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>> female announcer: This is a

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production of WKNO, Memphis.

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Production funding for "Behind

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the Headlines" is made possible

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in part by..

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>> Barnes: As we come to the end

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of 2012, a look back at the

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biggest stories of the year

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tonight on "Behind the

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Headlines."

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>> (instrumental music)

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♪♪♪

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>> Barnes: I'm Eric Barnes,

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publisher of the Memphis Daily

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News.

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Thanks for joining us.

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Joined tonight to look back at

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the biggest stories of the year

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with Bill Dries form the Memphis

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Daily News.

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Andy Meek also of the Memphis

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Daily News.

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Eleanor Boudreau, WKNO-FM

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and Jackson Baker from the

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Memphis Flyer.

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Thank you all for being here.

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We start.

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No big surprise, the biggest

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story of the year was the

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schools in all its forms.

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I guess I'll start with you,

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Bill, to kind of hit.

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And there's so many big mile

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stones that continue to go on.

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But let's start with you in

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terms of a review of all that

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did happen in this past year.

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>> Dries: Well, there was a lot

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that happened.

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There's still a lot more to come

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in terms of the school's merger.

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And it's broader than the

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school's merger.

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It's the rise of municipal

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school districts and the

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question about whether those

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districts will arise or not.

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Basically this year we had some

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decisions that were made.

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The Transition Planning

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Commission delivered it's report

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of 172 recommendations for what

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the merged school system should

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look like starting in August of

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2013.

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That was delivered to the school

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board.

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The school board is still to act

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on a number of those decisions

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In fact, they have not taken

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final action on any of those

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recommendations in terms of

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putting them in a budget for

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next school year as we speak on

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this show today.

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>> Barnes: Yeah and that

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includes those recommendations.

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Everything from, you know,

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nuanced issues of curriculum to

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closing 21 schools.

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You know, redoing the bus

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contracts, the janitorial

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services.

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You know, trying to save $100

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million in doing things

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differently that would involved

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a tremendous number of difficult

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decisions.

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And even then, you know, funding

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is a big question mark.

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So we've been talking about this

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for, you know, the whole year as

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these things have been going on.

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The other thing we have is the

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superintendant decision.

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And we've got a double headed

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situation right now.

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Let's go back to an interview we

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did in August with David Pickler

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formally of the county school

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board, now of the unified school

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board, when he was talking about

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what next with the

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superintendant.

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>> Dries: Do you think that the

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full board can vote on a plan

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whether it's the TPC plan or

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some plan that mixes in other

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parts?

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Can you all get a vote by the

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end of August?

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>> Pickler: Oh, I think that's

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highly unlikely.

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We need to.

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We need to begin that process.

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We need to have already selected

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a superintendant quite frankly.

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And it appears that Tuesday

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night we're at least going to

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approve a process for

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determining with the selection

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process it's going to be like

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for that superintendant.

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And that report is not expected

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until the end of September.

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>> Barnes: And so we have,

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Eleanor, I mean, a process that

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has frustrated a lot of people.

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That you have the two

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superintendants.

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They've now decided, you know,

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they've recently decided that

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they're about to sign a

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contract, I should say, with the

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search to find the

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superintendant.

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A lot of people saying-Why don't

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we just hire John Aitken from

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the former Shelby County

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Schools?

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No one really saying that Kriner

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Cash is going to continue.

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And frustration-What's your take

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on that?

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>> Boudreau: Yeah, well one

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thing that school board did do

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this year is they decided not to

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renew Cash's contract.

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So I think it's pretty clear

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that he's not going to be the

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pick because of that move.

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But they still have yet to, you

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know, sort of set-up a really

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definitive process for how

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they're going to get to their

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next superintendant.

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And I think, you know, Aitken is

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definitely going to be

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considered but whether or not

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he'll be chosen depends on who

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the other candidates are and

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what the process is which we

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don't really know yet.

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>> Barnes: And Jackson, your

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take?

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I mean, the biggest parts to the

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biggest story of the year?

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Maybe the ruling.

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I mean, the ruling by Hardy Mays

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and the ongoing decisions he has

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to make.

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>> Baker: There's no question

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that because that put everything

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in limbo.

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And given that August '13

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eventually will get here and

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there will be a school year

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beginning then and there will be

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a unified system that never,

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never, never proclamations you

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hear from some of the suburban

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mayors.

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Some of the, may end up and

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their proclamations may end up

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rethinking whether they can live

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with this unified system.

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Mentioned John Aitken.

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If he had been hired at a time

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when there was mood to hiring,

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back in the spring actually,

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they might have eased their way

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towards their making their peace

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with such prospect.

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I think frankly his prospect for

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being names superintendant are

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in decline now.

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I think that was the time to

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have done that.

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We're going with this search

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process.

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However, the more continues,

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then the less likely someone

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local will beat him.

