(Update # 3) Now would be a good time to read a good book. Rod's recommended reading list.

by Rod Williams, April 10, 2020 - In this time of lock down and quarantine, it is a good time to put free time to good use.  Instead of watching reruns of Seinfeld, now would be a good time to catch up on some quality reading. Below is some recommended reading.

What I'm reading now.
The Book Thief, by Thief Zusak  
This is on a lot of "best books ever written" list.

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time."

What I recently read and recommend
Victory, by Peter Schweizer
This book tells the story of how Reagan's leadership led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The prevailing wisdom at the time Reagan took office was that the best the US could do in its cold war conflict with the Soviet empire was to contain Russia and we were not doing a very good job of doing that.  Reagan wanted to defeat the Soviet Union.  Under Reagan's leadership the U.S. engaged in economic warfare denying Russia hard currency. We tightened the screws on those who sold technology to the Soviet Union and we made it harder for the Soviet Union to steal Western technology. We supported the resisting mujahedeen in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan and  we helped support the Solidarity movement in Poland.  We kept Russia guessing as to weather or not the U.S. would use military might to stop Soviet aggression.  We engaged in a new round of weapons development in which Russia did not have the means to match our effort. It is no accident Communism was defeated.  If Jimmy  Carter had been reelected and then he followed by Walter Mondale, we would still probably be facing a menacing Russia and pursuing a losing policy of containment.  The book is well documented and the author interviewed a host of active players involved in the strategy to defeat Communist Russia.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
"For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North

Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens (link)."

This is good light reading.  I enjoyed it.  In addition to a good love story and murder mystery those who love nature will like this book.

Masters of the Cross Roads by Madison Smart Bell.
This is a great book. It is about the formation of the State of Haiti and exploits of the Haitian General Toussiant Louverture. It is fascinating to learn of the culture of Negro slaves and how people of mixed blood were viewed and the role of Voodoo in the society. The book is full of military strategy and shifting alliances and the role of international relations.  All Souls Rising also by Madison Smart Bell is  about the Haitian slave rebellion a few year prior to when Cross Roads occurs and it also a great book. Madison Smart Bell is a Nashvillian.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
This may make by "100 best" list.  This is a dystopian novel in the vein of Brave New World or

1984.  It is set in a future century.  People live in glass enclosed domed cities like giant bubbles. The society is called OneState and it is ruled over by "the benefactor." People have numbers instead of names, uniformity is maintained and individualism and human emotions are suppressed  and spies and agents of the secret police abound. It is not only a good book because it explores the issue of the conflict between the public good and individual identity and liberty but it is a good science fiction story.  It is interesting to see in the early 1920's what technology was envisioned. Also the prose is a joy to read. The author is Russian and wrote the book in 1921 but it was suppressed, the author exiled, and the book was not published in Russia until 1988.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
"In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. Alas, in the opening sequence, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.

Among the hostages are Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Swiss Red Cross negotiator oachim Messner comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands. Days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months. Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves. Ultimately, of course, something has to give. " (link)

This book was a joy to read. You like the characters and do not want it to end. Ann Patchett lives in Nashville.

Home by Marilynne Robinson
"Home parallels the story told in Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead. It is a moving and healing book about families, family secrets, and the passing of the generations, about love and death and faith (link)." This only barely made my recommend list.  It is slow paced. There is a lot of sitting around drinking coffee feeling self-conscious and wondering what the other person is thinking. You do not have to have read Gilead to enjoy this book.  In my view this is not nearly as good as Gilead.  If you have not read either book, read Gilead.


The best 100 books I ever read.
This list is a work in progress, so check back for more detail, reviews, links and additions to the list. The first and second books on the list are by far my first and second most favorite books.  The others on the list are not an ordered ranking, so I don't necessarily favor the thirteenth book on the list more than the thirtieth. None of the books on this list are on the list because they "ought" to be.  I did not list the Bible or Shakespeare or a great many other books that one ought to read.  These are book that I personally recommend that brought me joy, or hours of pleasant entertainment, or rewarding insights.

Atlas Shrugged, by  Ayn Rand

Witness, by Whitaker Chambers

Miracle at Philadelphia

The Good Earth, by Pearl Buck, or the Living Reed. I have read most of her books, I mostly read them as a teenager so I don't know if they would still stand up, but I loved them at the time.

