No WhiteWash!

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance recently published a list of Best Cities for the Next Decade.

Learn more about how they picked the Best Cities for the Next Decade.

Also they published a list  367 U.S. metropolitan areas that can be sorted and ranked by different criteria.

In the example below, all metro areas in Tennessee have been extracted.  The table below was sorted by median household income.  We see that the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA has the lowest median household income for the Tennessee metro areas ranked and also has a higher cost of living than the other Tennessee metro areas listed below.

Furthermore, Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA median household income rank is 353 out of a total of 367 U.S. metro areas.  This shows that there were 14 metro areas that had a lower median household income than the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA metro area.

Click here for the entire list of 367 metro areas.  The list can be sorted online or downloaded in spreadsheet format.

I am sure that our local City, County, and State elected officials will want to keep this data from getting out.

Nate Morabito, a reporter with WJHL has complied the yellow light times for the cities in Sullivan and Washington Counties that have red light revenue cameras.  Go to the following link to read the entire article.  Caution:  Not every yellow light timed the same | TriCities.

Drivers, be aware that you stand a better chance of getting a red light ticket and rear-ended in Kingsport because of their shorter yellow light times.

Go to the link below to access the database to get the yellow light times for Johnson City, Jonesborough, and Kingsport.

Information provided by the City of Kingsport, the City of Johnson City and the Town of Jonesborough.

Read more via Caution:  Not every yellow light timed the same | TriCities.

The 2010 Tennessee Pork Report is out.  Below are some examples of waste that is mentioned in the report.  Click on the link below to see the full report. 

Click here to see the media attention the report has received thus far.

State and local government officials in Tennessee should be scouring their budgets to slash spending in order to help restore some semblance of fiscal sanity. The Pork Report offers dozens of such examples, including:

• $15 million for an aquatics center in Kingsport;
• $3.95 million in excess fees collected by professional regulatory boards;
• $1.6 million washed away on the fairways of the 11 state-run golf courses in 2010;
• $1.5 million to help smokers kick the habit;
• $510,000 for dog parks in Knoxville and Knox County;
• $48,600 in incentives to bring film production to Tennessee; and
• $34,000 to advertise the U.S. Census in Clarksville.

KINGSPORT DROWNS ITSELF IN POOL DEBT (page 7)

In October 2009, the Kingsport City Council made a splash when it authorized $15 million for a new aquatics center. “Bathing suits have been getting moldy waiting on this thing to be built,” noted Alderman Valerie Joh in support of the project.  Kingsport residents should thank their grandkids when they bust out those moldy swimsuits and head to their new government-run swimming pool this summer, because the project was funded as part of a $41.1 million bond issuance by the city. This adds to the city’s enormous debt, which has doubled from $110 million to $218 million over the past five years. Whether they get to take a swim in the pool or not, this debt will undoubtedly be paid off by future generations of Kingsport residents.

Read the entire report at 2010 Tennessee Pork Report

It appears that Keith Wilson, former NETWORKS chairman and publisher of the Kingsport Times-News is using his newspaper to drum up support for increased funding to make the Kingsport schools the best in the state.

Keith Wilson quoted some statistics below on how Kingsport schools ranked in the state and he would like to use NETWORKS to market Kingsport schools “in soliciting new business and industry and trying to keep existing business and industry”.

NETWORKS is a joint economic development partnership of Bluff City, Bristol, Kingsport and Sullivan County, Tennessee.

There is nothing wrong about using Kingsport school statistics to attract new business, but if the Kingsport schools rank was so good now, then why hasn’t NETWORKS used that to attract new business and industry in the past.  How successful were you Mr. Wilson during your term as Chairman of Networks in getting new business and industry by promoting the Kingsport schools?

NETWORKS envisions making Kingsport schools best in Tennessee (Please read the entire Kingsport Times-News article)

Wilson cited statistics compiled by the SCORE program of former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, which Wilson said showed that among 119 K-12 public systems statewide Kingsport schools had the sixth-highest per-pupil expenditures in the state, the third-highest percentage of local funding in their budget, and the 38th-highest graduation rate.

It also was the 14th most economic advantaged system, was 18th in growth from third to eighth grade scores, and ranked sixth in the three-year ACT score average, he said

I smell a tax increase that would affect only the City of Kingsport property owners. Somehow, I don’t think the Kingsport citizens would approve of a tax increase while Bristol, Bluff City and Sullivan County residents got the benefits of a new business or industry located outside of Kingsport city limits.

