Beacon Center of Tennessee

06/09/2026

When families come together to educate their kids, the government should get out of the way, not pile on red tape.

That's why Tennessee passed the Learning Pod Protection Act in 2025. And this year, when a Memphis learning pod was hauled into court by local bureaucrats, a judge used that very law to side with the families.

The law worked. The families won. Education freedom—defended. 🎓

Thanks to Senator Jack Johnson and William Slater - State Representative for leading the charge.

06/02/2026

Should the government ban data centers? No. Should it subsidize them with your tax dollars? Also no.

Beacon recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a cryptocurrency mining business after Hawkins County banned all data centers to prevent its business from opening. Regardless of how you feel about data centers, it’s wrong to ask the government to outright ban them. But the government shouldn’t tip the scales in favor of data centers or any type of business, for that matter, either.

Let the market decide, keep the courts open for legitimate property rights claims, and keep government out of the business of picking winners and losers.

Read our latest First Principles post at the link below.

We can allow data centers to exist while keeping the courts open for nuisance lawsuits against bad actors who infringe upon protections like water rights when other property owners are actually harmed by them.

05/29/2026

When asked about Clarksville's proposed 34% property tax increase, Councilman Tim Chandler said, “It’s time that we quit eating steak on a bologna budget."

Maybe citizens don't want to fund a steak budget when they are struggling with bologna budgets at home... Do you agree?

A proposed 34% property tax increase in Clarksville is sparking debate over whether one of Tennessee’s fastest-growing cities can continue expanding without significantly increasing costs for resid…

05/28/2026

Property owners deserve to have a say when large tax hikes are proposed in their community. 🏘️

Since 2020 Beacon has called for Tennessee to institute property tax caps paired with a referendum to protect taxpayers from unexpected increases like this:

Clarksville's mayor proposes a 31-cent property tax hike to fund city growth, but homeowners say developers should share the burden.

05/27/2026

Know someone who can write, pitch media, and genuinely believes in freedom? We're looking for them!

Beacon is hiring a Communications Manager. This person will help shape our message, build media relationships, manage campaigns, and be a vocal champion for individual liberty and free enterprise across the state.

Remote-friendly. Great culture. Check out the full posting and apply here 👇
beacontn.org/jobs-internships/communications-manager

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we pause with humility and deep gratitude to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

05/23/2026

Child care just got a little bit easier for families in Nashville! 🎉

Data from the Beacon Poll shows child care costs and waitlists are top concerns for Tennessee families. At the same time, the average cost of care now exceeds college tuition.

That's why Nashville's move to eliminate government zoning barriers to opening childcare facilities is a real win.

This comes amid major child care shortages with the average wait time for parents between six months and a year, according to a state report. According to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Da…

05/22/2026

🚨 PORK ALERT! 🚨 The Johnson City Commission recently proposed raising its property tax rate by 28-cents, soaking taxpayers with a 20 percent increase. The proposal is not driven by the typical claims of underfunded basic city services like roads, police, and fire departments, but instead by the frivolous need to fund a new aquatic center.

The Johnson City Commission recently proposed raising its property tax rate by 28-cents, soaking taxpayers with a 20 percent increase. The proposal is not

05/21/2026

Congrats to Beacon's VP of Legal Affairs, Wen Fa, for being named Vice Chair of the Federalist Society's Civil Rights Practice Group! 🎉

05/21/2026

Roughly 250,000 Tennesseans and their employers would have been subject to an unlawful federal overtime mandate, until last week, when the rule was withdrawn by the Dept. of Labor. 👏

We filed a federal lawsuit in 2024 on this issue and are pleased with the DOL's decision. The rule would have required employers to either convert many salaried employees into hourly workers or absorb substantial new payroll costs.

Read our full statement:

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor will formally publish a final rule overturning the Biden administration’s 2024 overtime rule after multiple federal courts vacated the rule nationwide and the department declined to continue defending it on appeal.