State Senator
Raymond Finney
SENATOR FINNEY LISTENS
An "online town hall meeting" for constituents of
Senator Finney, who proudly represents the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee--
the Eighth Senatorial District (Blount and Sevier Counties)...

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CONSTITUENTS' PREFERENCE SURVEY (2006)

EXPLANATION: In 2005, I distributed a survey (questionnaire) throughout my senatorial district. More than 600 constituents responded. My staff tabulated all responses, and I carefully analyzed the results. I read every comment. I responded to most written comments by email or letter.

When I campaigned for office, I promised to stay in close touch with constituents. This survey will help me to know your views on issues that face Tennessee.

PREFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE-- FINAL RESULTS (as of May 20, 2006):

As of May 20, 2006, 673 constituents have responded by the Internet or postal mail to inform me of their views on some issues that may come before the General Assembly. NOTE: This survey represents only the views of persons who took the time to respond to a questionnaire. It is not conducted using rigorous statistical controls, and is provided for interest only. The online survey form follows in the lower part of this Web page.

01. TABOR: (Various Taxpayers' Bill of Rights [TABOR] proposals would provide such features as limitation against higher taxation, limitation of government spending, or requirement of voter approval for some types of taxation.) Do you favor a more restrained growth of government growth and spending through some form of TABOR?
YES 92.0%
NO 3.2%
NO OPINION 4.8%

02. Senior Citizen Homestead Act: (This act would authorize limited tax relief for certain senior citizen homeowners by freezing residential property tax assessments.) Do you favor this tax relief for senior citizens?
YES 88.5%
NO 6.6%
NO OPINION 4.9%

03. Sales tax abolishment: Should the sales tax on grocery food purchases be abolished?
YES 78.9%
NO 17.2%
NO OPINION 3.9%

04. Hall's income tax abolishment: (The Hall's income tax is assessed on income from out-of-state investments, such as stock funds.) Should the Hall's income tax be abolished for senior citizens with lower incomes?
YES 69.9%
NO 16.6
NO OPINION 13.5%

05. Tax swap: Would you favor paying higher taxes on tobacco products and/or alcoholic beverages, if the sales tax on grocery items is reduced or abolished?
YES 81.9%
NO 15.1%
NO OPINION 3.0%

06. Your taxes: How do you feel about the amount of all taxes (federal, state, and local) that you pay or have withheld from your income?
TOO MUCH 67.9%
ABOUT RIGHT 26.7%
TOO LITTLE 2.1%
NO OPINION 3.3%

07. School bus safety: Should local school boards be required to install seat belts on public school buses?
YES 58.1%
NO 27.1%
NO OPINION 14.8%

08. Home-schooled students: Should home-schooled students be allowed to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities sponsored by public schools?
YES 47.6%
NO 38.4%
NO OPINION 14.0%

09. Pre-K education: (In 2005, a trial of pre-kindergarten [pre-K] education for four year-old children was initiated, to be funded with excess lottery funds. It will be proposed that we increase the number of pre-K classes, to be funded with general tax revenues. This proposal seemingly is leading the state to mandatory education for all four year-old children.) What is your feeling about pre-K?
LIMIT PRE-K CLASSES TO WHATEVER CAN BE FUNDED FROM LOTTERY EXCESS 32.0%
EXTEND PRE-K CLASSES TO CHILDREN IN NEED, USING TAX REVENUES AS NECESSARY 10.6%
MAKE PRE-K EDUCATION MANDATORY FOR ALL CHILDREN 6.5%
ELIMINATE PRE-K EDUCATION ALTOGETHER 44.3%
NO OPINION 6.6%

10. Public education: (Tennessee is criticized for not spending as much per student for education as is spent by many other states.) Which is the better use of education funds?
EXPAND PRE-K EDUCATION 3.2%
IMPROVE EXISTING K-12 EDUCATION 85.9%
IMPROVE HIGHER EDUCATION (UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES) 4.4%
NO OPINION 6.5%

11. Public charter schools: Do you favor giving parents and educators more freedom to pursue different teaching methods in public charter schools?
YES 60.3%
NO 19.3%
NO OPINION 20.4%

12. Lottery scholarships: Should HOPE lottery scholarships be expanded to include students who do not pursue higher education immediately after high school graduation (older, non-traditional students)?
YES 64.5%
NO 29.3%
NO OPINION 6.2%

