NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The administration of Gov. Bill Haslam has flagged a bill that would name a perimeter trail around the Bicentennial Mall in Nashville in honor of a former governor’s wife.
Haslam is a Republican and his predecessor Phil Bredesen is a Democrat, but bill sponsor Rep. Jimmy Naifeh said he thinks the issue isn’t politics, but money.
It would cost an estimated $6,000 for signs to designate the trail to honor Andrea Conte — Bredesen’s wife.
Naifeh — a Covington Democrat — told the Chattanooga Times Free Press he can raise the money if the state can handle the signs (http://bit.ly/AbEL9L).
Naifeh noted his request has precedent. A decade ago, lawmakers named the Martha Sundquist State Forest in Cocke County to honor the wife of Republican Gov. Don Sundquist.
Note: Naifeh says, further, that he talked briefly with the governor about the flag and Haslam had not known about the letter expressing opposition — which was apparently instituted by staff. “We’re going to work it out,” he said.