The Sycamore Institute

Join us and learn more at sycamoretn.org/events

Firearm-related deaths reached record highs in 2021 — claiming the lives of nearly 1,570 Tennesseans, or about 22 deaths for every 100,000 people. That year, gunfire was the 10th leading cause of death in the state. buff.ly/BT4r43V

5 insights about local property taxes in #Tennessee: 1️⃣ Backbone of most county budgets 2️⃣ Rates ≠ revenue 3️⃣ Tax capacity varies widely 4️⃣ Certified tax rate shapes changes What’s #5? Read the brief: buff.ly/vg4kiE6 #PublicPolicy #SycamoreTN

We’ve added a new dashboard that shows income, poverty, housing, and education levels by Tennessee's state House and Senate districts. Find it here: buff.ly/1HtUzJs

Fahe staff joined partners in Johnson City for the Regional Housing Policy Summit hosted by @SycamoreTN. Proud to support Fahe Member Sherry Trent of Eastern Eight CDC, who shared insights on housing after disaster recovery. Regional collaboration drives real housing progress. 👏 #AffordableHousing #Kentucky

We were glad to be there, and that you found it helpful!

West Tennessee housing market: What's driving costs and what can be done? jacksonsun.com/story/news/loc…

Read more: buff.ly/qEX41vf

For the fourth year, the Budget proposes new multi-year investments using TennCare shared savings dollars. Tennessee received a total of $1.3 billion in shared savings between FYs 2023-2026 for meeting annual TennCare spending limits set by the federal government.

The budget projects a deficit between state scholarship costs and the lottery proceeds that fund them—using lottery revenue estimates at the conservative end of projected ranges. Learn more: buff.ly/qEX41vf

Join us in Cookeville to engage in solutions-focused conversations about the specific levers and best practices to address the unique housing needs and goals of communities of the Upper Cumberland. Registration closes 2/27. buff.ly/gRdnLE1

After adjusting for inflation, teachers’ average pay during the 2023-2024 school year was still about 8% lower than in 2014-2015. Read more: buff.ly/qEX41vf

Join us in Johnson City to engage in solutions-focused conversations about the specific levers and best practices to address the unique housing needs and goals of communities in Northeast Tennessee. Registration closes 2/27. buff.ly/5WzoTul

Read more: buff.ly/qEX41vf

Although the TISA statute does not include automatic inflationary increases, the recommended increase is in line with prior years’, and growth in the formula’s state dollars overtook inflation in FY 2024 with the addition of $750 million to implement TISA.

Read more about how Tennessee budgets for incarceration: buff.ly/L17eU1b

TDOC spends less to house convicted felons in local jails than state prisons, and those reimbursements may not cover local governments’ actual costs. In FY 2024, for example, the estimated average daily cost to house a prisoner in a TDOC facility is $106.

The Governor’s proposed budget is out. As we do every year, we’re breaking down where the money comes from, where it goes, and what matters most. Join us for a live Zoom + Q&A on Feb. 26. Register is free, but required: buff.ly/O7W2sar

The deadline for summer internships is this Friday (1/30) at 5 pm CT. Want to intern with the Sycamore Institute? We're offering two internships this summer: Policy and Video/Design. If you or a student you know is interested, learn more and apply here! sycamoretn.org/jobs

P.S. We're posting videos like these over on Instagram and TikTok. Follow us there and let us know if you'd like more videos like this!

Read more about SNAP in Tennessee: buff.ly/BBIefoL #SycamoreTN #Tennessee #PublicPolicy #SNAP

How does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work? Our most recent brief explains how the program works, the number of Tennesseans participating, and recent changes to the program made by the One Big Beautiful Bill.