The Gulag Archipelago, by Alexander Soltzenitzen.

The Quest for Community, by Robert Nesbitt
Follow this link for the Conservative book Club review.

Captain Cortés Conquers Mexico, by William Weber Johnson

Our Enemy the State, by Albert Jay Nock

Nock argues that the State has no power except that that is surrendered by individuals or is taken from them and that it is the tendency of the State to accrue more and more power. He says that as the State takes more power it takes it from society and weakens community. He argues that their can be a great degree of social order without government power.  When the states takes over functions like welfare, as example, people tend to be less charitable and to exercise less social power. Nock also makes a distinction between government and the institution of the State. He addresses the issue of the nature of rights.  Do all rights belong with the individual and the State only has the legitimate power yielded to the state or does all power belong to the state and individuals have only rights granted to them. The concept of natural rights is addressed.

Where the Sidewalk Ends and/or Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein

In Defense of Freedom, by Frank Meyer

Frank Meyer is the author of "fusionism." There are many varieties and stains of conservative thought but the major divide is between those of the traditionalist order and virtue strain and the freedom of the individual stain. Meyer shows how these are not exclusive of each other buy complementary.

Economics in One Lesson, by Henry Hazlitt.  There is so much ignorance of economics. This is one book that will erase some of that ignorance and cause one to think more clearly about economic matters.  While liberals seem much less knowledgeable of basic economics, the ignorance is wide spread.  This book is clearly written and one does not already have to be grounded in economic theory to understand it This book tackles  topics like rent control, tariffs, the function of profits, minimum wage laws, debt and credit and the fallacy of machines causing unemployment. Many people take strong positions on such topics and never think deeper than their emotional response causing them to support their position. 

Animal Farm by George Orwell and/or

1984, by George Orwell

Everything ever written by the husband and wife team of Will Durant and Ariel Durant.
Excellent books that explore the philosophy and cross currents of ideas and history of the period being studied.  Ones that I most highly recommend or The Age of Reason, and The Age of Revolution.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

The Road to Serfdom, by Henry Hayek
"In the book, Hayek warns of the danger of tyranny that inevitably results from government control of economic decision-making through central planning. He further argues that the abandonment of individualism and classical liberalism inevitably leads to a loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, the tyranny of a dictator, and the serfdom of the individual. Hayek challenged the view among British Marxists that fascism (including National Socialism) was a capitalist reaction against socialism. He argued that fascism, National Socialism and socialism had common roots in central economic planning and empowering the state over the individual."

The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Economics of  The Free Society, by Wilhelm Roepke
"Economics of the Free Society first appeared in Austria in 1937. Since then, nine German editions have been published, along with French, Swedish, Italian, Finnish, and English editions. The book's purpose is twofold: to provide a coherent description of the whole of the economic process, and to analyze current burning questions from an economic perspective. Written for the intelligent layman, as well as the student of economics, Economics of the Free Society is more than just an exercise in economic analysis, it is a masterpiece of economic wisdom and wit."

Huckleberry Finn, or Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
It has been a long time since I read them, but they are good books and a joy to read.

The Call of the Wild, by Jack Loundon.  I read it as a young teen. Loved it. I was later to learn that Jack Loundon had been a Communist but that does not distract from this being a great book.

Something by William Faulkner. Maybe,  As I Lay Dying or Absalom, Absalom! or The Sound and the Fury. It has been a long time since I read anything by Faulkner and I could not even tell you what these books are about but I remember enough to know that I recommend one read Faulkner.

Ideas Have Consequences, by Richard M. Weaver
This is a complex book and while compiling this list I realize I need to read it again.  Modern political thought, especially, conservative thought, has embraced economic freedom and individualism.  There is more to a good society than that argues Weaver. He explores the detrimental role of egotism, and materialism, and the abandonment of generalization for specialization, and the technological fallacy which says because a thing can be done, it should be done.  He argues for absolute truths, religious faith, honor, virtue, and tradition.

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

Something by Franz Kafka.  I like The Castle. Metamorphosis is his most famous work. Castle, like many of his works, is a story of frustratGene ion about forces beyond your control.  The impersonal bloated bureaucracy frustrates the protagonist at every turn. His novels make you feel like you are in a dream of running in thick mud in slow motion.

