Brandon Puttbrese, Senate Democratic Caucus Press Secretary
The first step in Tennessee's annual budget process is determining how much revenue - taxes and fees - the state is expected to collect in the fiscal year. Once that revenue estimate is established, the governor and legislature know how much money they have to spend, raise or cut to balance the budget.
The official state revenue estimate is set by the State Funding Board, a panel of unelected political minions who are meeting Monday.
During Monday's gathering, the Board will hear economic projections from a variety of experts as it works to establish a range of estimated state revenue growth for the current fiscal year and the upcoming fiscal year.
The State Funding Board meets a second time on Nov. 25 at 9:30 a.m. to vote on the final revenue projection.
Both meetings will take place in the Comptroller's Office Volunteer Conference Center on the second floor of the Cordell Hull Building.The meetings are livestreamed.
For context, the state budget enacted last spring estimated $25.5 billion of state revenues, the majority being sales tax collections, according to page 4 of the Factbook.
But costs are piling up: Under Republicans, Tennessee has a $68 billion infrastructure backlog, according to the "Building Tennessee's Tomorrow annual infrastructure needs report.
Governor begins department budget hearings next week
Nov. 7 and 8 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This is also livestreamed.
I'll call out some points of interest to consider under each:
Tuesday, November 7
9-9:45 a.m. Department of Environment and Conservation
Last year, the department received a $3 million grant to develop Tennessee's first-ever plan to cut climate pollution. The department then submitted applications for climate grant funding, but lost.
The demand for Tennessee water and drought is creating problems.
*
A court recently halted development of a 32-mile natural gas pipeline through rural Tennessee.
Developers want to relax the rules protecting Tenn. wetlands.
TN Cities: Solid waste disposal is a growing statewide issue
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Department of Agriculture
New state rules are threatening to "wipe out" TN's $200M hemp industry
Ag officials missed a grant deadline for farm and food bank aid
Ag officials say there's no state money to help storm-ravaged TN farmers
10:45-11:15 a.m. Department of Labor and Workforce Development
11:30-12:00 p.m. Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation
1:30-2 p.m. Department of Military / Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
TEMA and the TN National Guard continue to assist East Tennessee in flood recovery
2:15 - 2:45 p.m. Department of Veterans Services
3-3:45 p.m. Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Department is displacing disabled adults to make way for children in DCS
On July 1st, a law changed the name of the department to the Department of Aging and Disability
Wednesday, November 8
9-9:30 a.m. Department of Transportation
9:45-10:15 a.m. Department of Commerce and Insurance
10:30-11 a.m. Department of Financial Institutions
11:15-12:00 p.m. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
1:30-2:15 p.m. Tennessee Higher Education Commission
2:30-3 p.m. Department of Economic and Community Development
3:15-3:30 p.m. Media Availability