THE DANEIL HAYES TEAM

Months into their third special census this decade, Murfreesboro and La Vergne each have heard from less people than they did five years ago.

La Vergne set a goal of 27,000, while Murfreesboro expected to hear from close to 100,000 residents. By Monday evening, La Vergne had 21,500 responses and Murfreesboro had 75,695, compared to the 2003 counts of 23,863 and 78,083, respectively.

"Many people just aren't answering the door or are otherwise avoiding the census workers. Many feel it's an intrusion on their privacy and just refuse," said La Vergne spokeswoman Angie Mayes, adding that the city's deadline to report its population count to the state is Monday. "I wanted to get to 27,000 people. Not sure it's going to happen in a week."

Smyrna is also working on a special census and had collected 35,525 names so far. That number is up 2,400 from the 2005 special census, but 2,575 less than this year's estimated mark of 38,000. May 9 is the last day for residents to respond.

Municipalities have the option of conducting a special count three times between each 10-year federal census. The next federal census is 2010. This will be the last special count for each city this decade.

Each person counted in a special census generates $111 in state-shared revenue from the state's Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD), according to figures from the University of Tennessee's Municipal Technical Advisory Service. Money gained from the special census is provided to a local government's general fund each year until the next census takes place. Cities look at the special census as a way to help gain needed revenue without having to hike property taxes on exisiting residents.

In 2006, La Vergne's census found 25,257 residents, up 3,710 from 2003. Hitting its goal this year would bring in close to $555,000 more in state funding.

Smyrna had a population of 25,569 in 2000, and the last two special counts found about 4,000 more people each time. The town could see a general fund increase of nearly $541,000 if this year's goal is met.

In 2000, federal census takers set Murfreesboro's population at 68,812. A special census in 2005 counted 81,393. Officials are looking for a population count near 100,000 this year and an increase of $2 million in funding.

Both Smyrna and La Vergne budgeted $20,000 for the task, compared to Murfreesboro's $50,000.

ECD spokeswoman Laura Elkins wasn't sure how many Tennessee cities have a special count under way, but said when campaigns begin city officials are urged to talk about its importance as often as possible.

"Strong census numbers help ensure a city gets its fair share of state taxes and helps them reduce local taxes. If less people respond now than in a previous year, the city doesn't have to turn the census in. Their previous numbers will remain in effect until the next special or federal census," she said.

Firefighters in all three communities are now going door to door in a last-minute effort to collect names. In La Vergne, the Box 100 volunteer group and city employee Felicia Halfacre are collecting information as well.

Murfreesboro's efforts are concentrated in apartments and neighborhoods close to the MTSU campus in order to catch students before they head home for the summer, said city planner Robert Lewis.

About 12,400 of the city's 42,500 dwellings have not responded. The city will begin calling non-responding households in early May.

Roseanne Peppers is coordinating the census in Smyrna and said approximately 1,000 homes still must be canvassed. When firefighters visit non-responding homes, firefighters leave doortags that contain a detachable postcard that can be mailed in at no extra charge.

Smyrna resident Barbara Gentry said she was anxious to fill her form out when it arrived in the mail.

"I filled it out and sent it right back in. I know how important it is," she said, adding Peppers was part of the crew that stopped in her neighborhood off Old Nashville Highway last week.

According to todays Daily News Journal, "The Rutherford County Industrial Development Board accepted a non-binding memorandum of understanding this morning between the county and the Bible Park developer for the financing of the proposed theme park.

Under the memorandum, property tax from the park and a 5 percent privilege tax on sales made inside the park would go to pay down bonds for the development.

The plan doesn't allow for the developers to receive any tax revenue generated outside the park as the developer had originally proposed. All sales tax revenue, including from the park, would go to the county.

The plan would still have to be approved by the Rutherford County Commission.

The memorandum had not been on the IDB's agenda, but was considered as other business. The Daily News Journal was notified by the mayor's office at approximately 8:10 a.m. today that the memorandum would be presented to the IDB at its regularly scheduled 9 a.m. meeting.