Kingsport BMA needs to be reminded that the household median income for Kingsport is $34,391 and the Individuals below poverty level 18.0%. Two people in the same household making the minimum wage would make $30,160 per year.   Kingsport citizens cannot afford a tax increase to fund the NETWORKS marketing scheme that Keith Wilson is proposing.  The City of Kingsport also  has 20.1 percent of its population that are over 65 years of age and this group cannot not afford a tax increase.   The NETWORKS marketing scheme should be funded by business or a personal tax on the “elite”.

Mr. Wilson, what were you doing during your involvement with NETWORKS when the opportunities below went somewhere else?

• Small NC town to get $1 billion Apple data center
• Gov. Bredesen – works to attract investments for West TN, but plant flowers in East TN
• Silver Eagle Bus Manufacturing lands in Gallatin
• Bredesen, Kisber Announce New Investment in Renewable Energy Sector, Creating 500 New Jobs
• Volkswagen Group of America Selects Chattanooga Location
• East TN lost another one!
• New York Site Edges Bristol, VA In Competition For Yahoo! Data Center
• Multi-Million Dollar Capital Investment to Create Over 400 New Jobs in West TN
• Southern towns: Harley plant welcome
• German firm buys Chattanooga Aerisyn operation
• State panel approves purchase of land for Haywood megasite
• Governor Bredesen, Commissioner Kisber Announce Unilever Expansion in Covington
• BJS North America East Celebrates Grand Opening in Jefferson County

Keith Wilson is not listed on the NETWORKS Board of Directors.

In my opinion, the NETWORKS organization which is supported with taxpayer money, is just simply ineffective in getting new businesses that offer good jobs for the area.

See also the following link;  Kingsport leaders tentatively on board with NETWORKS plan for schools

RATES INCREASE in 95 COUNTIES

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 10.7 percent, unchanged from the revised December rate of 10.7 percent. The national unemployment rate for January 2010 was 9.7 percent.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for January 2010, released today, show that the rate increased in all 95 counties.

Lincoln County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 8.3 percent, up from 7.3 in December. Marshall County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 20.3 percent, up from 18.7 in December, followed by Henderson County at 19.9 percent, up from 18.5 percent in December.

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 8.6 percent, up from 8.1 in December. Davidson County was 9.6 percent, up from 9.2 in December. Hamilton County was at 10.0 percent, up from 9.2 in December, and Shelby County was 11.4 percent, up from 10.6 in December.

NOTE: Information will be available on the Internet; enter http://www.tennessee.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/january2010county.pdf

Data is from the following links –   Jan 2009, Feb 2009, Mar 2009, April 2009, May, 2009, June 2009, July 2008, August 2009, Sept 2009, Oct 2008, Nov 2009, Dec 2009, Jan 2010

The Kingsport, Tennessee area have gotten themselves more National attention with the recent Gallup-Healthways surveys.

WebMD article below gives (America’s Most Obese Metropolitan Areas) a summary of Gallup’s findings.

Please go to the Gallup link (What America’s Most Obese Metro Areas Have in Common) for more detail.

Do we need more restaurants in the Kingsport area?

America’s Most Obese Metropolitan Areas

March 3, 2010 — A ranking of No. 1 — or being in the Top 10 — isn’t always something to crow about.

The latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index lists the 10 most obese metropolitan areas in the U.S. and finds that adult obesity rates in each are significantly greater than the national average of 26.5%.

Here’s a list of the 10 most obese metro areas, with those ranking highest having the greatest obesity rates.

1. (tie) Montgomery, Ala., and Stockton, Calif.: 34.6%
2. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.: 34.1%
3. York/Hanover, Pa.: 34%
4. Flint, Mich.: 33.9%
5. McAllen/Edinburg/Mission, Texas: 33.7%
6. Bakersfield, Calif.: 33.6%
7. (tie) Lynchburg, Va., and Huntington/Ashland, West Va., Ky., Ohio: 33%
8. Kingsport/Bristol, Tenn., Va.: 32.9%

Eating Fruits and Veggies

The latest Well-Being Index also examines factors that are linked to obesity.

Here’s a look at how metro areas ranked according to the percentage eating fruits and vegetables frequently — listed from worst to best. The nationwide percentage is 56.8%.

1. McAllen/Edinburg/Mission, Texas:  45.7%
2. Montgomery, Ala.: 52.7%
3. Bakersfield, Calif.: 53.1%
4. Stockton, Calif.: 54.8%
5. Flint, Mich.: 56.4%
6. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.: 56.6%
7. Lynchburg, Va.: 56.8%
8. York/Hanover, Pa.: 59.0%
9. Huntington/Ashland/ West Va., Ky., Ohio 60.2 %
10. Kingsport/Bristol Tenn., Va.:  62.2%

Exercising Frequently

Here’s a look at the rankings — from worst to best — of the percentage of people exercising frequently. The percentage nationwide is 49.9%.

