Knoxville News Sentinel
By Tom Humphrey
Published: February 10, 2009
Gov. Phil Bredesen called Monday for the creation of a "solar institute," perhaps in the Oak Ridge-Knoxville area, to lead national research into harnessing the sun's energy. The proposal was virtually the only new specific proposal in a State of the State speech devoted generally to calling for bipartisanship in the Legislature and laying out broad themes to be fleshed out later.
Bredesen initially had planned to outline a state budget with $900 million in cuts during the speech but put fiscal specifics on hold to await a final version of a pending federal economic stimulus package. The budget may not be presented until late March.
The governor did not predict what will be in the package but said "it is clear that we will have a substantial amount of money to help soften the blow of this economy on state government."
As another example of potential things to come but not proposed, Bredesen complained that tuition increases are making it more difficult for students to obtain higher-education degrees.
"It's time now to fix that," he said, but gave no details on how to go about it other than saying he was sending a plea to the University of Tennessee trustees, the Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
"Tonight I ask you to step outside the box and work with me and the General Assembly to figure out how we can keep higher education affordable, how we can get more kids to graduate, how we can fashion a true 21st-century higher-education system for our state," Bredesen said.
Bredesen, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for appointment as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, also included a call for "a national solution for health insurance" in the speech.
"Our health care system has become antiquated and unfair, and I deeply hope that a new president and a new Congress can fashion the solution that Tennessee and America deserve," Bredesen said.
Otherwise, the governor said the basic state of the state in the current economy is akin to that of an aloft airplane.
"When the weather gets rough it's back to basics-wings level, nose on the horizon. While it is stormy now, the wings are level and the passengers are safe," he said.
The state's basics are a "common-sense and conservative budget" with an emphasis on improving education, job creation and health care - plus bipartisanship.
Bredesen said he is aware of the "strong emotions" circulating in the Legislature, after Democrats united to elect Republican Kent Williams as House speaker over the objections of a Republican majority.
"I ask that we put them aside for the next few months so that we can look not inward to the political intrigues of the Capitol, but outward to the needs of our citizens in these difficult times."
Bredesen said the state is well-positioned to "develop a solar institute in Tennessee that is the basic research leader in making solar power practical."
"Solar power today is a tiny part of the power equation. It remains far too expensive, and it's ripe for breakthroughs; there's a lot of basic science to be done" he said. "We have the pieces - the building blocks - here in Tennessee to be major players in this area."
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, is the most important building block, Bredesen said.
"I have spoken to the leadership at the lab and believe they are up to the challenge," he said.
Working with Tennessee-based companies, the governor said the Oak Ridge area "can provide the draw and gravitas not only for scientists from all over the world to come work here, but also for Tennessee's brightest young math and science students to stay and contribute in the years ahead."
The federal stimulus package may contain money to help fund such a project.
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