Murfreesboro, TN

"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."

According to www.dnj.com, "Developers may have missed their chance to have the entire Bible Park USA project considered by the Rutherford County Commission in May.

Developers of the $175 million to $200 million Bible theme park had said they hoped the County Commission would approve the financing package at its May 15 meeting, when the commission is set to consider the zoning for the 282 acres in the Blackman community.

Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess, who met with park developer Armon Bar-Tur Monday, said he anticipated a complete proposal for the public funding portion of the Bible Park USA project would be coming within the week. But he was doubtful that would be enough time to review the package before May 15, when the commission will consider zoning for the park.

"There's probably not enough time for people to reflect on all this," he said.

In a Daily News Journal poll last week, several Rutherford County commissioners said the type of financial package the developers request is key to their support or opposition to the project.

In response to questions about when the financial package would be given to the county, Bar-Tur released a statement saying: "We are continuing our discussions with the county government on a plan that works for them and works for us; we are confident that we will be able to come to an understanding that is good for Rutherford County."

A workshop of the entire commission will likely be held to discuss the public financing package for the development, possibly May 6, though that date hasn't been finalized, Burgess said. He said the matter would also be considered by the Rutherford County Budget Committee prior to any vote by the full commission.

The park, which developers hope to open by 2010 in the Blackman community, has raised opposition from many neighbors and others, but has received strong support from the business community.

Burgess said he had received some indication from the developers as to what they would be seeking from the county, but discussion of details would be premature until a solid proposal is made to the county.

Piece of the pie

The developers may be looking for three different types of financial help from the county to make the development happen.

"It will come in one package," Burgess said. "All those pieces will be identified together, I believe."

Developers have indicated they will be looking for the county to issue an $18 million bond to be paid down through tax increment financing (TIF) inside an economic development zone including the park and several hundred acres around it.

The increased property tax revenue from inside that area - which would be higher because of the development - would go to pay down that bond. A study commissioned by the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board projected the county would forego $27.9 million in property tax revenue through tax increment financing (TIF) over the course of 22 years to pay down that $18 million bond.

The county would forego that money in hopes of recouping $122 million in tax revenue over that same period, according to economic impact studies based on the developers' projections that park attendance would be 1.5 million after five years. The bonds would be "no recourse" bonds, which means the county would not be responsible for paying them if the development doesn't work.

The property tax TIF would have to be approved by the commission on a simple majority vote. The deal would then go back to the IDB to finalize the details of a contract between the county and developers, IDB attorney Sumner Bouldin said.

Developers may also ask the county to establish a tourism development zone, inside which tax-increment financing from sales tax could go to pay down a bond.

The sales tax plan would take a simple majority vote by the commission and would not go back to the IDB, according to County Attorney Jim Cope.

A proposed privilege tax would take two-thirds majority votes by the full commission at two separate meetings, he said. The privilege tax could allow the park to charge up to 5 percent more on some or all purchases inside the park."

Wendy Haney and Cody Sullens already know what they are going to buy during next weekend's sales tax holiday - a Dell desktop computer.

The couple will purchase their new computer at Wal-Mart, where they are employees. They are looking forward to saving even more money with their 10 percent employee discount.

Haney and Sullens will join the ranks of other Tennesseans who will head shopping during the state's tax-free holiday that begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The holiday will lift Rutherford County's 9.75 percent sales tax from clothing priced at $100 or less, school and art supplies priced at $100 or less and computers $1,500 or less.

Each of the two tax-free holidays last year saved taxpayers between $8 million to $10 million, said Glen Page, deputy commissioner for the state Department of Revenue.

"(It) helps people who can't afford to by a lot of things," Page said. And it "puts money back into the hands of the taxpayer."

He hopes income tax returns and rebates will motivate consumers to spend more during the holiday, but he's not sure if it will.

Jimmy Yang, owner of Computer Room in Smyrna, thinks consumers having extra money from the federal government might spur them to shop, but with a "bad economy," he's not too sure that consumers will have extra funds to spend even with a tax-free holiday.

Yang's business sells used computers ranging from $49 to $200.

"I don't think we will sell much on the tax holiday," he said.

But other business owners say they will see an increase in sales next weekend.

Mary Esther Reed, owner of The Learning Circle next to Hastings on Memorial Boulevard in Murfreesboro, said she sees an increase in business during the sales tax holidays.

She said the holiday gives parents an incentive to go ahead and purchase their child's school supplies.

"The sales tax holiday is a perfect opportunity for parents to come in and purchase products to finish up the school year or maybe get started on purchasing for the next school year for their children," said Reed, who is also a member of the Smyrna Town Council.

Page added schools are encouraged to release their fall school supplies list early so that parents can shop for the items this weekend.

There will also be a sales tax holiday Aug. 1-3.

The upcoming holiday was originally set for March 21-23 during Easter weekend, but the General Assembly changed the dates.

The date was changed because many stores are closed on Easter weekend so consumers wouldn't have gotten three full days of the sales tax holiday.

This year's tax-free spree got attached to Easter weekend as an amendment to a hotly debated tax bill at the Legislature last June. Some legislators said they didn't realize Easter was so early this year.

Page said one unique distinction about Tennessee's program, which started August 2006, is that the state government reimburses local governments the money they would have gotten, pumping money back into the local economy.

"It's definitely a win-win situation for the consumer and the business," Reed said.