.

One the bright side, McNally said the state has built up about $800 million in reserve funds that could be used for one-time, non-reoccurring expenses. He also pointed out the state government's pay-as-you-go strategy in the past means Tennessee does not have the bonded indebtedness that many states have.

In past tough budget years, Tennessee lawmakers have tried to spare cutting funds for K-12 education. McNally believes that will be the goal again, however state lawmakers are waiting to see how much any health care reform at the federal level would affect the state budget.
Several people in the audience praised the two state lawmakers for their commitment to serving Monroe County.

Matlock said he was pleased to see improving scores from Sweetwater High School.
"I am real excited about where our schools are headed," he said.
Sweetwater Mayor Doyle Lowe said it is important for the city to have the ear of state lawmakers.
City leaders continue to push for completion of the stalled Highway 322 project and high-mast lighting for Exit 60. The city has been awarded a federal grant for high-mast lighting at Exit 60, but the state says it will be next summer before the lights go up-more than two years after the grant was awarded.

City leaders have also been disappointed with the amount of lighting proposed for the intersection and do not believe the design is as good as what was done for the exits in McMinn County.

tommy.millsaps@advocate&democrat.com | 337-7101