NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is scheduled to give his annual State of the State address to a joint convention of the Tennessee General Assembly on Monday.
Haslam's top legislative priority this year is to boost state funding to begin tackling a more than $10 billion backlog in road and bridge projects in the state. The governor wants to raise $278 million a year in new transportation funding, largely paid for by a tax increase on gasoline and diesel.
In exchange for that hike, Haslam is proposing tax cuts totaling $270 million on groceries, income from stocks and bonds and for manufacturing locating in the state.
The governor has also announced a $45 million program to boost access to broadband internet services in rural parts of the state.