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>> Dries: They're scheduled to

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make the decision in February.

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That's when the vote is

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scheduled to happen on a

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superintendant and a contract of

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being negotiated.

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Let's remember that the

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Transition Planning Commission

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and a number of political

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leaders, not the least of which

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was Shelby County Mayor Mark

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Luttrell, thought that the

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school board should make this

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decision on a superintendant no

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later than the end of the fall

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which is right about where we

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are now as we do this program.

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>> Barnes: Right, and you've

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already got-I'm sorry Jackson.

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But you've already got, you

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know, reports of, you know,

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frustration from the board

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saying that it is administrators

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under the superintendants who

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are slowing down some of this

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process, some of these

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decisions, the 172

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recommendations.

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And again, the critics saying-

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Look, if you've got this

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difficult situation in any

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circumstance, but when you've

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got two superintendants, it's

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not clear that either of them

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will be there.

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This is not the way to make

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these hard decision.

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>> Baker: And that February date

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will be inclined to float.

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>> Barnes: I mean, based on

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history, we would say otherwise.

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>> Dries: I think if it floats

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much that the criticism is

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really going to ramp up.

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I think there's a good

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possibility that by February,

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the political pressure could be

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on the school board to jump the

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process that they have in place

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now for coming up with a merger

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plan and go to some other

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alternative method that is

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quicker that the bottom of line

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of which will be to give parents

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the reassurances they need about

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the next school year.

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>> Barnes: And even with all

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that going on, we also had new

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approaches to dealing with

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failing schools and Tennessee

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statewide.

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And the state decided to set up

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an Achievement School District.

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Some 70-something schools that

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are on the failing list, many of

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those, the vast majority of them

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in Memphis.

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I was able to sit down with

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Chris Barbeck who is the head of

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that achievement school

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district.

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And he talked a little bit about

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the responsibility and approach

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that they'll have to taking over

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those schools.

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>> Barbeck: There will be six

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schools that we're working in

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next year.

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Three of those will be in

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Frasier.

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There's also two charter schools

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that we work in other parts of

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Memphis.

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And then we'll also have a

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school.

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So the schools that we'll be

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running as achievement schools

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are all focused in Frasier.

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And the charters-There's one

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charter working in Binghampton

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and then another charter working

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in North Memphis.

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>> Barnes: So that has gotten

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underway.

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But even there, there's still

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some uncertainties.

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You know, how quickly that whole

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process will grow.

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As he said, some ultimately nine

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00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,000
schools are getting taken over

294
00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,000
by the achievement school

295
00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:51,000
district in the Memphis area,

296
00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,000
moved in to kind of a charter

297
00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:54,000
school model.

298
00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,000
What more do we know now, Bill?

299
00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,000
>> Dries: We know that we'll

300
00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,000
have a school system in which we

301
00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,000
have roughly half run directly

302
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,000
by the ASD, the other half run

303
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,000
by charter school operations.

304
00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,000
And that has really impacted the

305
00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,000
move to merger as well because

306
00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,000
there's definitely more

307
00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,000
competition among the public

308
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,000
schools with the ASD schools and

309
00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,000
the charter schools in the mix.

310
00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,000
>> Barnes: Right, right.

311
00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,000
Last thoughts on the school

312
00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,000
situation?

313
00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,000
I mean, we look ahead.

314
00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,000
We've got, Jackson, a couple

315
00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,000
rulings coming up probably in

316
00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,000
the first part of the year from

317
00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,000
Hardy Mays.

318
00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,000
Your thoughts on that?

319
00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,000
>> Baker: If he decides that the

320
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,000
final portion of Norris-Todd

321
00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000
which is what allows the special

322
00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,000
school districts in Shelby

323
00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,000
County only, if he allows that

324
00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,000
to go down the way that he ruled

325
00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,000
in the subsequent legislation.

326
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,000
Then again, I think that some of

327
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000
the suburbs are going to rethink

328
00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,000
their desperate need for

329
00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,000
independence.

330
00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,000
I think you could have a

331
00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,000
somewhat larger unified district

332
00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,000
than we're thinking of.

333
00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,000
>> Barnes: And that's where you

334
00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,000
get in to the kind of paths to

335
00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:51,000
autonomy, the idea that the

336
00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,000
suburban schools could be

337
00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,000
charter schools like the failing

338
00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,000
schools, like all the charter

339
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,000
schools and that sort of thing.

340
00:08:58,000 --> 00:08:59,000
And that's another story as we

341
00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,000
move on.

342
00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,000
But from this part year, the

343
00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,000
rise of charter schools has been

344
00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,000
pretty remarkable.

345
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:06,000
I think, you know, when the

346
00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,000
state took the cap off those-no

347
00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,000
more limits on the number of

348
00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,000
charter schools in the state.

