(a) [Deleted by 2025 amendment.]
(b) [Deleted by 2025 amendment.]
(c) (1) It is the intent of this state to assist financially with the development of regional plans for economic development and other regional plans, activities, and programs authorized by this chapter and other statutes and for coordination of activities thereunder. The regional plans, activities, and programs are for the benefit of the local governments of this state and, as appropriate, the state government and the citizens of Tennessee. The boards of the nine (9) development districts established as the First Tennessee development district, the East Tennessee development district, the Southeast Tennessee development district, the Upper Cumberland development district, the South Central Tennessee development district, the Southwest Tennessee development district, the Greater Nashville regional council, the Northwest Tennessee development district, and the MidSouth development district have been created as provided in this chapter and title 64, chapter 7.(2) This state shall include in its budget under the department of economic and community development, or its state functional equivalent, a separate line item for the funding of the activities of the development districts in an amount equal to fifty cents ($0.50) per capita based on the state's latest yearly population estimate or decennial census figure, whichever is more recent, as reported by the United States department of commerce, bureau of the census or its federal functional equivalent. Appropriations of state funds made to the development districts by the general assembly must not be reduced, except in conjunction with an across-the-board percentage reduction applicable to multiple state government departments and agencies.(3) The amount of state funding to each development district must be based upon the per capita assessment established by the individual development district boards with any remaining funds distributed based on a formula determined by the department of economic and community development in coordination with the development districts to include considerations for each district's size in terms of population and the number of counties served and for regional variations in cost of living. The per capita assessment and corresponding state funding levels for the nine (9) development districts are as follows: Per Capita Assessment Annual State Appropriation 1-20 cents$295,00021-30 cents$340,00031 - to an amount over 31 cents as may be approved by the individual development district board$370,000
(1) It is the intent of this state to assist financially with the development of regional plans for economic development and other regional plans, activities, and programs authorized by this chapter and other statutes and for coordination of activities thereunder. The regional plans, activities, and programs are for the benefit of the local governments of this state and, as appropriate, the state government and the citizens of Tennessee. The boards of the nine (9) development districts established as the First Tennessee development district, the East Tennessee development district, the Southeast Tennessee development district, the Upper Cumberland development district, the South Central Tennessee development district, the Southwest Tennessee development district, the Greater Nashville regional council, the Northwest Tennessee development district, and the MidSouth development district have been created as provided in this chapter and title 64, chapter 7.
(2) This state shall include in its budget under the department of economic and community development, or its state functional equivalent, a separate line item for the funding of the activities of the development districts in an amount equal to fifty cents ($0.50) per capita based on the state's latest yearly population estimate or decennial census figure, whichever is more recent, as reported by the United States department of commerce, bureau of the census or its federal functional equivalent. Appropriations of state funds made to the development districts by the general assembly must not be reduced, except in conjunction with an across-the-board percentage reduction applicable to multiple state government departments and agencies.
(3) The amount of state funding to each development district must be based upon the per capita assessment established by the individual development district boards with any remaining funds distributed based on a formula determined by the department of economic and community development in coordination with the development districts to include considerations for each district's size in terms of population and the number of counties served and for regional variations in cost of living. The per capita assessment and corresponding state funding levels for the nine (9) development districts are as follows: Per Capita Assessment Annual State Appropriation 1-20 cents$295,00021-30 cents$340,00031 - to an amount over 31 cents as may be approved by the individual development district board$370,000
Per Capita Assessment Annual State Appropriation
1-20 cents$295,000
21-30 cents$340,000
31 - to an amount over 31 cents as may be approved by the
individual development district board$370,000
(d) For calculating the per capita assessments of the development districts in subsection (c), the board of a development district may utilize either the population counts from the latest yearly population estimates or from the decennial census figures of each city, town, metropolitan government, and county that is located in and is a member government of the development district, as reported by the United States department of commerce, bureau of the census or its federal functional equivalent. The aggregate of the funds generated by the per capita assessment may be used for the purposes of matching various federal and state programs, grants and contracts for planning, programs and activities undertaken by the development districts. The aggregate of state funds appropriated to the development districts may be used for the purpose of matching various federal programs, grants and contracts for planning, programs and activities undertaken by the development districts. Any funds generated by either the per capita assessment or the state appropriation may be utilized by the development districts to pay the operating and administrative costs of the district. Cities, towns, metropolitan governments, and counties may participate in the per capita assessment funding of the development districts in which they are located independently of each other. In order to promote regional cooperation and planning, counties may pay the per capita assessment of any of the cities or towns within the county's political boundary. Cities, towns, metropolitan governments and counties are specifically authorized to appropriate and expend funds for carrying out the purposes of this chapter.