Lord of the Flies, by William Golden

Border Radio: Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen, Psychics, and Other Amazing Broadcasters of the

American Airwaves, by Gene Fowler
This is a fascinating story about the large radio stations located in Mexico that blanketed the United States.  XERF and XEG were two of the biggest and both were started by quack doctors to promote medical procedures not approved by the AMA.  The most power an American radio station could have was 50,000 watts; these had at one time up to a million watts. In the Texas towns near the border one could only get one station from one end of the dial to the other.  Fences hummed with static at times and it is claimed people heard the radio through the fillings in their teeth. These stations were not covered by the FCC, being in Mexico. This book especially appealed to me because my father, part of the Christian signing duo of Don and Earl, were on two of the station for years.  The status of the stations were constantly in doubt with the US government wanted them dialed back or closed and at times the stations were out of favor with the Mexican government. When I was twelve years old, my Dad's program was suddenly discontinued and Dad and his partner went to Mexico to try to get back on.  I went with them and it was adventure. They got back on. Some people my know of the stations by knowing Wolfman Jack the rock DJ who broadcast from one of the stations. A lot of Country Music artist rose to fame from broadcasting on these stations including The Carter Family.  Unfortunately my dad is not mentioning in the book but he should have been.

All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren
This is a fictional story based of Governor Heuy Long of Louisiana.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beaeher Stowe

We the Living, by Ayn Rand

The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey

Catch-22, by Joseph Heller

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William L. Shirer

Helter Skelter

The Shining

Something by Cormac McCarthy.
His subject matter and style varies. Some are dark and brooding and deal with the perverted and marginalized. Others are entertaining tales of western lore, but no matter which you read it is worth reading. Some recommended titles are:

• Blood Meridian
• The Road
• Suttree
• All the Pretty Horses
• No County for Old men

The Moviegoer, by Walter Percy

The Good German, by 

Rabbit Run, by John Updike 

The Spy who Came in from the Cold, by

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
"First published in the Soviet journal Novy Mir in 1962, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich stands as a classic of contemporary literature. The story of labor-camp inmate Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, it graphically describes his struggle to maintain his dignity in the face of communist oppression. An unforgettable portrait of the entire world of Stalin's forced work camps, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is one of the most extraordinary literary documents to have emerged from the Soviet Union and confirms Solzhenitsyn's stature as "a literary genius whose talent matches that of Dosotevsky, Turgenev, Tolstoy"'--Harrison Salisbury

Under the Volcano, by Malcolm Lowry

Bonfire of the Vanities, by Tom Wolfe

A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole


This a draft of a work in progress. Check back for refinements and additions to the list.

Top Stories

Tennessee Democrat Party kicks Rep. John DeBerry off the Aug.6th ballot.

Rep. John DeBerry

by Rod Williams - The Tennessee Democrat Party has kicked Rep. John DeBerry, Jr. off the Aug. 6 primary ballot as a Democratic candidate. He was one of five that the Party removed the ballot but he was the only incumbent. When challenges are made to the candidacy of a person to the Democrat Executive Committee, the Committee takes up the challenge and votes if that person can run as a Democrat.  The vote on DeBerry by the executive committee was 41 to 18 with two abstentions.

The primary reason DeBerry was kicked off the ballot appears to be that he was pro-life. He voted in favor of a bill banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat could be detected.  Planed Parenthood had been very critical of  DeBerry and had put up big billboards in Memphis denouncing him for his pro-life votes.

Another reason is that he voted in favor of Glen Casada to be Speaker of the House after Glen Casada became controversial. The Speaker was going to be a Republican anyway simply because the Republicans greatly outnumber the Democrats in the House but the Democrat Party wanted to strip Casada of his position because of some racy text messages he had received that Democrats said demeaned women and some other issues.

Another charge is that DeBerry accepted donations from organizations and individuals who normally support Republicans. 

On his being removed from the ballot as a Democrat,  DeBerry said, “The Tennessee Democratic Party has decided that a 26-year Representative that spent 12 years as a committee chairman, conducted himself with integrity, served the party well, sponsored meaningful legislation and built bridges across the aisle to get bills passed is no longer a Democrat. And so, I’m not."

If the Republican Party was smart, they would explore inviting DeBerry to run as a Republican.  If he is not likely to publicly endorse Democrat candidates and will most of the time vote with the party and there is no big negative reason for not doing so, he should be welcomed as a Republican.