349
00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,000
If you remember back, there was

350
00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,000
some resistance from the city

351
00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,000
and the county and the school

352
00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,000
boards and kind of slowed down

353
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,000
some of the applications but I

354
00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,000
think next year, you'll see the

355
00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:22,000
flood gates open.

356
00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:23,000
And potentially, the Willie

357
00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,000
Herenton schools working with

358
00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,000
the juvenile courts.

359
00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,000
Is that right?

360
00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,000
>> Dries: Right, that's planned

361
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,000
for next school year to open up

362
00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,000
a north side high school as

363
00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:33,000
well.

364
00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,000
And let's not forget the

365
00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,000
Governor will probably be at

366
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,000
least backing, if not

367
00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,000
introducing, a bill to permit

368
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,000
school vouchers.

369
00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,000
>> Barnes: Yeah, your thoughts

370
00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,000
on the Herenton?

371
00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,000
>> Baker: Well, I'm going to

372
00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,000
come in a little different

373
00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:46,000
direction.

374
00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,000
I'm going to go ahead and spin

375
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,000
the prediction I was going to

376
00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:50,000
save for the end of the show.

377
00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,000
The ever-busy Mark Norris who

378
00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,000
does what he can every year for

379
00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,000
the suburbs, he will be

380
00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000
producing legislation that will

381
00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:58,000
greatly enlarge and change the

382
00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,000
nature of the charter school

383
00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,000
process because, you know, that

384
00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,000
Nashville school that was

385
00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,000
ordered by the state to accept a

386
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,000
charter school.

387
00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,000
I think you're going to find

388
00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,000
that as another door to open for

389
00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,000
his kind of legislation.

390
00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,000
That's the next move that

391
00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:12,000
suburbs will make.

392
00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,000
>> Barnes: I think you're right.

393
00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,000
And I think as we go, we think

394
00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,000
looking ahead to next year, I

395
00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,000
think the rise of charter

396
00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,000
schools is going to be

397
00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:21,000
remarkable.

398
00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,000
And that's probably a multi-year

399
00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:24,000
thing.

400
00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,000
And it's exactly on that front,

401
00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,000
Up 'til now, we in Memphis have

402
00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:28,000
thought of charter schools

403
00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,000
because we've seen them as, you

404
00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,000
know, entities that step in.

405
00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:33,000
And failing schools be it

406
00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,000
through the ASD or just invited

407
00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,000
in.

408
00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:37,000
And they've done some remarkable

409
00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:38,000
things.

410
00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,000
And some have bottomed out.

411
00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,000
I mean, charter schools aren't a

412
00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,000
perfect solution but overtime,

413
00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,000
like the school in Nashville,

414
00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:46,000
you'll get companies coming to

415
00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000
Memphis that are more schools of

416
00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,000
choice.

417
00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,000
They're not just about helping

418
00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,000
kids who are in failing schools.

419
00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:54,000
They're about competing with

420
00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,000
private schools.

421
00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,000
They're about competing with the

422
00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:58,000
optional schools.

423
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,000
And that will really change the

424
00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,000
face of not just the suburban

425
00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,000
areas but I think the city, as

426
00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:04,000
well.

427
00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,000
So that's my prediction such as

428
00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:07,000
it is for next year.

429
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,000
We move on to another big story

430
00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:09,000
this year.

431
00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,000
As always, Jackson, there were

432
00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,000
numerous elections.

433
00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:13,000
Too many, as I always say,

434
00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,000
because there were constant

435
00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:16,000
elections and you can't keep

436
00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,000
track of them.

437
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,000
But your thoughts looking back

438
00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:20,000
on some of the big moments in

439
00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,000
election history in 2012?

440
00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:23,000
>> Baker: Well I want you to

441
00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,000
know that next year is our off-

442
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:26,000
year.

443
00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,000
We're going to have about three

444
00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,000
special elections.

445
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,000
There were two different

446
00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,000
tendencies going in different

447
00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,000
directions in the election

448
00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:34,000
process as concerns us.

449
00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,000
Statewide, the Democratic Party

450
00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,000
was virtually rendered null and

451
00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:39,000
void.

452
00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,000
They ended up redistricting

453
00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,000
which was under the control of

454
00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,000
the Republicans who were

455
00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,000
dominate in the legislature

456
00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:45,000
already.

457
00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,000
Really accentuated that process.

458
00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,000
There are now seven Democrats in

459
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:50,000
the state senate, 33-member

460
00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:51,000
state senate.

461
00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,000
They actually had an election a

462
00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,000
couple of weeks ago for

463
00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:55,000
Democratic leader.

464
00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,000
Jim Kyle of Memphis was

465
00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:58,000
reelected senate Democratic

466
00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,000
leader of a vote of 4 to 3.

467
00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,000
When you think about it, they

468
00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,000
probably conducted that election

469
00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:04,000
on a phone booth.