County Mayor Ernest Burgess said he hadn't seen the finalized memorandum until this morning. He said the plan was the result of 12 months of discussions with the developers.

Burgess said the development would provide badly needed tax revenue to the county. He has previously said he couldn't say whether the park was a worthy project until seeing the final financial package. He endorsed the memorandum today.

"He is one of the best friends I ever had," said Willard Peery, fighting back the emotion as he spoke. Peery said he visited Jackson at the hospital, where the former mayor's health had been declining for the past two or three days.I guess we first met when we moved to Murfreesboro at St. Mark's United Methodist Church," said Peery. "He was in the roofing business and I was in general construction. We did a lot of projects together."

The two were also golfers.

"He was the better golfer," said Peery. "He was a competitor. He found a way to beat me."

Peery graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1949, the same year that Jackson graduated from MTSU. Jackson, a World War II Marine, was a standout in three sports in college, and student body president.

But his love in later years was to the city he grew up in, where he served on various boards and commissions for 30 years.

"I was on the water and sewer board for 29 or 30 years," said Peery, age 87. "(Jackson) was on the council and mayor during that time. I guess the reason we have been close friends for so long is that we very seldom talked politics."

Murfreesboro pharmacist and businessman Richard Reeves served on the council with Jackson.

"I was Joe's vice mayor for 10 years," said Reeves. "We served together for 18 years."

Reeves was in disbelief to hear the news of Jackson's death.

"I went to see him Sunday at AdamsPlace," said Reeves. "We had a great conversation; hashed over the old times and some of the things we had been through together. When we first went on the council we weren't on TV and had a more relaxed atmosphere and more laughs," he said.

Reeves was elected Murfreesboro mayor after Jackson chose not to seek re-election in 1998.

"Joe was real determined. I guess that had a lot to do with his military background," said Reeves. "When he was for something he thought was good for Murfreesboro, he fought for it as hard as he could. That is why we have so many great things in the city today."

City Manager Roger Haley was named to his current post in 1989. He served on the city council with Jackson and lost to his colleague by just over 100 votes when Jackson was first elected mayor in April 1982.

"Joe was one of those rare individuals who was always positive, upbeat and proud of where this city had come from and where it was headed," Haley said. "I would be remiss if I didn't say how much he loved MTSU, not only as a graduate but for what it meant to the city. We've probably never had a more dedicated, honest and hard-working individual for this city."

Robert Rose, a retired Farm Bureau agent, retired from the city council in 1982, when Jackson was first elected mayor.

"We have had some great mayors in my lifetime," said Rose. "(Jackson) had more ability to reach out and see the future than any mayor I have ever worked with. He was very instrumental in getting the new city hall. He took a real lead in helping to develop the main streets around Murfreesboro."

Joe B. Jackson Parkway is named in his honor.

Even the young upstarts admired Jackson's ability to get things done.

"I was in my 20s when I was elected," said Vice Mayor Chris Bratcher. "I was amazed at his leadership. When Jackson set his mind to get something done, he made sure he followed through. All the things we enjoy today - even The Avenue - Joe Jackson had a part in. He had he vision and foresight to know we needed new exits off I-24. People like Joe only come along once in a lifetime. It was a honor to get to serve on the council for those 10 years while he was there."

Bratcher ran against Jackson for mayor in 1994, and lost.

"He put a really good political whipping on me," said Bratcher. "When I went up against him, I knew I was going up against a legend."

Peery was asked how he thought others would remember his golfing buddy.

"They will remember him the way I do," said Peery. "As a good guy who was always willing to listen to you and try to work things out if you had any differences."

Woodfin Funeral Chapel in Murfreesboro will be in charge of arrangements for the former mayor.

According to a recent article by bankrate.com, the average home buyer still can't afford a home within their means. I really enjoyed the article and wanted to share it with all of you.

