Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc.
AbbreviationTTR
Formation2001
TypePublic Benefit Corporation
Location
President
Rick Durham
Founder and spokesman
Ben Cunningham
Websitewww.tntaxrevolt.com

Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc. (TTR) is an American anti-tax political advocacy group active in the state of Tennessee.[1]

The organization was incorporated as a public benefit corporation of Tennessee on October 22, 2001.[2] Donation pages on its site note that donations to TTR are not tax-deductible.[3][4]

In nearly all appearances in the media and speaking engagements, TTR is represented by its spokesman, Nashville real estate investor Ben Cunningham, who is also listed as a founder of the organization.[5]

History

In his book Covenant of Liberty: The Ideological Origins of the Tea Party Movement conservative activist and author Michael Patrick Leahy describes an event that he calls the Tennessee Tax Revolt which he credits as the genesis of the organization of the same name. This was a three-year popular campaign to oppose the institution of a state income tax in Tennessee, a cause championed by Republican Governor Don Sundquist.[6][7][8][9]

Ben Cunningham and state radio personalities Phil Valentine, Steve Gill, Darrell Ankarlo, and Dave Ramsey, aided by Republican lawmakers such as Marsha Blackburn, spearheaded an effort that involved dissemination of information over the air waves, email lists, and a web site, emails and telephone calls to state legislators, postal mailing of tea bags to officials, street protests and driving past the state capitol building while honking their automobile horns, and a tactic that a Los Angeles Times reporter referred to as "steering protesters to lawmakers' homes."[6][7][8][10] According to Mr. Cunningham, in addition to the honking of automobile horns among the activists at the State Capitol there was a competition to produce the loudest noise which was achieved in 2002 with a dismounted train whistle powered by a portable air compressor, requiring other protesters to cover their ears when it was sounded once or twice per day.[6][11]

In 2001, the Tennessee Tax Revolt organization was incorporated as a public benefit corporation and by the end of 2002 the campaign had been successful and the effort to enact an income tax had ceased.[7][8] The TTR web site hosts photographs from the 2001 and 2002 protests. In 2004, the group claimed that their email list was subscribed to by 5,000 recipients.[9]

Activities

Cunningham has frequently been interviewed in Tennessee state and local media outlets about tax and budgetary issues.[12] TTR's own events,[13] as well as Tea Party movement and other events and rallies around Tennessee and around the country.[6][14][15][16][17][18][19] He spoke as a panelist at a Tennessee Alliance for Progress event in 2005.[20] In 2009, TTR spoke at a Nashville Tea Party rally in opposition to the federal bank bailouts in response to the financial crisis and in opposition to the stimulus expenditures.[19] In 2011, Cunningham was a guest speaker at a paid event held by several other state organizations and described as a conservative "grassroots legislative training" session.[21][22] In a January 2011 presentation to the Tea Party of Bradley County (entitled "How to Fight Local Tax Hikes and Win") Cunningham invoked Khmer Rouge, Stalinist Russia, and the Chinese Communist Party "Thankfully we haven't had to result [sic] in violence and certainly no one is advocating that, but clearly many people have. And clearly many people had the opportunity to fight these forces of tyranny and they didn't do it. Ultimately, the burden is on our shoulders and we've got to accept that burden and we've got to take the time to get involved in government at every level - nationally, state, local."[6][23][24] Cunningham moderated a Tennessee 20th Senatorial District Republican candidate discussion forum in 2012.[25][26]

TTR has sponsored efforts to persuade state officials and candidates to sign a "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" promising not to raise taxes.[1][27][28][29] The organization has also sponsored polls of Tennessee voters on various issues.[30] TTR endorses candidates in state elections;[31] in 2006, it endorsed Edward Glenn Bryant, in his unsuccessful 2006 bid for a Tennessee U.S. Senate seat.[32]

In 2005 TTR gave a "Taxpayer Hero Award" to State Representative Donna Rowland[33] and anointed the City of Memphis the booby prize winner of the "Tennessee Tax Bowl" for having the highest combined county and municipal tax rate in the state.[34]

In 2006 TTR spearheaded a successful effort and petition drive to amend the Nashville city charter requiring any increase in property taxes to be approved by voters.[35][36][37][38]

TTR has spoken out over the property seizures and police raids of Gibson Guitar Corporation in Nashville over alleged violations of the Lacey Act governing the importation of wildlife and plants under conservation protection, specifically hardwoods used in the manufacture of that company's guitars.[39][40] Speaking at a 2011 rally in support of Gibson, Cunningham called the raids an abusive federal overreach.[23][41]

In 2011, TTR asked state legislators to work to oppose federal health care reform proposals.[42] That Cunningham spoke at an event sponsored by Ralph Weber's company MediBid and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and in an associated radio broadcast said that President Obama's health care reforms would "ruin our medical system" and result in a "decline into mediocrity and tyranny."[43][44]

