Beacon Center of Tennessee

July 31: Friedman Day Celebration

editor — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:03:23 +0000

The Beacon Center will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Dr. Milton Friedman at our new offices on July 31, 2012. More details forthcoming. Sign up here to receive the update.

Tax opponents rip Chamber for endorsement

editor — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:59:48 +0000

The Tennessean publishes a recent statement by Beacon, radio host Ralph Bristol, taxpayer advocate Ben Cunningham, and Beacon board member and businessman Lee Beaman, which calls on the Nashville Chamber of Commerce to turn down its subsidy from Metro government. Now that the Chamber has endorsed Mayor Karl Dean’s proposed tax hike, it would be a conflict of interest for it to take its $300,000 subsidy under that same proposed budget.

Read the entire article in the Tennessean here.

Taxpayer advocates: Chamber should refuse subsidy

editor — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:02:45 +0000

NASHVILLE – Today, leading opponents of the proposed property tax increase on Metro Nashville taxpayers released a statement on the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement of the plan. Talk radio host Ralph Bristol, Nashville Tea Party founder Ben Cunningham, Nashville business owner Lee Beaman, and Justin Owen of the Beacon Center of Tennessee said the following:

Yesterday, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce publicly endorsed Mayor Karl Dean’s 13 percent property tax hike. This is unfortunate for many of its business members who will undoubtedly face a significant increase in their tax burdens, and it also raises a serious question about a conflict of interest.

Under the mayor’s budget proposal, the Chamber will receive its annual subsidy of $300,000 from Metro taxpayers. In order to avoid a perceived conflict of interest, we are calling on the Chamber to officially refuse this handout. In its statement, the Chamber pointed to the need to raise government employee salaries and fund our schools as justification for the tax increase. Refusing its $300,000 subsidy will help ensure that every dollar of the proposed tax hike goes to fund those programs the Chamber claims warrant the tax hike in the first place, rather than to boost its own bottom line.

Further, it is imperative that Mayor Dean withdraw proposed funding to any private entity that endorses the tax hike to likewise avoid any conflicts of interest. This will ensure that no taxpayer money is used by private parties to push for a tax increase based on their own potential benefits. It will also guarantee that the debate over the need of this tax increase remains transparent and without such conflicts.

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The Mayor’s Taxing Budget

editor — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:09:32 +0000

In response to Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s proposal to raise property taxes by 13 percent, Beacon’s graphics team has put together an infographic on the mayor’s proposed budget. You can view it below or click below to download your own PDF copy.

Click here for a PDF of “The Mayor’s Taxing Budget”

Beacon goes after tax hike proposal

editor — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:37:05 +0000

Beacon CEO Justin Owen sits down with WSMV, Channel 4 News to discuss Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s proposed 13 percent property tax hike.

“Holding hostage the most important parts of local government is just a political ploy,” said Justin Owen, with the Beacon Center of TN. “It’s a way for the mayor to pass the buck to homeowners and small businesses.”

Watch the entire video at http://bit.ly/IsmDGW.

Beacon responds to Democrats’ budget proposal

editor — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:14:36 +0000

Beacon CEO Justin Owen talks to TNReport.com about the House Democrats’ alternative budget proposal unveiled this week. While Owen criticizes their plan to spend excess revenue, he does support their call to further reduce taxes.

Justin Owen, president of the free-market Beacon Center of Tennessee in Nashville, said his organization is primarily interested in finding creative and sustainable ways to “cut government spending, not enhance it,” so they don’t find the Democrats’ proposals for increased program funding all that appetizing.

“When government collects more revenues than projected, it should return it to taxpayers, not spend it,” he said. And as far as the debate over what kind of tax cut ultimately provides the state with greater economic benefit, “a food tax cut will not make anywhere near the economic impact as eliminating the death tax or rolling back the Hall tax (on stock income and dividends),” Owen said.

But the Democrats’ idea of increasing the size of the food-tax cut certainly ought to be considered seriously, he said.

“Cutting the tax on food to be competitive with bordering states is a worthy endeavor,” Owen said. “A lower food tax could potentially lead to other states’ residents shopping for groceries in Tennessee rather than the other way around.”

Read the entire article at http://bit.ly/HTLePS.

Beacon’s statement on death tax repeal passage

editor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:37:12 +0000

TNReport.com outlines Thursday’s vote by the state House of Representatives to repeal the death tax. The story includes a portion of Beacon CEO Justin Owen’s statement immediately after the House voted 88-8 to repeal the tax.

Justin Owen, CEO of a free-market think-tank called The Beacon Center of Tennessee, says phasing out the inheritance tax is “possibly the most important legislation proposed in the General Assembly this year.”

“The repeal will alleviate the farmers and small business owners who are harmed by this tax, bring additional job opportunities to our citizens, and actually lead to an increase in tax revenue over time,” he said in a statement.

Read the entire article at TNReport.com.

Beacon’s death tax efforts noted

editor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:26:20 +0000

Friday’s Nashville Business Journal covers the debate over the economic impact of the state death tax, noting Beacon’s efforts to repeal the tax. Yesterday, the state House of Representatives voted to repeal the tax in a bipartisan 88-8 vote.

From the Business Journal:

“Proponents – from free-market group Beacon Center of Tennessee to various business and farm lobbies – say cutting the tax burden on those inheriting companies or other wealth leaves more money for future business investment.”

Read the entire article (subscription required) at this link.

Tennessee House passes death tax repeal

editor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:21:34 +0000

The Beacon Center of Tennessee applauds the House of Representatives for passing a full repeal of the state death tax today in a bipartisan vote. The bill, HB3760, will phase out the death tax, eliminating it entirely by 2016.

“The death tax repeal is a tremendous victory for all Tennesseans,” said Justin Owen, Beacon’s president and CEO. “The repeal will alleviate the farmers and small business owners who are harmed by this tax, bring additional job opportunities to our citizens, and actually lead to an increase in tax revenue over time. It’s possibly the most important legislation proposed in the General Assembly this year.”

Beacon has released a report and videos telling the stories of farmers who could lose their land without this repeal. More recently, Beacon published a study by Dr. Art Laffer analyzing the economic consequences of the tax. Numerous other groups have also worked to repeal this harmful tax.

“We appreciates the tireless work of policymakers, led by Rep. Charles Sargent, for making the death tax repeal a top priority,” said Owen. “We now look forward to the Senate vote to send this to the governor.”

Gov. Bill Halsam has expressed his full support of this legislation. It will next be heard in the Senate Finance Committee next week.

The Beacon Center is Tennessee’s free market think tank. It’s mission is to change lives through policy policy by advancing solutions grounded in free markets, individual liberty, and limited government.

TN House passes death tax repeal

editor — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:00:08 +0000

Gov. Bill Halsam has expressed his full support of this legislation. It will next be heard in the Senate Finance Committee next week.