For source of quotes and more on the story see this link, this link, and this link.

Top Stories

The Becon Center intervenes, advocating for parents, in Mayor Cooper's lawsuit to kill the Education Savings Accounts program.

From The Beacon Center - UPDATE as of March 6, 2020: Today, the Beacon Center was successful in its attempt to intervene in the ESA lawsuit on behalf of parents. Beacon will represent Nashville parents Bria Davis and Star Brumfield and bring their unique perspective to defending educational choice in court.

— 

The Beacon Center of Tennessee filed a motion to intervene in Mayor Cooper’s Education Savings Accounts (ESA) lawsuit on behalf of Nashville families. Beacon is defending Nashville mothers Bria Davis and Star Brumfield, whose children would benefit from the recently enacted program.

Bria Davis is a single mother who lives in Nashville. She is the mother of two children, both of whom currently attend a public school in Nashville—a 9-year old boy currently in 3rd grade and a 6-year old girl currently in 1st grade. She is eligible to enroll her children in the ESA program and has taken all of the steps available to apply.

As a single mother, Bria is striving to put her children in the best position with the greatest opportunities. She believes that enrolling her children at Lighthouse Christian School is the best way to give them the opportunities that she never had growing up in Nashville public schools. As a single parent, she does not have the extra income that would allow her to easily send her children to a private school without help, but the ESA program would fully fund tuition at Lighthouse. Without the ESA program, she would either have to keep her children in public schools, hope a family member would help her out, or undergo financial hardship to send them to Lighthouse.

Star Brumfield is a single parent as well, raising six school-aged children. Her 11-year old child, in particular, is an exceptionally bright 6th grader in a Nashville public school but is frustrated by the education he is receiving. After touring Lighthouse, Star became convinced that the learning environment and individual teacher’s attention at Lighthouse would be a much better fit for him. It was at her tour of Lighthouse that she learned of the ESA program. She also learned that Lighthouse would participate, and the ESA would fully cover the cost of her child’s tuition. Elated by this opportunity, Star immediately began the process of enrolling her child at Lighthouse in the Fall of 2020. Star has another child who would benefit too who she would love to send, but she is unfortunately not eligible because she currently homeschooled. Without the ESA, she simply could not afford the tuition and her child would be forced to remain at his current school where he would not be getting the same opportunity to achieve his full potential.

The Legal Team: Braden Boucek is the Vice President of Legal Affairs for the Beacon Center.

For more information follow this link.

Top Stories

What's on the 4/7/20 Council agenda: Scooter rules, Parking changes, Short-term rental rules.

by Rod Williams - The Council meeting will occur on Tuesday April 7th at 6:30pm. The following notice is on the agenda:

Notice of Electronic Meeting and Public Access

Members of the public may not attend this meeting in person in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Council Members will not be physically located in the Council Chambers, and will participate electronically. Everyone else may watch the meeting live online at https://www.nashville.gov/Information-Technology-Services/Cable-Television-Services/Metro-Nashville-Network/Live-Streaming.aspx. Metro Nashville and Davidson County residents can also view Metro Nashville Network on Comcast channel 3, AT&T U-verse channel 99, Google Fiber channel 3 and streaming on the MNN Roku channel.

What the notice does not explain is how the Council will hear from the public. This is the first Tuesday of a month which is pubic hearing night on zoning and related matters. I have checked the Metro Council website, the Metro Clerk's website and the Metro press releases and do not find this addressed.  One would think this matter would be well publicized.  An unofficial but well-informed person told me all the bills on public hearing will be deferred till the May public hearing.

Here is a link to the Council agenda and the Council staff agenda analysis. Below I am providing a summary and some commentary on what I deem the most important items on the agenda.  I am skipping all the bills on public hearing.