13. Student athlete testing: Should high school athletes be tested for performance-enhancing (steroid) drug usage, similar to testing performed in professional athletes?
YES 77.6%
NO 15.8%
NO OPINION 6.6%

14. Voter photographic identification: Should photographic identification be required before a person may vote?
YES 70.9%
NO 22.3%
NO OPINION 6.8%

15. English-only driver's license testing: Should testing for a driver's license be conducted only in English?
YES 87.3%
NO 8.5%
NO OPINION 4.2%

16. Illegal immigration: Should it be illegal for an employer to employ an illegal immigrant?
YES 95.5%
NO 2.2%
NO OPINION 2.3%

17. Insurance proof: Should proof of automobile insurance be required before a license plate or tag is issued?
YES 90.6%
NO 6.8%
NO OPINION 2.6%

18. Eminent domain: (In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled [Kelo vs City of New London] that a government may use eminent domain to condemn privately owned property and sell it to a developer, if the developer can provide more income for the government [jobs, taxes].) Should we prevent government from condemning private property to sell to a developer, even if more benefit to the government will be realized?
YES 95.6%
NO 3.2%
NO OPINION 1.2%

19. State attorney general: (Tennessee is the only state not to elect the state attorney general. Our attorney general is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.) Which do you favor?
SUPREME COURT SHOULD APPOINT 19.0%
PEOPLE SHOULD ELECT 72.4%
NO OPINION 8.6%

20. School superintendent: Should a school superintendent be appointed by the school board or elected by the people?
SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD APPOINT 27.3%
PEOPLE SHOULD ELECT 69.1%
NO OPINION 3.6%

21. Alternative energy: Should state tax revenues be used to encourage development and use of alternative fuels (bio-fuels, wind, solar)?
YES 68.9%
NO 23.1%
NO OPINION 8.0%

22. Biodiesel: (Blount and Sevier Counties have significant, unacceptable air pollution. Biodiesel, a blend of vegetable oil and petroleum diesel fuel, reduces air pollution.) Do you favor a statewide mandate to sell only biodiesel for diesel-powered vehicles?
YES 61.0%
NO 29.3%
NO OPINION 9.7%

23. Container deposit: (In an attempt to reduce roadside littering, there is a proposal to assess bottlers a 3-cent bottling fee plus a 5-cent refundable deposit for every beverage can or bottle sold.) Do you favor this bottle and can deposit bill?
YES 44.0%
NO 47.6%
NO OPINION 8.4%

24. Forestry: Who should determine whether a large tract of forested land can be clear cut (all trees cut to the ground to harvest the trees, followed by re-plantation-- usually pine seedlings in a former mixed hardwood forest)?
LANDOWNER 67.9%
STATE OF TENNESSEE 20.0%
NO OPINION 12.1%

25. Legislative proccedings on Internet: (There is a proposal to broadcast by live video streaming on a Website all floor sessions and committee hearings of the General Assembly.) How often would you watch such state legislative proceedings?
FREQUENTLY 15.0%
OCCASIONALLY 33.5%
RARELY OR NEVER 49.5%
NO OPINION 2.0%

26. Child rape: What should be the maximum punishment for an adult who rapes a child (12 years or less in age)?
EXECUTION (DEATH PENALTY) 35.9%
LIFE IMPRISONMENT 20.8%
20 YEARS IMPRISONMENT 34.5%
5 TO 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT 2.4%
TREATMENT IN A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY 5.0%
NO OPINION 1.4%

I asked cosntituents to grade performance of state government in three areas. I present the percentage of those who have no opinion. For those who have an opinion, I have converted the individual grade responses to a cumulative grade point average, using the standard formula of A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points, D = 1 point, and F = 0 points.

27. Evaluation of my performance: (I have been your state senator for one year.) How do you grade my overall performance as your senator?
GRADE POINT AVERAGE = 3.5 (out of 4.0 points)
NO OPINION 13.0%

28. Evaluation of the Legislature's performance: How do you grade the overall performance of the General Assembly (Tennessee Legislature)?
GRADE POINT AVERAGE = 1.7 (out of 4.0 points)
NO OPINION 12.5%

29. Evaluation of fiscal responsibility of state government: How do you grade the performance of the state government in managing taxes extracted from you?
GRADE POINT AVERAGE = 1.4 (out of 4.0 points)
NO OPINION 7.1%