Economic opportunity and tax relief, education and health were key points to Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State address, Monday.
But, of local interest, Gov. Lee pointed to Haywood County which “had the largest amount of capital investment and the second most new jobs announced of all 95 counties.”
Lee said companies have invested $35 billion in our state since 2019, creating more than 211,000 new jobs and counting for Tennesseans.
“That means real opportunity for families across our state, from Rogersville to Ripley.
“Today, Tennessee’s unemployment rate remains well below the national average, with state unemployment seeing an all-time low over the summer.
“And our rural counties are no exception.
“Since day one, I’ve believed that Tennessee’s success can be measured in part by the strength of our rural communities. We’ve prioritized economic investment across rural counties and developed a workforce strategy that works for every Tennessean, and it’s paying off.
“Five years ago, we had 15 distressed counties – today we have just eight.
“When we talk about Tennessee’s record economic growth, many people might assume the biggest beneficiary is Nashville or another one of our big cities, but in 2023, Haywood County in rural West Tennessee had the largest amount of capital investment and the second most new jobs announced of all 95 counties.
“This investment and these jobs are changing lives and creating an enormous generational impact. It’s only just beginning, and real Tennesseans are proof of that fact.”
Highlights included –
Economic Opportunity & Tax Relief
$20 million investment in Tennessee’s Rainy Day Fund, bringing Tennessee reserves to more than $2 billion, the largest in state history
- $410 million recurring funding and $1.2 billion non recurring funding to simplify the franchise tax in Tennessee
Education
Public Education Investments
- More than $261 million to strengthen education through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula growth, including teacher pay raises
- $30 million for summer learning programs to support students between school years
- $3.2 million dedicated to AP Access for All, which provides AP courses to students across rural and urban Tennessee
- $2.5 million to strengthen students’ reading and phonics skills
- $577,000 to ensure we train Tennessee teachers to be the best and brightest educators of Tennessee children
- $15 million to fund charter school facility improvements
Expanding Choices for Tennessee Parents
- $141.5 million to establish Education Freedom Scholarships to empower parents with the freedom to pick the right school for their child
Strong & Healthy Families
- $208 million over five years from TennCare shared savings to strengthen rural health by investing in apprenticeships and skilled training, greater access to specialty care and telemedicine, improved career pathways, hospital and physician practice grants, and a new Center of Excellence to sustain and expand rural health support.
- $100 million over five years from TennCare shared savings to strengthen mental health care by investing in community mental health centers and behavioral health hospitals, expanding substance abuse disorder treatment, intensive in-home supports, primary care training, early childhood training, and children’s hospital infrastructure.
- $26.7 million investment in services for Tennesseans with disabilities