1. Montgomery, Ala.:  43.3%
2. Flint, Mich.:  44.5%
3. McAllen/Edinburg/Mission, Texas: 45.8%
4. Lynchburg, Va.: 46.1%
5. Huntington/Ashland, W. Va., Ky., Ohio:   47.7%
6. York/Hanover, Pa.: 47.8%
7. Bakersfield, Calif.:  48.4%
8. Kingsport/Bristol, Tenn., Va.: 48.5%
9. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.:  49.2%
10. Stockton, Calif.:  51%

Gallup-Healthways says in a news release that eight of the 10 most obese areas rank in the bottom two-thirds in terms of having easy access to fruits and vegetables and nine rank in the bottom two-thirds for having a safe place to exercise.

Seven of the 10 most obese metro areas rank among the bottom 25 places where residents say there have been times in the past year when they didn’t have enough money to buy food for themselves or family members.

Obesity’s Link to Health Problems

The researchers note that obesity often is a precursor to chronic health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart attack. These conditions were included in the Gallup-Healthways physical health index.

The report also finds that:

• Each of the 10 most obese metro areas are in the bottom two-thirds of all places in terms of diabetes.
• The Huntington/Ashland areas of West Va., Kentucky, and Ohio, with Montgomery, Ala., and the Kingsport/Bristol area on the Tennessee-Virginia line are in the bottom 10 among all metro areas surveyed in regard to blood pressure, with rates nearly 10 percentage points above the national average.
• Huntington and Kingsport, along with Lynchburg, are in the bottom 10 for high cholesterol.
• Huntington and Kingsport are among the bottom 10 for heart attacks, with rates almost twice the national average.
• Four of the 10 most obese areas are in the top third among all metro areas for not smoking, but the other six rank in the bottom two-thirds.

The Gallup-Wellbeing report is based on telephone interviews with more than 353,000 adults 18 and over between Jan. 2, 2009, and Dec. 29, 2009. It has a margin of sampling error of 0.2 percentage points.

via America’s Most Obese Metropolitan Areas.

Copyright ©2009, WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved

A new survey from Gallup and Franklin-based Healthways Inc shows that the Kingsport area is ranked as the bottom ten cities for overall well being.  It appears that the physical, emotional, social and professional aspects of folks in the Kingsport area has helped drag the State of Tennessee to its low scores.

I wonder how our elected leaders will “spin” this study to make themselves look good.  Maybe, they might try even more to spend more money to help their cause.  So far the out of control spending for pet projects by our local elected officials has not seemed to work.

The Kingsport area has managed to get lots of national media attention with this study.

Nashville-area residents have the highest well-being among Tennesseans, although the state as a whole continues to rank near the bottom nationally when it comes to overall quality of life.

That’s the conclusion of two reports published today by Gallp and Franklin-based Healthways Inc. The reports are based on more than 350,000 surveys completed in 2009 that measure how respondents are faring in all aspects of their daily lives: physically, emotionally, socially and professionally.

Nashville ranks 63rd among 185 cities nationwide in the city-level report, up 22 spots from 2008. In report-card terms, that’s the equivalent of a B. Memphis and Knoxville scored Ds, while Chattanooga and Kingsport both graded an F.

In fact, Kingsport ranks among the bottom 10 cities nationwide in overall well-being, scoring dead last in the categories of life evaluation and physical health. Fort Smith, Ark., came in last overall, while Boulder, Colo. topped the list.

In the state-level report, Tennessee ranks 42nd, the same as in 2008. The bright spot was work environment, where the state ranks 12th. Hawaii had the highest well-being among states, while West Virginia had the lowest.

Gallup and Healthways published state and congressional district rankings for 2008. But this is the first time since polling began in January 2008 that city rankings have been announced.

“It’s our hope that these rankings are not treated as competition, but as a wake-up call,” said Anne Wilkins, Healthways’ chief strategy officer. “Even the highest-ranked cities and states have room for improvement, and hopefully communities can look at these rankings and figure out how to improve the lives of their citizens.”

Gallup and Healthways entered into a 25-year partnership in 2008 with the goal of creating an official statistic for the daily state of health and well-being in the United States.

Aggregating 1,000 calls a day, 350 days a year, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index is the largest behavioral economic database ever created and is expected to generate more than 9 million individual responses over the next quarter-century.

Healthways provides specialized, comprehensive medical solutions for insurers and employers to help patients manage and improve their health and reduce health care costs.

