BLOG

As long as government keeps picking winners, there are bound to be losers. Hopefully, though, as a result of our work, there will be fewer losers when we’re done. READ MORE

To offer protection to all Tennessee residents, state lawmakers should look at the 46 other states that have implemented some sort of property tax cap and give Tennesseans similar protections. READ MORE

In 2012, legislators passed a bill to phase out the death tax over four years. Roger not only gets to save his farm and pass it on to his loved ones, but he saved thousands of other farms just like his from facing the same fate. READ MORE

As citizens, we can mobilize quickly, efficiently, and in heartfelt ways no federal government agency ever could. READ MORE

Today, we released our next installment of the Beacon Poll, a statewide survey of 1,200 registered Tennessee voters comprised of questions about political races, policy issues, and more. Former President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris by 21 points in the first Beacon Poll since Harris became the Democratic nominee for president. While Trump still maintains a solid lead,... READ MORE

Amanda's story proves that states can put pressure on the federal government to act, and how just a few individuals like Amanda can have an outsized national impact. READ MORE

Imagine losing your job because an unelected board of government bureaucrats—or even worse, a board of your competitors with the force of government power—suddenly declared it illegal. READ MORE

Operations like Quail Run Farms benefit Tennessee’s economy and help support the income of farms and rural communities.  READ MORE

On November 8, 2022, Tennessee became just the tenth state to make right-to-work a constitutional right when 1.14 million Tennesseans, or seventy percent of voters, cast their ballots in favor of Amendment 1. READ MORE

Today, we released our next installment of the Beacon Poll, a statewide survey of 1,200 registered Tennessee voters comprised of questions about political races, policy issues, and more. In a surprising turn of events, Donald Trump’s recent conviction of 34 felony charges for falsifying documents in New York has actually helped the former president in Tennessee. The guilty verdict... READ MORE

Thanks to the ruling, cities must now fund their own public works projects. READ MORE

Today’s Supreme Court decision overturns Chevron and returns the task of interpreting laws to the courts. That’s a great thing for liberty. READ MORE

Regulators should match their rules with reality and in the case of Net Neutrality, that’s clearly not happening.  READ MORE

With dozens of states providing choice programs and a growing number providing the same options to all students, Tennessee policymakers must make a choice. READ MORE

Many Tennesseans benefitted from fresh starts in education and enterprise. Many more would also benefit if the government stopped discriminating against them. READ MORE

Due to their grassroots activism, Lij and Pat convinced the city council to soften the home business ban. READ MORE

We’re pleased that the legislature made strides to address many of Tennesseans’ biggest challenges this session. And for those they failed to advance like property tax caps and school choice, we will continue to make them top priorities on behalf of Tennesseans.  READ MORE

For the opponents, this was about protecting their bottom line. For hair braiders, this was about culture. It was about opportunity. It was about freedom. READ MORE

Tennessee policymakers should keep note of the trends at vocational schools and see the value of these programs, not simply for earnings and little to no debt for graduates, but for the benefits to the state as a whole. READ MORE

According to a Beacon poll released this week, the rising cost of housing is among the most significant barriers that Tennesseans face on the path to financial stability and growth. The Supreme Court’s decision this morning in Sheetz v. El Dorado County will help. READ MORE

Today, we released our fourth quarterly Beacon Poll, a statewide survey of 1,197 registered Tennessee voters comprised of questions about political races, policy issues, and more. READ MORE

Parents across Tennessee are able to exercise school choice, but only if they have the financial means to do so. That could all change with the proposed Education Freedom Scholarship program. READ MORE

All of us enjoy the freedom to choose when we marry a spouse, buy a car, or simply purchase a cup of coffee. Why shouldn’t parents have the freedom to choose the education they believe best suits their own children? READ MORE

As a state experiencing significant in-migration, it's crucial to welcome new additions to our workforce without imposing unnecessary barriers through licensing requirements. READ MORE

On the final day of the 2016 legislative session, lawmakers voted to repeal the Hall Tax. Jon and Linda remain engaged in Beacon’s work to this day. Thanks to their willingness to speak out about their challenges with the Hall Tax, they helped return more than $300 million a year to taxpayers and make Tennessee truly income tax-free for the first time in nearly a century. READ MORE

Just as Noah Webster paved the way for a new language, Tennessee lawmakers today have the opportunity to make our state a hub for new jobs, investment, and economic growth. READ MORE

CON reform will directly benefit Asher and other Tennesseans like her who suffer from a lack of quality healthcare options. It’s a powerful example of a mother refusing to give up the fight for what’s right. READ MORE

Typically, proposed laws at the local level rarely get any attention, let alone make national news. But here in Tennessee, we’re anything but typical. Recently, several zoning reform proposals were introduced in Nashville’s Metro Council garnering considerable local and even some national media attention. Some of these proposed policies include eliminating the requirement that lots... READ MORE

Education “is meant for service. It’s not a political thing. We are here to serve the children.” READ MORE

During his State of the State address earlier this week, Governor Bill Lee outlined his proposed program to offer every Tennessee family a voice in their child’s education. The program, dubbed Education Freedom Scholarships, would provide around $7,000 for a student to attend a school of their choice as well as pay for other approved... READ MORE

Roxanne will continue to stand up for her daughter and the thousands of others being helped by educational choice. READ MORE

January 21 - 27 is National School Choice Week (NSCW), the annual celebration of education opportunity in the country, and this NSCW has a lot to celebrate. READ MORE

Cheers to 20 years fighting for Tennesseans’ liberty. And the best part of it all? This is only just the beginning.  READ MORE

Today, we released our third quarterly Beacon Poll, a statewide poll of 1,302 registered Tennessee voters comprised of questions about political races, policy issues, and more. READ MORE