In 2012, TTR and Cunningham supported legislation put forward in Tennessee to phase out and then completely eliminate the state inheritance tax.[45] The bill passed the legislature and was signed into law by Governor Bill Haslam.[46][47]

While most frequently protesting increases in personal taxes, TTR has also opposed some tax breaks offered to large companies and special exceptions to sales taxes.[48][49] It criticized the budgeting process for a planned Nashville convention center,[36] and in January 2010 called for the recall any city council member who supported issuance of bonds to finance the center.[35] In 2012, Cunningham criticized the state's economic development negotiations with private companies, calling upon Governor Bill Haslam and the State Funding Board to "stop holding these secret negotiations with large corporations over handing out these huge wads of money."[50][51]

Pamphlets

  • How to Fight Local Tax Hikes and Win: Tennessee Tax Revolt Tax Activist Toolkit
  • Making an Open Records Request for Government Records in Tennessee

References

  1. 1 2 "Governor denounces 'taxpayer protection pledge'". Southern Standard. Associated Press. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  2. ↑ "Business Entity Detail - Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc". Tennessee Secretary of State Division of Business Services. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  3. ↑ "TN Tax Revolt Contributions". Tennessee Tax Revolt. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  4. ↑ "TN Tax Revolt Contributions". Tennessee Tax Revolt. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  5. ↑ Carey, Nick (2010-10-08). "Special Report: The Tea Party goes to school". Reuters. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Ben Cunningham (2011-01-18). How to Fight Local Tax Hikes and Win. Bradley County, Tennessee: Tea Party of Bradley County. Archived from the original on 2013-10-26. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  7. 1 2 3 Leahy, Michael Patrick (2012), Covenant of Liberty: The Ideological Origins of the Tea Party Movement, HarperCollins, pp. 218–220, ISBN 9780062066350, retrieved 2012-06-01
  8. 1 2 3 Smith, Kevin B.; Greenblatt, Alan; Buntin, John (2005), Governing States and Localities, CQ Press, pp. 366–367, ISBN 9781568027890
  9. 1 2 "Anti-tax forces still fighting in already low-tax Tennessee", Elizabethton Star, Elizabethton, Tennessee, p. 13A, 2004-10-31, retrieved 2012-06-15
  10. ↑ Gettleman, Jeffrey (2001-07-23), "Talk Radio Thwarts Tennessee Income Tax", Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2012-06-01
  11. ↑ "More pics from the Great Tennessee Tax Revolt: The Loudest Horn". Taxing Tennessee Blog. Ben Cunningham. 2011-05-29. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  12. ↑ "Some People Outraged About State Lawmakers Pay Raise". WTVF. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  13. ↑ "Tax Day Tea Party". Constitution Celebration This Friday Night!. 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  14. ↑ "Chattanooga Residents To Attend Statewide Tea Party". The Chattanoogan. 2009-10-28. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  15. ↑ "Tax Day Tea Party". Sumner United for Responsible Government. 2010-04-15. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  16. ↑ "Public Meeting To Discuss Home Rule Government". WKSR. 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  17. ↑ "'Tea party' event to protest recent federal spending", The Tennessean, 2009-04-15, retrieved 2012-06-01
  18. ↑ "Three Presidential Candidates, Grassroots Activists, to Plan Future of Tax Policy at Washington, DC Conference" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2007-06-13. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  19. 1 2 Cardona, Nina (2009-02-27). "Nashville Tea Party Draws Hundreds". WPLN. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  20. ↑ Buttorff, Christine (2005-11-09). "Ethics Town Hall Meeting". WPLN. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  21. ↑ "Conservatives to hold grassroots legislative training", The Tennessean, 2011-03-14, retrieved 2012-06-01
  22. ↑ "Legislature 101/102 Class". Tennessee Tea Party. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  23. 1 2 Ben Cunningham (2011-10-10). Cunningham: Gov't Should Preserve Freedom, Not Threaten it. Nashville, Tennessee: TNReport.com News Service. Retrieved 2012-06-04. No American business should fear the government at their door with guns drawn.
  24. ↑ Ben Cunningham (2011-06-28). Cunningham on the family budget. Nashville, Tennessee: TNReport.com News Service. Retrieved 2012-06-04. When I'm talking to groups I always open with, "the most important budget of all is the family budget, the taxpayer's family budget." And all other government budgets must first come from that family budget and if that family budget is not healthy those other budgets will not be healthy. And every dime that goes to the government must first come out of someone's family budget. And that's why it is extraordinarily important to watch and hold government accountable for every dime they spend.