470
00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:05,000
And in the house it's not much

471
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,000
better.

472
00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,000
24 members out of 99.

473
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:09,000
So the Republicans have a super

474
00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:10,000
majority in both houses.

475
00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,000
The election established them as

476
00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,000
the one party that really

477
00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,000
governs in Tennessee.

478
00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,000
Locally, however, things were

479
00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,000
different.

480
00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,000
Shelby County not only of course

481
00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,000
went for Obama.

482
00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,000
Of course, the nation is going

483
00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:23,000
in a different direction than

484
00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:24,000
the state.

485
00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,000
But Shelby County is going in

486
00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:27,000
the same direction as the

487
00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,000
nation.

488
00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,000
Two Democrats who were thought

489
00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,000
to be in danger back in August

490
00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,000
running for county seats,

491
00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,000
Cheyenne Johnson the Assessor

492
00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,000
and Ed Stanton, the general

493
00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,000
sessions clerk, were thought to

494
00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,000
be in danger because of the

495
00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,000
municipal elections were going

496
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,000
on then.

497
00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,000
They won which indicates that

498
00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,000
the Democratic Party still has a

499
00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:46,000
niche here in Shelby County

500
00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,000
which will endure.

501
00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,000
>> Barnes: Well, and one thing

502
00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,000
that's interesting about that

503
00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,000
and I want to come back to the

504
00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,000
state situation you described.

505
00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,000
But let's stay local for a

506
00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,000
second.

507
00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,000
You do still have on a local

508
00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,000
level this kind of mix and match

509
00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,000
and these greyer areas of who's

510
00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,000
Republican and who's Democratic.

511
00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,000
I mean, we talked before about

512
00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,000
Mike Ritz, the head of the

513
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,000
County Commission.

514
00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,000
A Republican who has fought this

515
00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,000
suburbs', you know, desire to

516
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,000
separate who is by some accounts

517
00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,000
is, you've joked, a rhino.

518
00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,000
You've repeated that people have

519
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,000
said that about him.

520
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000
>> Baker: That's what his fellow

521
00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,000
Republicans call him.

522
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,000
>> Dries: And he lives in

523
00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,000
Germantown.

524
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,000
>> Barnes: I mean, what do we

525
00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,000
make of that?

526
00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,000
Is that a good thing maybe that

527
00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,000
there aren't these kind of

528
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,000
clear-cut lines between left and

529
00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,000
right, Republican-Democrat?

530
00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,000
>> Baker: Well, I think it is a

531
00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,000
good thing because there was a

532
00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:35,000
time at least when the county

533
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000
commission, even though they had

534
00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:38,000
partisan elections, was

535
00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,000
partisan-free on most issues.

536
00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,000
Now basically, the division on

537
00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,000
the County Commission is not

538
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,000
Republican-Democratic.

539
00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,000
It's urban-suburban.

540
00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:46,000
And Ritz who lives in

541
00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,000
Germantown, nevertheless, the

542
00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:49,000
majority of his constituents

543
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,000
live in the city of Memphis.

544
00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:52,000
And he has adopted their point

545
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,000
of view.

546
00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,000
He has become a leader on that

547
00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,000
County Commission of a sort we

548
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,000
haven't seen in a while.

549
00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:59,000
He's led on the IP issue.

550
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,000
He's the one that kept that IP

551
00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,000
issue within bounds frankly with

552
00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,000
the pressure he put on.

553
00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,000
I look for him to be making a

554
00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,000
similar moves with regard to how

555
00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,000
we handle TIFs in the future.

556
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,000
>> Barnes: TIFs, the tax income

557
00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,000
financing which is where they

558
00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,000
steer money from various

559
00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,000
districts in to redevelopment.

560
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,000
They've used it downtown to

561
00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:18,000
great extent and so on.

562
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,000
>> Baker: And so it's not really

563
00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,000
a partisan thing.

564
00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,000
But Ritz, by the way, when Mike

565
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,000
Carpenter was on the commission,

566
00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,000
he was one of those that agreed

567
00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:27,000
that Mike Carpenter was a rhino

568
00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,000
Republican.

569
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,000
Now, he's the one that has that

570
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,000
label.

571
00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,000
>> Meek: Jackson made the point

572
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,000
about looking at Cheyenne and

573
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,000
bucking the trend of somebody.

574
00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:37,000
I've just always wondered.

575
00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,000
You know, you get down to the

576
00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:40,000
local levels.

577
00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,000
Is there a Democratic way to be

578
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:43,000
a property assessor?

579
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,000
Is there a Republican way?

580
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,000
Some of that seems to really not

581
00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,000
matter in this.

582
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:48,000
That may explain some of the

583
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,000
dichotomy Jackson noticed.

584
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,000
>> Dries: I think there was

585
00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,000
something else at work and that

586
00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,000
was that neither Cheyenne

587
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,000
Johnson nor Ed Stanton conceded

588
00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:57,000
the Republican vote to their

589
00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,000
challengers.