Beacon has long advocated for expanding parental choice, and we are grateful the governor is leading the charge to make it happen in 2024. READ MORE

Today, we released our second quarterly Beacon Poll, a statewide poll of 1,181 registered Tennessee voters comprised of questions about political races, policy issues, sports questions and more. In one of the country’s most watched 2024 Senate races, the poll results find incumbent Senator Marsha Blackburn with leads over her two potential Democratic rivals, Gloria Johnson and... READ MORE

The only person that should have access and control over your money, is you. Not the federal government. READ MORE

Of the 15 NFL stadiums that have synthetic turf, all but three received taxpayer money to help build the stadium. READ MORE

Local and state policymakers should be aware of the coming calls to fund public education more at the local and state level. READ MORE

Today, the Beacon Center filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the state of Tennessee. Beacon is representing Will McLemore and other online auctioneers in a challenge to a Tennessee law that requires online auctioneers to be licensed. This law threatens the livelihoods of Will, his employees, and other online auctioneers across the state, many of... READ MORE

It was America’s tech industry that was the most vocal in calling for a pause in AI innovation. READ MORE

Mark and Taylor’s big takeaways on this episode of Decaf: – If you think Nashville property tax rates are bad, it could be worse (and it is in another big city in Tennessee). – If you are going to make a career of trying to take down school choice, maybe don’t send your kids to... READ MORE

✅ Knoxville residents are making moves toward more affordable housing. ✅ Should politicians have age limits? ✅ SEC teams were not looking great in week 1 of college football… ✅ Taylor has some controversial pizza-topping opinions. Get it all this week on Decaf! READ MORE

Giving people back their money puts it in the productive private sector of the economy where it can be invested, spent, or used more efficiently.  READ MORE

Only time will tell what the true impact of the Fed's inflation-reducing policies will be on the American economy. READ MORE

More transparent and accessible government data will go a long way in holding the government accountable and making Tennessee a thriving place for innovation, entrepreneurship, and public participation moving forward. READ MORE

Corporate welfare is costing Tennesseans and Tennessee businesses. READ MORE

Tennesseans with student loans should begin preparing to make monthly payments. Furthermore, if those borrowers are unable to make payments, all Tennesseans should know that taxpayers could eventually face that burden.  READ MORE

This morning the Beacon Center released our first non-partisan statewide poll which will be the first poll to be released quarterly throughout the state. The focus of this poll was to gain insight into what Tennesseans truly think about what’s going on in the state, and in the country. The poll examined nationally relevant issues... READ MORE

There is no consistent statewide survey that accurately assesses where Tennesseans stand on matters impacting their lives on an ongoing basis. Until now.  READ MORE

  Today, Beacon released the Beacon Poll, the first of many quarterly surveys asking Tennessee voters how they feel about a variety of issues. Groups and politicians conduct polls all the time, giving us a glimpse into voters’ perspectives on elections and pressing issues. But there is no consistent statewide survey that accurately assesses where Tennesseans... READ MORE

This year's business tax reform is nothing to sneeze at! READ MORE

If you want to solve the bread shortage, you have to bake more bread. READ MORE

Through thoughtful zoning reforms that increase the ability for more affordable home ownership and the supply of homes, Tennessee can let the individual win over restrictive local controls on private property. READ MORE

Wen Fa will lead the expansion of Beacon’s litigation efforts to protect Tennesseans’ freedoms from government overreach. READ MORE

Today, the Beacon Center won an appeal in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals which will protect property rights in Nashville. The Court ruled that the city of Nashville cannot avoid constitutional protections for private property simply by taking individuals’ property through legislative action. This was an enormous win for our plaintiffs and a reminder... READ MORE

Here is a look at the priorities advanced by our advocacy partner Beacon Impact that passed this year. READ MORE

Up until recently, charter schools received bipartisan support for years, from past presidents and governors to local officials. Charter schools should be praised, not shunned, because they aren’t controlled by a bureaucratic district. READ MORE

Political ballots aren’t the only votes Tennesseans cast that have a lasting impact.  READ MORE

If Tennessee is going to remain the best state to do business in, it’s time for the next big tax cut. READ MORE

Predicting how the Supreme Court will rule is usually a fool’s errand. But if you’re interested in animal welfare or really love bacon (or both!), you’re interested in the Dormant Commerce Clause. READ MORE

This year is an opportunity to put the pedal to the metal and continue our trend of regulatory reform. READ MORE

Any expansion of ESAs is an immense benefit to those students who will receive new education options. READ MORE

This arbitrary government restriction should at least be adjusted for today’s prices and indexed as inflation continues to soar.  READ MORE

Pending ordinance doctrine flies in the face of our constitutional form of government. READ MORE

The Court shouldn’t allow bad facts to make bad law. READ MORE

It's time to go all in on funding students over systems and stop letting Tennessee be surpassed by other conservative legislatures around the nation when it comes to education. READ MORE

We should not let new special interests funded by old special interests weaken our charter school options by putting what’s best for adults more interested in money before children in need of quality education. READ MORE

By expanding educational choice programs to all Tennessee students, the Volunteer state can begin to improve learning and be a leader in education freedom. READ MORE

Tennessee business owners are problem solvers and innovators, and it was an honor to work with a few of them to create this roadmap for the state. READ MORE

Today, the Beacon Center released its most famous annual publication, the Pork Report. As always the report shed light on hundreds of millions of dollars of wasteful spending in Tennessee. Examples in this year’s report range from the state’s no-bid contract for contact tracing given to a company with no previous experience to the unused homeless pods the city of... READ MORE

As we close out the year, it’s worth reflecting on what we’ve accomplished to make Tennessee the envy of every other state.  READ MORE