  25. ↑ Ben Cunningham, Steve Dickerson, David Hall, Rob Mortesen (2012-04-28). GOP Candidates give their views at Conservative Forum in Green Hills. Green Hills, Tennessee: Drucilla Smith Fuller. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  26. ↑ Fuller, Drucilla Smith (2012-05-17). "State senate hopefuls weigh in on gun issues" (PDF). Green Hill News. p. 6. Retrieved 2012-06-03. Alt URL
  27. ↑ "Finney and Monroe-Ball sign anti-tax pledge", Blount Today, 2008-06-18, archived from the original on 2008-06-22, retrieved 2012-06-01
  28. ↑ "Metro Nashville Council Candidates who have signed the Tennessee Tax Revolt Taxpayer Protection Pledge". Tennessee Tax Revolt. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  29. ↑ "Oscar Brock, Candidate for the Tennessee State Senate District 10, signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge promising he will oppose all efforts to impose a State Income Tax on the Citizens of District 10" (PDF) (Press release). Tennessee Tax Revolt. 2007-11-01. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  30. ↑ Sher, Andy (2008-03-12), "Half of voters polled rate Tennessee's public schools poor or fair", Chattanooga Times Free Press, retrieved 2012-06-01
  31. ↑ "TTR Endorsements" (PDF) (Press release). Tennessee Tax Revolt. 2002-10-21. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  32. ↑ Humphrey, Tom (2006-06-18). "'Your answer to Harold Ford' - GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate Ed Bryant works for Aug. 3 votes". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  33. ↑ "Rep. Donna Rowland awarded Taxpayer Hero Award" (Press release). Tennessee Tax Revolt. 2005-02-01. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  34. ↑ Ruble, Drew (2005-01-03). "Memphis leads state in property tax rate". NashvillePost.com. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  35. 1 2 "Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc. offers to assist Nashville Taxpayers in recalling Metro Council Members who vote to force taxpayers to Co-Sign the huge, new Convention Center Debt" (PDF) (Press release). Tennessee Tax Revolt. 2010-01-18. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  36. 1 2 "Anti-tax group keeping tabs on Convention Center financing", The City Paper, 2008-08-28, archived from the original on 2016-03-03, retrieved 2012-06-01
  37. ↑ Farmer, Blake (2007-08-31). "Behind the Property Tax Issue (transcript)". WPLN. Archived from the original on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  38. ↑ Farmer, Blake (2006-11-12). "Charter Amendment Passage Brings New Questions". WPLN. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  39. ↑ Garrison, Joey (2011-09-20), "Tennessee Tea Party groups to sponsor rally for Gibson CEO", The City Paper, archived from the original on 2011-12-26, retrieved 2012-06-01
  40. ↑ Austen, Ben (2012-01-19), "The U.S. vs. Rock 'n' Roll", Bloomberg Businessweek, ISSN 0007-7135, archived from the original on January 23, 2012, retrieved 2012-06-01
  41. ↑ Engler, Mark Todd (2011-10-07). "Tea Partiers In Tune With Gibson". TNReport. Buffalo Valley, Tennessee: TNReport.com News Service. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  42. ↑ Sher, Andy (2011-01-13), "Tea party activists visit Tennessee's lawmakers", Chattanooga Times Free Press, retrieved 2012-06-06
  43. ↑ Ralph Weber (host), Jeremy Snavely (guest), Jake Robinson (guest) (2011-08-01). "Doctors Town Hall Recap with Ben Cunningham & Jake Robinson". MediTalk. MediBid. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  44. ↑ Ralph Weber (host) (2011-08-01). "Ben Cunningham: How To Fight Local Tax Hikes And Win". MediTalk. MediBid. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  45. ↑ Ben Cunningham, Andrea Zelinski (2012-03-22). Cunningham: TN Headed in Right Tax Direction. Nashville, Tennessee: TNReport.com News Service. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  46. ↑ Humphrey, Tom (2012-07-12). "Lawmakers rarely said, 'No,' to business lobbyists". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  47. ↑ "Gov In West Tenn to Sign Inheritance Tax Legislation: Haslam Signs Legislation Phasing Out Inheritance Tax". WNWS. 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  48. ↑ Pare, Mike; Sher, Andy (2008-08-30), "Chattanooga: Record incentives package sparks taxing debate", Chattanooga Times Free Press, retrieved 2012-06-01
  49. ↑ "Sales tax applies to less and less", The Tennessean, 2008-04-13, retrieved 2012-06-01
  50. ↑ Schelzig, Erik (2012-01-12). "Grants for Corporations: Transparent Except for the Secret Parts". Humphrey on the Hill (blog). Knoxville News Sentinel. Associated Press. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  51. ↑ "Closing Recruitment Records Raises Alarms, Little Resistance (transcript)". WPLN. 2012-02-21. Archived from the original on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
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