590
00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,000
They campaigned in Republican

591
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,000
areas.

592
00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,000
They frankly worked harder than

593
00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,000
their Republican challengers did

594
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,000
precisely because they knew

595
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,000
there was going to be a big turn

596
00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,000
out in the mostly Republican

597
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,000
suburbs.

598
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,000
And they won.

599
00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,000
>> Barnes: I think also along

600
00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:14,000
those lines and talking about

601
00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,000
what does it mean to be

602
00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:17,000
Republican or Democratic at a

603
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,000
very local level.

604
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,000
I mean, Mark Luttrell who was

605
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:21,000
very involved in the Transition

606
00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,000
Planning Committee conversations

607
00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,000
and pushing as we just said for,

608
00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,000
you know, whole leverage back.

609
00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,000
You know, we don't want to give

610
00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,000
the school system a blank check

611
00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,000
until we know they're going to

612
00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:33,000
put a good school system in

613
00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:34,000
place.

614
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,000
But there's still this big gap.

615
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:37,000
And he was very clear in a an

616
00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,000
interview we did with him and

617
00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,000
interviews he did with other

618
00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:41,000
people.

619
00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,000
He said-"I'm not afraid to raise

620
00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:44,000
taxes.

621
00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,000
I didn't sign a no tax pledge.

622
00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:47,000
I would never sign a no tax

623
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,000
pledge."

624
00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,000
And that's not the kind of thing

625
00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:51,000
you hear.

626
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,000
But he said-"I just want it to

627
00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:54,000
be an effective school system

628
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,000
and if we're going to spend that

629
00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,000
money, we're going to spend it,

630
00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,000
you know, effectively."

631
00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,000
Eleanor?

632
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000
>> Boudreau: Yeah, I think that

633
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,000
the divisions when it comes to

634
00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,000
schools that are the most

635
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:06,000
meaningful are the city and

636
00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:07,000
county line.

637
00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,000
It's not strictly Republican or

638
00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,000
Democrat.

639
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:11,000
I think that's where you see,

640
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,000
you know, Republicans like Mark

641
00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,000
Luttrell, the County Mayor, and

642
00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:16,000
Mike Ritz on the Shelby County

643
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,000
Commission have had opposite

644
00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,000
opinions on different issues

645
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:20,000
with schools.

646
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,000
Well, Mike Ritz represents a

647
00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,000
district that is majority in the

648
00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:25,000
city of Memphis.

649
00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,000
And Mark Luttrell is the County

650
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,000
Mayor.

651
00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,000
So even though they're both

652
00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:30,000
Republicans, a lot of those

653
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,000
issues split city to county.

654
00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:33,000
They're not really party issues.

655
00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,000
>> Barnes: Right, and let me do

656
00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,000
one more thing.

657
00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:37,000
You mentioned the state.

658
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,000
Just one last minute, Jackson.

659
00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,000
We look ahead.

660
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:41,000
We talked about the super

661
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,000
majorities in the Republicans.

662
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,000
They've got the governor.

663
00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,000
They've got, you know, the

664
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,000
house.

665
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:48,000
They've got the senate.

666
00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:49,000
Big majorities.

667
00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:50,000
But looking ahead, you know,

668
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,000
that's when sometimes

669
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,000
legislatures-and it happened to

670
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,000
the Democrats years ago-when

671
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,000
they over reach and when the

672
00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:57,000
divisions among.

673
00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,000
And a lot of people would say,

674
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,000
up in the state capital, a lot

675
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:02,000
of the time the division is not

676
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,000
Republican-Democrat.

677
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,000
It's actually urban and rural.

678
00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,000
What's your take on how this

679
00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,000
sessions going to go?

680
00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:09,000
The voucher bill is going to

681
00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,000
come up probably, school's

682
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:11,000
voucher.

683
00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,000
There's going to be a gun bill.

684
00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,000
Your sense of how that plays out

685
00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,000
with these big super majorities?

686
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:18,000
>> Baker: I don't know if

687
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,000
there's going to be much

688
00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,000
division on Republican ranks on

689
00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,000
the voucher bill.

690
00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,000
The governor had a task force.

691
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:25,000
I saw Brian Kelsey the other

692
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,000
day.

693
00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,000
He thinks he feels confident

694
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,000
that the governor would allow

695
00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,000
him to bring an administration

696
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,000
bill.

697
00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,000
He already has a bill on the

698
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,000
hopper.

699
00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,000
The controversy is going to come

700
00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,000
again on the gun issue because

701
00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:39,000
there was a huge controversy

702
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,000
last year in which you had the

703
00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,000
business Republicans on the one

704
00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:44,000
side, the NRA Republicans tea

705
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,000
party types on the other.

