Last year, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Knox County Mayor Timmy Floyd Burchett wanted the state to give them in excess of $4 million dollars to build a “safety center’. Lets face reality, its a mini jail for those criminals that can convince enough “experts” that they are mentally ill. But, in actuality ain’t anyone that commits a crime a tad mentally ill. But I digress.
Gov. Haslam and I outside the Handee Burger in Kingston, TN in October 2012.
Here is why (in my humble opinion) I think TN Governor Bill Haslam did not include the handout request of the Mayors in his and the states budget. When a state inmate is incarcerated in a Knox County jail (which will include a “safety center”) the state pays their daily rate for incarceration. So, the two Mayors request is a double dip.
Why would I pay to build a hotel when I intend to stay in it and still pay for room and board for my nights visits? Governor Haslam was right on the safety center last year and here’s hoping he doesn’t cave this year.
Of course, the County Mayor is also the one that always says the state and federal government doesn’t do anything right. (Of course local, state and federals all make enough mistakes that should be criminal) But, the County Mayor is the one that allowed a culture of hostile work place environment to continue for over 9 months and a county department employ his wife’s son, to name two.
