Reform of public benefit systems is a perennial topic, but often seems too big to tackle. Before we can successfully reform public benefits in Tennessee, we need to better understand who is currently receiving support in our state and more importantly, why. What changes can be made to remove barriers for Tennesseans to successfully transition... READ MORE
The American criminal justice system rests on the familiar canon that everyone is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In Tennessee, absent a first-degree murder charge, every defendant has a constitutional right to bail. This is set forth in Article I, Section 15 of the Tennessee Constitution, which provides “[t]hat all prisoners shall... READ MORE
Beacon Releases New Study Showing Lack of Transparency & Accountability in State Incentive Programs
BY RON SHULTIS
Today, the Beacon Center of Tennessee released a new report on the state of Tennessee’s economic incentive programs and exposed major issues with many of the subsidies. Below are some of the findings discovered by the Beacon Center: Many companies that receive taxpayer money are not required to hire the number of workers promised. In fact, all 25 FastTrack agreements reviewed... READ MORE
Every child is unique, and allowing parents to customize the education best tailored for their child not only benefits that child but society as a whole. READ MORE
This brief shows that, despite calls from some for more education spending, our current priorities are completely out of line. READ MORE
On the eve of the series finale of the show Nashville, which has been canceled twice in three years and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, the Beacon Center released a new report showing the ineffectiveness of film incentives in Tennessee. READ MORE