706
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,000
That is not going to go away

707
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,000
because even though the governor

708
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:50,000
has said he thinks some kind of

709
00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,000
bill will pass, some compromise,

710
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,000
it's hard to see what that

711
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:55,000
compromise is going to be.

712
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:56,000
I don't think FedEx is still

713
00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,000
going to be crazy about having

714
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,000
guns locked in cars in parking

715
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,000
lots.

716
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:02,000
So the business community, I

717
00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,000
think, is still going to look at

718
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:05,000
that.

719
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,000
And, you know, as one of the

720
00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,000
Republicans who is on the other

721
00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,000
side of the issue said-"Listen,

722
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,000
if business says you can't bring

723
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,000
a yo-yo on their property, you

724
00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,000
can't bring a yo-yo on the

725
00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,000
property, much less a gun."

726
00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:17,000
>> Barnes: Right, right.

727
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:18,000
You mentioned FedEx.

728
00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,000
And that segues in to another,

729
00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,000
you know, area looking back at

730
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,000
the last year.

731
00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,000
The country came officially out

732
00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000
of the recession, Bill, but, you

733
00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,000
know, still a tough year,

734
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,000
without a doubt.

735
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,000
And changes at FedEx-Let's start

736
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,000
there.

737
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,000
Changes at IP.

738
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,000
Changes at some of the big

739
00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,000
corporate players.

740
00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,000
But let's start with the FedEx

741
00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,000
experiences last year.

742
00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,000
>> Dries: Well, FedEx and Fred

743
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,000
Smith as founder and CEO began

744
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,000
2012 very optimistic about the

745
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,000
prospects for recovery from the

746
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,000
recession.

747
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,000
They were seeing economic growth

748
00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,000
in the form of economies joining

749
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,000
the global economy, mainly

750
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,000
China.

751
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,000
That changed dramatically during

752
00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,000
the year.

753
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,000
And as a result, we end the year

754
00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,000
with FedEx about to hand out

755
00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,000
some buy-out packets to probably

756
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:00,000
several thousand employees

757
00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,000
within the United States which

758
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:03,000
is part of FedEx Express really

759
00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,000
paying the price for this shift

760
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,000
in slow down in the global

761
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,000
economy that we've seen in the

762
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:09,000
last year.

763
00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,000
Very real results locally on

764
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,000
that.

765
00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,000
>> Barnes: Lets move to a couple

766
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,000
of other business stories from

767
00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:16,000
this past year, Andy.

768
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000
One is a recent story.

769
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,000
International Paper is going to

770
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,000
stay in Memphis.

771
00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000
Tell us a little bit about that.

772
00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:23,000
>> Meek: Well, they've acquired

773
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,000
a competitor.

774
00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000
They are growing and need more

775
00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,000
space frankly.

776
00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,000
You know, when the economy's

777
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,000
bad, that's especially a time

778
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,000
when incentives become more

779
00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:33,000
paramount to these kinds of

780
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:34,000
moves.

781
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,000
It was originally looking like

782
00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,000
they were going to try for an

783
00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,000
extraordinarily long tax freeze

784
00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,000
amount that, you know, gave a

785
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:42,000
lot of people pause.

786
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,000
That since has been dialed back

787
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:44,000
this week.

788
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,000
The good news is they're going

789
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,000
to stay here.

790
00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:48,000
They're applying for tax

791
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,000
incentives to help make that

792
00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,000
happen.

793
00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,000
So, you know, it's a win.

794
00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,000
>> Barnes: When you talk about

795
00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:55,000
the tax incentives, there's a

796
00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,000
number of business.

797
00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,000
There are many businesses and I

798
00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:59,000
won't hit all of them.

799
00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,000
But that's been more of a topic

800
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:02,000
of debate, in particular after

801
00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,000
Electrolux which I think came

802
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,000
through in probably 2010, 2011.

803
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,000
But broke ground this summer,

804
00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,000
started hiring it's first

805
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:10,000
people.

806
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,000
Huge amount of tax incentives,

807
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,000
you know, involved with that.

808
00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,000
Mitsubishi is moving towards

809
00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,000
it's plant opening downtown.

810
00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,000
Or another one that got a great

811
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,000
deal of tax incentives was

812
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,000
Pinnacle Airlines back-what?

813
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,000
A year and a half ago, Bill?

814
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,000
I can't quite remember when.

815
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,000
When it first got it's

816
00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:26,000
incentives to move Downtown.

817
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,000
A lot of fan fare.

818
00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:28,000
And then this year Pinnacle

819
00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,000
ended up in Bankruptcy.

820
00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:31,000
>> Dries: Right, Pinnacle filed

821
00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,000
for bankruptcy reorganization in

822
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:34,000
April.

823
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,000
And the company has had to

824
00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,000
rethink it's organization plan

825
00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,000
or its reorganization plan

826
00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,000
several times because of what's

827
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,000
been happening in the airline

828
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,000
industry in general.