Resolutions

Resolution RS2020-202 is "A resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement by and between the State of Tennessee, Department of Transportation, and The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, acting by and through the Metropolitan Department of Public Works, for signal maintenance for I-440 Traffic Operational Deployment of Blue Toad Spectra Power over Ethernet (PoE) Data Collection Devices, State No. 99111-4604-04; PIN 125652.00 (Proposal No. 2020M-004AG-001)." This would normally pass without controversy, however there is an issue that I thought may make this controversial. Many neighbors of the expanded I-440 corridor have complained of lighting pollution. Some have said that prior to the expansion that they were not bothered by the I-440 lighting but now it shines in their house like a spotlight. Normally the Council would have little leverage to influence the State to address these concerns. If I were serving in the Council I would hold up passage of this resolution until the concerns of constituents were addressed. I don't know if that is what is holding this up or not but it has been pending for months.  I do not know if it was deferred for the reason I suggested or some other reason.

Resolution RS2020-209 is, "A resolution requesting the Davidson County Delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly to support a change in state law to include stormwater utilities among the utilities covered under the Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority Act." The "whereas" section of the bill says "Metro is considering the creation of a new water and wastewater treatment authority to assume the assets and operations of MWS; and WHEREAS, a change in state law is needed to allow a Metro water and wastewater treatment authority to also operate a stormwater utility, … ." It then goes on to call for the change in law to include stormwater in the Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority.  A utility can change rates without getting legislative authority and usually I would be reluctant to transfer that authority to an independent body, but I am open to this change.  Because Water and Sewer operates off of their own revenue and saving money or wasting money does not impact the city budget, the Council pays little attention to what goes on at Water. Water and Sewer has been a source of wasted money as long as I can recall. Maybe having an independent board that the Water and Sewer service answers to would be a good thing.  All this does is ask for a change in State law.  I would not oppose this.  If I had a vote I would be open to being persuaded that sitting up Water and Sewer as utility might be a good thing to do.

Resolution RS2020-236 is a resolution approving an application for a Digital Curb Challenge grant from COORD.  I am not exactly sure what all curb management entails and the resolution nor the staff analysis explains this but from I have learned this sounds like a good deal.  Nashville is one of only three cities to be selected for this trial  program. Some of what curb management can do is manage curb loading zones rather than having permanent fixed loading zones, it can better manage ride sharing and ride hailing by sitting up zones and it can institute demand sensitive pricing for meters within a certain zone. Learn more here. From what little I know about it this sounds like a good thing. Anyway, the grant is free and the program is for a trial period.

Resolution RS2020-251.  "A resolution recognizing the retirement of Kay Bowers and her years of service as Executive Director of New Level Community Development Corporation." This is not of general interest but I want to give a shout-out to Kay  Bowers.  I know her through the affordable housing community. Our work was related. She is a good person and has a heart for helping people.

Resolution RS2020-257 expresses the Metropolitan Council’s support for SB2908/HB2013, currently pending before the Tennessee General Assembly, which would allow metropolitan governments to enact an impact fee or privilege tax on development. I do not know enough about this to have an opinion.  I am inclined to oppose impact fees.  The argument in favor, is that development does not pay for the stain they place on infrastructure and services. An opposing argument is that any additional cost and restraint placed on development further causes a loss of affordable housing.  The more overhead placed on construction, the less a developer can afford to build affordable housing. The reason I find this resolution interesting is that the Budget and Finance Committee recommended it be withdrawn.  That is unusual, so their must be good arguments against it but I did not watch the B &F meeting.

Bills on Second Reading

Bill BL2019-109 makes changes in the city policy toward scooters or what is termed "shared

urban mobility devices."  This was on the agenda some months ago and deferred an excessive number of times and taken off of the agenda "by rule." It is back. This one has some provisions I like such as requiring more speedy response by fleet owners to complaints of overturned scooters and things and new rules establishing 'no sidewalk use' zones and slow zones. I like that it eliminates the restriction on number of scooter companies that can operate in Nashville, but I do not like that it cuts in half the overall number of scooters.  I think market demand should dictate that. The hatred of scooters seems to have abated somewhat or people have just leaned to live with them, but I still fear that if this does not pass something more restrictive, such as a ban, may pass. I would support this and vote for it if I had a vote.

