The Maryville Daily Times files reports on the budget committee meeting [1]. It's a no new taxes budget, but will use $3 million from reserves for schools. The issue of expanding the jail to bring in more revenue for housing federal prisoners was discussed, and it was noted that the county would need a long-term commitment from the federal government to send federal prisoners. The revenue would help pay for expansion to relieve crowding at the jail. I'm sure this has been explained, but how does bringing in more prisoners help relieve overcrowding? If the jail didn't house federal prisoners, would there be an overcrowding problem? How many federal prisoners are in the jail? Maybe the numbers work out, I just don't recall seeing them. At any rate, I personally don't think Blount Co. ought to be getting into the prison business. Go take a drive around Morgan Co. some time. In related news, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports on the county commission workshop [2] last night. Property tax revenues are expected to be up 4% due to new development and commercial rezoning. There was also talk of disbanding the Ethics Committee, because the new state law requiring a policy doesn't require a committee to oversee enforcement. Instead of a committee, complaints would be taken up by the full commission.