The company ranks No. 16 on Nashville Business Journal’s list of largest public companies in Middle Tennessee with revenue of $789.5 million in 2008.

Best and worst

Top 10 Cities Overall 1. Boulder, Colo. 2. Holland, Mich. 3. Honolulu, Hawaii 4. Provo, Utah 5. Santa Rosa, Calif. 6. Santa Barbara, Calif. 7. San Jose, Calif. 8. Washington, D.C. 9. Ogden, Utah 10. Oxnard, Calif.

Bottom 10 Cities Overall 1. Fort Smith, Ark. 2. Huntington, W. Va. 3. Lake Havasu City, Ariz. 4. Johnstown, Penn. 5. Modesto, Calif. 6. Charleston, W.Va. 7. Flint, Mich. 8. Youngstown, Ohio 9. Kingsport, Tenn. 10. Shreveport, La.

Top 10 States Overall 1. Hawaii 2. Utah 3. Montana 4. Minnesota 5. Iowa 6. Vermont 7. Colorado 8. Alaska 9. North Dakota 10. Kansas

Bottom 10 States Overall 1. West Virginia 2. Kentucky 3. Arkansas 4. Ohio 5. Nevada 6. Alabama 7. Indiana 8. Mississippi 9. Tennessee 10. Louisiana

Source: Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index City and State Reports

via Healthways, Gallup: Tennesseans’ well-being lags, boosted by Nashville – Nashville Business Journal:.

Note the rankings below for Kingsport.  The number of cities studied in 185.  Kingsport came in dead last in “Life Evaluation” and “Physical Health”.  Kingsport’s overall score is 179 out of 185.  Click on the link below for more information on the Tennessee study.

2009 City, State & Congressional District Well-Being Report for Tennessee

Rates Increase in 91 Counties, Decrease in 1, Remain the Same in Three

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 10.9 percent, up 0.7 percentage point from the revised November rate of 10.2 percent. The United States’ unemployment rate for the month of December was unchanged at 10.0 percent.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2009, released today, show that the rate increased in 91 counties, decreased in one, and remained the same in three counties.

Lincoln County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, up 0.4 from its November rate. Lauderdale and Marshall counties had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 18.9 percent. Lauderdale was up 0.4 from the November rate, and Marshall County increased from 16.8 percent in November.

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 8.1 percent, up 0.4 percentage point from the November rate. Hamilton County was at 8.9 percent, up 0.5 percentage point from the November rate. Davidson County was 9.2 percent, up 0.4 from the previous month, and Shelby County was 10.3 percent, up 0.3 from the November rate.

Data is from the following links –  Dec 2008, Jan 2009, Feb 2009, Mar 2009, April 2009, May, 2009, June 2009, July 2008, August 2009, Sept 2009, Oct 2008, Nov 2009, Dec 2009

I have previously written concerning the proposal that the City of Kingsport buy the old State Theater  See post Kingsport Developer gets in over his head, thinks old theater may be haunted and wants city to bail him out.

Now the completed study by the Cinema Preservation Group is out and can be read in its entirety in the link below.  Read and form your own conclusions.

Kingsport Economic Development Board recently voted to spend nearly $10,000 to fund a study to determine the economic impact of a restored theater in downtown Kingsport. The Cinema Preservation Group is now conducting the work.

KEDB Chairman Bob Feathers said he contacted Beatty about the possibility of the city purchasing or investing in the theater after learning that Beatty was considering nonprofit status for the facility.

Feathers said he believes some type of investment can occur to complete the theater project — regardless of what the economic development study shows.

Read more via City may consider buying State Theater building – Kingsport Times-News Online.

In the recent Kingsport Times-News article below, Mayor Dennis Phillips denies that the city plans to buy the State Theatre outright.  I wonder what Mayor Phillips has in mind when he stated “without an enormous expense to the taxpayers”?

Mayor Dennis Phillips said he hopes the study will encourage some individual or organization to invest in the State Theater, complete the renovations, and begin operating it for the benefit of the downtown district.

“I think if we can accomplish this without an enormous expense to the taxpayers, it certainly would be a service that is sorely needed,” Phillips said.

Asked about the Strand Theater, another Broad Street historic facility that has recently been used as a venue for live music and old movies, Phillips said the Cinema Preservation Group study could also be used by the Strand owners if they would want to market the facility one day. The Strand Theatre is owned by Restoration Church.

“I don’t know if the Strand Theater is available today. The Strand Theatre is a church,” he said.

But if the Strand were put on the market, “this report would apply … then it becomes a matter of economics of which one could be done at the least cost,” Phillips said.

He denied that the city plans to buy the State Theatre outright.

via Study envisions new future for State Theatre – Kingsport Times-News Online.