829
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,000
Pinnacle is a regional air

830
00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,000
carrier.

831
00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,000
Delta Airlines on the other hand

832
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000
has renegotiated its contract

833
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,000
with airline pilots to the

834
00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,000
extent that they can drop the

835
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,000
50-seat and under jets that they

836
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,000
have been flying which Pinnacle

837
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,000
has a lot of in their fleets.

838
00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,000
That agreement caused Pinnacle

839
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,000
basically to say we have to

840
00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,000
rework our reorganization plan

841
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,000
and go back to our employees and

842
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,000
negotiate wage concessions.

843
00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,000
>> Barnes: Yeah and another big

844
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,000
story of the year for, you know,

845
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,000
in the business community but

846
00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,000
also affecting families and

847
00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,000
everyone is Delta cutting back

848
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,000
dramatically the number of

849
00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,000
flights out of Memphis, the

850
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,000
number of direct flights out of

851
00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:18,000
here.

852
00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000
And a lot of concern about where

853
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:21,000
Delta is going.

854
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,000
But also some amount of hope

855
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,000
that for people who really have

856
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,000
always wanted Southwest to come

857
00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,000
in to Memphis in a big way,

858
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,000
Southwest has said that they'll

859
00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:30,000
probably be here.

860
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,000
You had another comment, Andy.

861
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,000
>> Meek: It was about Pinnacle.

862
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,000
There's an expectation that as a

863
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,000
result of the bankruptcy, they

864
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,000
were going to scale down their

865
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,000
real estate in a big dramatic

866
00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,000
way.

867
00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,000
So if the worst does happen in

868
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,000
Memphis, people are looking at

869
00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:45,000
that in different ways.

870
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,000
Well, they have had this halo

871
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,000
effect in really reinvigorated

872
00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,000
the tower that they're in now.

873
00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,000
It just causes you to look at

874
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,000
incentives in a whole light

875
00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,000
because you might say-"Well, was

876
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,000
that a bad investment if they

877
00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,000
leave?"

878
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,000
Well, maybe not if you look at

879
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,000
it in a different way.

880
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,000
>> Baker: The whole Pinnacle

881
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:03,000
affair if a reminder of just how

882
00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,000
transitory some of the feel-good

883
00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,000
stories are because a year ago,

884
00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:08,000
we were celebrating Pinnacle

885
00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,000
moving downtown.

886
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,000
Kind of like University if

887
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:12,000
Memphis going in to the Big

888
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:13,000
Eight.

889
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,000
That's another one.

890
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,000
Big East.

891
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,000
>> Barnes: And that's a business

892
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,000
story in its way because there's

893
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:20,000
a big economic impact with these

894
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:21,000
sports teams.

895
00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,000
And yeah, I mean, the big story

896
00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,000
would have been a month ago if

897
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:26,000
we had done this show.

898
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,000
We would have said-"Oh, you

899
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,000
know, the University of Memphis

900
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,000
finally going in to one of the

901
00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,000
big elite conferences and all

902
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,000
that that brings in terms of

903
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:35,000
tournament and recognition, the

904
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,000
money coming in with traveling."

905
00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,000
Oh, by the way, there's no Big

906
00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,000
East.

907
00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,000
(laughter)

908
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:42,000
>> Barnes: Another story along

909
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,000
those lines was business

910
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:45,000
ownership, local ownership in

911
00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,000
part of the Memphis Grizzlies.

912
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,000
You want to touch on that, Andy?

913
00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,000
I mean, it was a big year for

914
00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,000
that really,

915
00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,000
>> Meek: Yes it was.

916
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,000
A young technology company guy

917
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,000
from California who stepped up

918
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,000
and really wanted to buy the

919
00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,000
team and has excited a lot of

920
00:22:58,000 --> 00:22:59,000
people.

921
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,000
You mentioned the local

922
00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,000
ownership.

923
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,000
A lot of big names involved-

924
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,000
Duncan Williams, Autozone,

925
00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,000
Justin Timberlake, Peyton

926
00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:07,000
Manning.

927
00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,000
I mean, the list goes on.

928
00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,000
They did not do that with the

929
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,000
expectation of making a lot of

930
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:13,000
money.

931
00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:14,000
The sense you hear from all of

932
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,000
them is this really high-minded.

933
00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,000
We wanted to make an investment

934
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,000
in keeping a big civic asset

935
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,000
that everybody loves here in

936
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,000
town.

937
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:23,000
And that story is continuing.

938
00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,000
The Grizzlies this week have

939
00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,000
hired ESPN's John Hollinger.

940
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,000
Excited a lot of people to bring

941
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,000
kind of a Moneyball-esque

942
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,000
analytics sort of laser focus to

943
00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,000
the team and player evaluation

944
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:34,000
and things like that.

