The Daily Times

State Sen. Doug Overbey has concluded the first of several meet-and-greets scheduled with constituents in Blount and Sevier counties, visiting four Maryville businesses Saturday morning and speaking with area residents.

The Eighth District senator, seeking re-election in November, is scheduled to make appearances at markets and convenience stores in Friendsville, Louisville and additional Maryville locations next weekend. The senator’s “Listening Tour” will continue for the next three Saturdays, where later stops are planned in Seymour, Sevierville, Townsend and Pigeon Forge.

During his final visit at Hill’s Market on Wilkinson Pike Saturday, Overbey sat with a group of about 10 residents who discussed issues ranging from the infrastructure of state education to federal health care mandates.

All in all, Overbey said the Hill’s Market group shared the same type of concerns as residents at his previous three stops that morning at Laws Brick Mill Market, the BP Downey Oil Company and Laws Market and Deli.

“Today folks have talked about what’s going on in our schools, in our educational system — they want to know if kids are learning what they’re supposed to,” Overbey said. “People have wanted to talk about jobs, about whether more can be done about illegal immigration ... (they) want to talk about whether there’s too much state regulation, too much red tape, whether there’s too much regulation in their lives. And people are concerned about government intrusion into our freedoms: our basic freedoms and our property rights.”

Jim Hill, co-owner of Hill’s Market, was concerned about accountability in Tennessee’s schools. He was worried that Thursday’s waiver of the No Child Left Behind Act, granted to nine other states in addition to Tennessee, could send the message that the state doesn’t have to be accountable for its students’ progress.

Overbey said accountability is good, but the act itself took control of education away from Tennessee’s educators and into the hands of politicians in Washington, D.C.

“Traditionally education was a matter of states and the local governments and not the federal government up in Washington, D.C.,” Overbey said. “And I think it’s encouraging Gov. Haslam asked for a wavier and received a waiver so that Tennessee can set our own education standards rather than having them dictated from on high up in Washington.”

Maryville resident Helen Abbott agreed, adding that requirements set forth in No Child Left Behind were not realistic.

“Our downfall is all these mega-schools and big schools,” she said.

Taxes and regulation were other key points, with Maryville resident Lynn Gregory asking why he had to pay $50 every few years to retain the ability to carry a concealed weapon.

“I understand having to get a permit for a gun, (but) why do I have to give them $50 every few years to renew,” Gregory asked. “It’s a tax on my Second Amendment rights.”

Overbey had his staff member, Dustin Tipton, make a special note of that, just as he did with several key issues and concerns residents had expressed throughout the day.

“I hope you’re taking good notes,” he joked, leaning over and smiling at her as she scribbled away.

For Overbey, Saturday’s visits, as well as those coming up in the next several weeks, are more than a reelection bid — they’re a way to stay connected to those he represents, he said.

“I take the opinions expressed seriously and I take these thoughts and views back with me to Nashville in considering and then, ultimately, voting on legislation,” Overbey said. “What I’m concentrating on, in the end of our legislation agenda, is to do the job people elected me to do as their state senator. And we’ll start framing issues for the campaign once the General Assembly has done it’s job: adopted a balanced budget and adjourns.”

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