The report from the Cinema Preservation Group states that there are major problems when a non-profit theater is aligned too closely with city hall.  Below are two paragraphs from the study.  I would encourage you to read the entire report.

Non-profit theatres aligned too closely with city hall often fall prey to two particular problems. The first occurs when the theatre building comes to be perceived as a public facility. Various public entities feel that they should be allowed to use the facility for significantly discounted rates, or even for free. Though currently not an issue in the case of the State, this type of agreement is often adopted in order to ensure initial approval for restoration by the council and guarantee the allocation of funds for building renovations and/or other expenses. Severely discounted rates take revenue away from the theatre and occupy blocks of time that could be filled by other groups who would pay to use the building. The second problem arises when city residents perceive the theatre to be a municipal building. When this happens, it becomes extremely difficult to raise money from the community. Fundraising efforts are either simply ignored or opposed outright, and individual donors become wary of contributing to an entity they feel could and should be largely financed by tax dollars.

…….Though ticket and concession sales are the primary sources of revenue for a theatre, there are other means of earning revenue that must be explored. The vast majority of live theatres in America today will never be self-supporting, they can simply never make enough money on ticket sales and concessions to cover expenses. Even in good economic times many theatres are fortunate to earn 50% of their revenue from events. Two strategies for overcoming this revenue shortfall are fundraising and rental.

Read more via The Cinema Preservation Group Study

The survey that was used in the study is questionable because the Cinema Preservation Group chose to use the blog that is maintained by Kingsport’s Assistant Manager, Jeff Flemming.  The readership of Jeff Flemming’s blog in my opinion would show a bias for the city of Kingsport and would not reflect the majority views of the Kingsport citizens.  See Time Sensitive: How do you feel about State Theatre?  I am sure that the response would have been different if this blog posted the survey.

It is interesting that the Cinema Preservation Group is from Asheville, NC.  Prior to coming to Kingsport, Doug Beatty lived in the Asheville area.

Also, it is interesting that  Richard Rose, artistic director at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, sent a letter of support for the State Theatre restoration to Kingsport City Manager, John Campbell.  Rose said he reviewed the Cinema Preservation study.  It is also interesting that Doug Beatty lives in the Abingdon, Virginia area

See also DKA to partner with Restoration Church on Strand Theater project,

Drama unfolds at DKA press conference on old Strand Theater

Voters in Baytown, Texas file petition calling for referendum on red light cameras.

Baytown, Texas will be the next city where voters decide the fate of red light cameras. A total of 1324 residents, more than double the number required, signed a petition proposing an ordinance that would outlaw photo enforcement in Baytown. Resident Byron Schirmbeck yesterday handed the city clerk a stack of signature sheets, but he expects officials to resist placing the ordinance on the ballot.

"Our fight to hold the city accountable and remove the cameras has just started," Schirmbeck said. "The city has given every indication they intend to invalidate our petition and ignore the will of the people. Even now the city is putting up more cameras even though they know we want a vote on them."

The clerk’s office must validate at least 620 petition signatures before the city council would be asked to place the ordinance before voters, but the city council may attempt to block the petition. Earlier this year, the city of Chillicothe, Ohio was so desperate to save its photo ticketing program that it asked the state supreme court to stop the vote on the referendum — a request that the high court swiftly denied. College Station, Texas likewise spent thousands in taxpayer dollars on a lobbying effort designed to allow ticketing to continue. After the election took place, College Station’s vendor, American Traffic Solutions, used a front group to file an injunction designed to have the public vote invalidated.

These efforts ultimately failed. As in every case where a referendum on photo ticketing has appeared on the ballot, the public demanded that the automated ticketing machines be removed. Schirmbeck believes Baytown residents will vote against the cameras because the city has been fundamentally dishonest about the program. The city has been caught not only manipulating data but also shortening yellow times at intersections.

At the intersection of Garth and Baker Roads, for example, accidents increased by eleven percent with no reduction in the number of injuries. The city had falsely claimed in reports to the state department of transportation that accidents dropped 63 percent at the same location. In July, Schirmbeck caught the city using an illegally short yellow time of 3.1 seconds at Garth and Baker. Once exposed, the city increased the yellow to 4.5 seconds. As revenue dropped, however, the city quietly shortened that yellow to just 4.0 seconds. It later attempted to justify the move by erecting a "40 MPH" speed limit sign, even though the opposite side of the same road is posted at 45 MPH.

After the clerk determines the validity of the petition, the city council will vote on the proposed ordinance at the next council meeting.

via Baytown, Texas Residents Demand Vote on Reed Light Cameras.