Bills on Third Reading

Bill BL2019-78 – This ordinance requires a minimum distance for any new Short Term Rental Property that are Not Owner-Occupied, from churches, schools, daycares, and parks. No new STRP permit could be located less than 100 feet from a religious institution, a school or its playground, a park, or a licensed day care center or its playground, unless, after a public hearing, a resolution receiving 21 affirmative votes is adopted by the Council. In my view this is uncalled for. I oppose this bill. I live on a street with several short-term rentals and have never had a problem. I have one diagonally across the street from me. Maybe some people do have a problem but that indicates a need for more enforcement not making it more difficult to have short-term rental. There are hotels and restaurants within 100 feet of some of the same class of entities identified in this bill. This would place greater restriction on homes rented short-term than we place on businesses. There is a greater likelihood of complaints against owner-occupied housing and long-term rental housing that there is from short-term rental. To me this looks like just another unjustified piece of legislation to attack short-term rentals. This passed on second reading on a recorded vote of 20 in favor, 8 opposed, 4 abstain, and 8 not voting.

Bill BL2020-117 would remove the requirement for a minimum number of parking spaces for various uses for properties on multimodal corridors as designated in the major and collector street plan. There is not now a parking requirement for properties in the central business district and properties in urban overlay districts. If you drive down a thoroughfare and see separated businesses surrounded by parking lots, that is the result of our car-oriented planning which was considered wise planning in the period following WWII. A lot of what was considered wise planning then is now out of favor. Vibrant cities are build for people, not cars. The car-oriented planning has led to massive urban sprawl. This bill would not prohibit one from providing parking but would not require it along multimodal corridors. I support this concept but do not know which streets it would apply to. I could not find such designation in a search of the Panning Commissions website. Usually when one speaks of multimodal corridors it means a street that also has light rail or bus rapid transit. We don't have that in Nashville and I don't know which streets have that designation in Nashville. This was probably provided in committee.   I am surprised no one spoke against this when it was on pubic hearing, because cities without parking requirement have people competing for parking spaces. Residents have to sometimes get used to hunting for parking spaces on their street when a certain number of on-sight parking spaces are not required. It passed second reading with no opposition.

BILL NO. BL2020-149 would require landlords to provide at least 90 days’ written notice to tenants before increasing the tenant’s rent. This is likely to reduce the availability of affordable housing and raise rent prices. This type interference in the market hardly ever achieves the desired result. There is already the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) which requires a 30-day notice. Nashville should not have a more restrictive rule than other places in Tennessee. It would probably not be enforceable. This needs to be defeated. If it does pass, I hope the State invalidates it.

Top Stories

Institute for Justice joins the fight to rescue kids from Tennessess's worst schools.

The Institute for Justice has joined the lawsuit to defend educational choice in Tennessee.

It is intervening on behalf of two parents, Natu Bah and Builguissa Diallo, to defend the program from a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.  IJ explains: 

The program provides scholarships worth up to $7,300 to families from Shelby County and Metro Nashville school districts to send their children to private schools.

To be eligible, children must come from households earning less than 200 percent of the federal free lunch program, which means there’s an income cap of about $67,000 for a family of four. As a result, 60% of Nashville and Shelby County families are eligible¹. The program would be capped at 15,000 students but could be expanded by future legislation.

On February 6, 2020,  Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced a lawsuit against the program on behalf of Davidson County, Shelby County, and the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education alleging that the program violates the Tennessee Constitution.

There is more on this case at this link and the story of the parents IJ is defending is below.

Top Stories

Dr. Ming Wang: Coronavirus crisis reveals our need for common ground.

Dr. Ming Wang, Guest Columnist, The Tennessean - The coronavirus outbreak has revealed how critical it is for all of us to find common ground in today’s polarized world.

There has been a dramatic difference in the success of various countries in fighting this virus. In South Korea, the leaders assembled quickly, resolved their differences, implemented essential measures and effectively controlled the infection. In contrast, discord and disunity in Italy led to inaction in the critical first few weeks of the outbreak, resulting in thousands of lives being lost.

In our society today, we are often incapable of overcoming our differences in order to find common ground. Our social climate is toxic. The merit of an issue is often not considered as important as power alliances — political, ideological or otherwise. (read more)

Top Stories

Nashville schools asked to cut $100M from their budget due to the Coronavirus revenue shortage.

by Rod Williams - Mayor Cooper has asked the School Board to look at ways to cut up to $100 million dollars from their budget. This is necessary, he says, because the city is expecting a $200 million to $300 million reduction in expected revenue for the current fiscal year due to the Coronavirus business shutdown.