945
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,000
>> Barnes: And they've been at

946
00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000
the top of the standings for

947
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:38,000
much of the last month.

948
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,000
>> Meek: I'm told Robert watches

949
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,000
every game either on his iPad or

950
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,000
his laptop.

951
00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,000
He travels a lot.

952
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,000
Robert Pera, the new owner.

953
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,000
So, very engaged.

954
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:47,000
>> Barnes: We'll go around.

955
00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,000
We've got just a couple of

956
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,000
minutes left.

957
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,000
Thoughts about looking ahead?

958
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,000
The biggest stories of next

959
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:54,000
year.

960
00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:55,000
Clearly, I mean, they're going

961
00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,000
to involve the schools so may be

962
00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,000
it's the biggest stories other

963
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,000
than the schools.

964
00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,000
I'm going to start with you,

965
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:02,000
Eleanor.

966
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,000
>> Boudreau: Well, I mean, the

967
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,000
schools are going to be merged

968
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,000
August of 2013.

969
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,000
When I think about next year,

970
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,000
that's what I think about.

971
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,000
>> Barnes: I mean, you want to

972
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,000
make a prediction on the court

973
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,000
rulings to come or no?

974
00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:15,000
You may not want to.

975
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,000
>> Boudreau: No, I really don't

976
00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:18,000
want to.

977
00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:19,000
But thank you for the offer.

978
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,000
I appreciate it.

979
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,000
>> Barnes: Bill, looking ahead,

980
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:23,000
big stories for next year?

981
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,000
>> Dries: I think the impact of

982
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,000
vouchers coming.

983
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,000
I think the atmosphere for

984
00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,000
changing education and a broader

985
00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000
sense state-wide which will have

986
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,000
a big impact here is going to be

987
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,000
the real story of 2012.

988
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,000
The pace for change is going to

989
00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,000
become more aggressive and the

990
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,000
line that separates public from

991
00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,000
private education is going to

992
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,000
continue to blur.

993
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,000
>> Barnes: I agree.

994
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,000
I think that's the biggest story

995
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:45,000
for the next five years.

996
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,000
>> Meek: Economy, no question.

997
00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,000
At the time of this taping, the

998
00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,000
fiscal cliff still is not

999
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,000
solved.

1000
00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,000
It's going to impact people just

1001
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,000
in a tremendous way no matter

1002
00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:55,000
what happens.

1003
00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,000
The last recessions officially

1004
00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,000
ended according to the press

1005
00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,000
release July 2009.

1006
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,000
Things are pretty precarious

1007
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,000
right now.

1008
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:03,000
>> Barnes: Jackson, looking

1009
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:04,000
ahead?

1010
00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,000
>> Baker: The diminishing brand

1011
00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,000
of Tennessee Democrats has a

1012
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,000
hope.

1013
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,000
That's Craig Fitzhugh of nearby

1014
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:11,000
Ripley.

1015
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,000
A state representative who

1016
00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:14,000
survived a very stiff from

1017
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:15,000
Republicans in this year's

1018
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,000
elections.

1019
00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,000
And he's indicated he may run

1020
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,000
for governor.

1021
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:20,000
He's a very solid guy.

1022
00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,000
He may lead something of a

1023
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,000
renaissance.

1024
00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:24,000
>> Barnes: And with just one

1025
00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,000
last minute, I would go back to

1026
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,000
something Andy said.

1027
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:28,000
I mean looking ahead, the real

1028
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,000
estate economy this past year

1029
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,000
seems by all accounts nationally

1030
00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:33,000
and in Memphis, has bottomed

1031
00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:34,000
out.

1032
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,000
That's a big driver of local

1033
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,000
economic growth from mortgages

1034
00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,000
to construction and so on.

1035
00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,000
That will be something really to

1036
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,000
watch next year.

1037
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,000
I'm not going to make a

1038
00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,000
prediction on that because

1039
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:45,000
housing is too fickle.

1040
00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,000
And we don't know about the

1041
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,000
fiscal cliff.

1042
00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:49,000
I mean, that could have a huge

1043
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,000
impact on jobs, spending by

1044
00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,000
businesses like FedEx, spending

1045
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:54,000
taxes for small businesses and

1046
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000
large businesses.

1047
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,000
So that really is probably the

1048
00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:58,000
way that plays out is going to

1049
00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,000
actually.

1050
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,000
I'm sure people are sick of

1051
00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,000
hearing about it but it's going

1052
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:04,000
to have a big impact locally.

1053
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,000
Thank you all for being here.

1054
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,000
Thank you for joining us.

1055
00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,000
Join us again next week, first

1056
00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:10,000
show of the new year.

1057
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,000
Thanks again.

1058
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,000
Goodnight.

1059
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:25,000
>> (instrumental music)

1060
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:26,000
♪♪♪

1061
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:30,000
♪♪♪