Legislative briefs: Tax receipts fell again in February

Tax collections continued to drop last month, led by another decline in sales tax receipts, falling $47.1 million short of estimates.

The state of Tennessee collected $638.9 million in February, 4.4 percent less than in the same month a year ago. Tax receipts have fallen in 21 out of the last 24 months.

Much of the decline could be attributed to sales taxes, which fell for the 21st month in a row. The $434 million that the state brought in was nearly 7 percent less than a year ago.

Businesses pay February taxes based on sales made in January, and Finance Commissioner Dave Goetz said poor weather that month might have been a factor. "It was an unusually cold January," Goetz told lawmakers Tuesday. "Perhaps that had something to do with it. But we can't really say for certain."

— CHAS SISK

Mattea speaks to lawmakers

Opponents of mountaintop removal coal mining are drawing on some star power to make their case for banning the practice in Tennessee.

Country singer Kathy Mattea spoke before the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee on Tuesday. The West Virginia native told the panel, "mountaintop removal makes people sick, and makes them die sooner."

The committee heard testimony from scientists about the environmental impact of the mining method that involves blasting away mountaintops to expose coal seams and often filling nearby valleys and intermittent streams with mining waste. The panel adjourned without taking action on the bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Doug Jackson of Dickson that seeks to curb mountaintop removal mining in Tennessee.

— ASSOCIATED PRESS