Business list rates legislators

By David Flaum, The Commercial Appeal

August 6, 2004

Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. Randy Rinks are assets for Tennessee business interests in the General Assembly, but Rep. W.C. 'Bubba' Pleasant is a liability.

That's according to the latest issue of Business Tennessee magazine, which highlighted its picks for the top five assets and five greatest liabilities for business among the 132 Tennessee lawmakers.

Norris, R-Collierville; Rinks, D-Savannah; and Pleasant, R-Arlington, were the three legislators from West Tennessee named to the list.

Rinks got high marks for 2003 work on a streamlined sales tax law, a bill to allow small-business owners to represent themselves in General Sessions court and on workers' compensation reform that reduced the payment formula for what businesses pay to permanent but partially disabled workers.

"I appreciate the recognition," said Rinks, a 14-year lawmaker. "Overall, I just think we have to make a good business climate in Tennessee. Our geography is good and if the business climate is good we can attract businesses."

The workers' comp changes affected both Norris's and Pleasant's ratings.

The magazine praised Norris for being one of 11 sponsors of a bill, submitted before Gov. Phil Bredesen unveiled his plan, which would have cut the payment formula even further than the governor wanted.

And Norris was at the forefront of working a compromise to keep the multiplier down.

"I was pleasantly surprised to be included," Norris said.

Workers' comp changes have had positive effects, he said. Insurance rates for workers' comp coverage fell an average of 6 percent, and a couple of firms cited the changes as reasons behind expansion in the state.

Pleasant backed the higher multiplier. His lack of effort to fight committee block age of a bill to ban local living wage laws and his vote in 2002 to retain Democrat Jimmy Naifeh as house speaker led to his rating as a liability.

Pleasant said he voted in favor of the final workers' comp bill with the lowered multiplier.

The living wage ban never came up in committee, but if it had, he probably would have voted against it, he said.

Business Tennessee's ratings were based on talks with lawmakers, lobbyists, reporters, business leaders and others who know the legislative process.

The magazine picked up what the now defunct Nashville Banner used to do and no other statewide publication was doing, said Business Tennessee editor David Fox.

"This is not an overall ranking, it is a ranking specific to business legislation," he said. "We thought it would be helpful for our readership, which is mostly business owners and business executives."