One of the worst things about today's real estate market is that there doesn't seem to be any silver lining in that big black cloud.

Normally, you'd think dramatically falling prices would make homeownership possible for more moderate-income families.

But even with homes more affordable, the median price in many markets is still out of reach for a median-income family, according to "Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America," a study by the Center for Housing Policy, or CHP, in Washington, D.C.

Comparing housing costs in 210 metropolitan areas with the wages earned by workers in 60 occupations, the study found that homeownership is often unaffordable for workers in each of the five-fastest growing occupations -- registered nurses, retail salespeople, customer-service representatives, food-preparation workers and office clerks. Registered nurses, who typically have high salaries, were unable to purchase a median-priced home in 108 of the markets.

"Even with the housing downturn, the drop in prices still just isn't enough for many workers in traditional backbone occupations to afford houses," says Rebecca Cohen, a CHP research associate.

In many parts of the country, housing increases have outpaced wage growth for almost a decade. Census data released in 2006 revealed that between 2000 and 2005, the burden of housing costs grew sharply.

The Housing Affordability Index measures the cost of housing against median family income. The National Association of Realtors, or NAR, which calculates the index, considers that the typical family makes enough money to buy the typical used home, assuming a 20% down payment and a traditional 30-year mortgage.

In 2000, the NAR pegged the index at 129.2, meaning the typical family had 129% of the income necessary to pay for the typical used house. That figure dropped to 104.9 in June 2007, even though the 2000 median family income of $50,732 rose to $59,157 during the period.

That's because the median price of a home in 2000 was $139,000, but by June 2007 prices peaked at a whopping $229,200. In those seven years, the median price of homes increased 64.9%, while median incomes rose just 16.6%.

Recent NAR estimates indicate affordability may finally be moving in the right direction, but it still has a long way to go.

"As Earth Day arrives today, Rutherford County needs a reminder that we have many environmental situations to deal with on a daily basis. They can't be put off for another generation or they will only be compounded.

As home to the state's largest landfill, Middle Point, in Walter Hill just north of Murfreesboro, as well as the county's old landfill one hill over, Rutherford County must maintain a close watch over its water supply, Stones River East Fork, which meanders nearby toward Percy Priest Lake.

Monitoring the river's quality is up to Allied Waste, which owns the landfill, and the state Department of Environment and Conservation, as well as the Rutherford County Commission and Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department, whose water treatment plant sits just upstream of the landfill.

Independent checks by all those groups may be expensive, but they're worth the money to make sure the water is safe. Guarding the water supply isn't the only quandary related to the landfill.

The life span of the landfill is estimated to be anywhere from 15 to 20 years. That may seem out of sight, but Rutherford County and Murfreesboro can't afford to sit around and wait for the day when that facility can no longer accept garbage.

It's time to start determining how garbage will be handled when it closes, as well as changing the mind-set of the people. By the time that day arrives, Rutherford County should be recycling everything in the waste stream that can be turned around, not just plastic drink containers and aluminum.

Rutherford County recycling coordinator Mimi Keisling spends her days teaching elementary students the importance of recycling from the standpoint of conservation, landfill preservation and social consciousness.

She hopes children will take what they learn at school and teach their parents to preserve natural resources, starting a wave of change that will only grow.

In addition, she is instituting recycling and trash reduction programs in local schools and government offices that cut millions of pounds of trash from the waste stream.

Keisling is also embarking on a plan to turn some of the community's biggest gatherings into waste-free events. This year, for instance, she will analyze the amount and types of waste generated at JazzFest on the Public Square and determine how to eliminate garbage from it.

Rutherford County is also making plans for a storage site for e-waste and household hazardous items and hopes to receive a state grant to fund its construction. This should be made a priority.

Other than that, our entire society needs a complete shift away from its throwaway mentality. Packaging from manufacturers alone is enough to fill up a landfill.

We need to look toward a future of less garbage, and Earth Day is a great day to start."