One hundred million dollars is a whopper of a big cut at a time when many feel the Schools are underfunded. Our schools are failing and there is a problem with retaining teachers. I am not so sure throwing money at the schools would fix the problem anyway but it would probably help with teacher recruitment and retention.  In the fall, the Metro School Board studied teacher pay and said  that to boost the salaries of Nashville teachers to match the city's median income would cost more than $100 million a year. Unions applauded the study. If the School Boards does  plan to ask for the money suggested in the pay plan study that would be $100 million they would need in addition to any other increases in operating cost. That would be an increase request like we have never seen. That would be a whopper of an increase!

The current Schools budget is $914 million.  If they were to add the $100 million called for in the pay study that would  put the schools up them up $1.014 Billion. The current 2019-2020 operating budget for Metro Schools at $914.5 million was a 3.2% or $28.2 million increase over the 2018-2019 budget.  However, the school district requested $76.7 million in additional funding or an 8.6% increase over the then current $886.3 million budget. The year before that, Schools requested a $45.7million increase and got a $5 million increase. So, if you take the current $914 million add the $100 million to fund the pay study, and add, say, another $100 million, the Schools would ask for $1.114 Billion. Are they going to be happy with $814 million?  It should also be noted that Cooper is asking the School Board to cut their budget by $100 million and that assumes he gets a substantial property tax increase. That may not happen.

Several of the current members of the Council, especially the progressives, run on a platform  to "fully fund" the School budget. What that means is they said they would write a blank check to the school board, in effect, and give the Board whatever amount they asked. With a large portion of the Council committed to that position, the School Board is more likely to aim high.  I hope that those who made that pledge will relay to the School Board that we now have a crisis and they are no longer bound by that pledge. The School Board needs to forget about a whopper of an increase in funding and figure out how to make substantial cuts.

For more on the topic see this link, and this link.

Top Stories

If you lost your job due to the Coranavius, file for unemployment. Don't wait. Do it promptly.

by Rod Williams- I worked for many years as a housing counselor with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.  Since 2007 until a couple years ago when I retired, I worked in "mortgage default" and helped hundreds of people avoid losing their home.  Unfortunately we could not help everyone.  Some, because they were simply irresponsible and could not afford their home to begin with and had poor money management skills and made poor decisions.  Others lost their home because they did not respond to the housing crisis in a responsible way.

Some of those in the second category were not irresponsible people but when they found themselves in a crisis they failed to take action until it was too late to be helped or they took action that made their situation worse. While as of now, the only mortgaged assistance program is new HUD guidelines that offer extended forbearance agreements, I suspect that if this crisis goes on a while or the economic recovery is slow, there we be new programs to help people avoid foreclosure. There were numerous programs designed to help people avoid foreclosure during the housing crisis that started in 2007.  Don't do the wrong thing and make yourself unable to be helped or ineligible to be helped.

It is a mistake to either not get unemployment or not getting it promptly. Get it promptly. Please file immediately.  Most people do not have an emergency fund and even if they do, one wants to hold onto it as long as you can. My suggestion would be to apply for unemployment the next day after you lose your job. Make that your number one priority. Don't put it off. I know when bad things happen some people are immobilized with anxiety or they hide there head in the sand and say, "I'll all work out." Don't. Get busy trying to make the best of a bad situation. Help yourself be helped.

Some people don't file for unemployment because they think they may not be eligible.  If you quit your job because you thought you were going to be furloughed anyway and you just quit going to work, that was the wrong thing to do. However, file anyway.  You may, probably will, still qualify for unemployment.

If you are a self-employed contractor you normally would not qualify for unemployment.  Self employed people do not have an employer who has been paying unemployment insurance.  However, in the coronavirus act passed by Congress "gig" workers are eligible. So, if you worked for someplace like Uber or Grubhub, you probably will qualify. If in doubt, file.

Getting the unemployment not only helps pay the bills but if a program comes alone to help people avoid losing their home, I expect one of the eligibility requirements will be that one lost a job through no fault of their own. Getting unemployment is the proof programs relay on to document that. The below is from a government site.

Filing Unemployment

How to file an Unemployment Claim 
1. Go to Jobs4tn.gov
2. Click on “Unemployment Benefits”
3. Select “File a Claim”
4. If you have an account sign in by entering your username and password
5. If you do not have an account, click “Next” to proceed to the next screen.
6. Follow the prompts and enter all required information

Where do I go to file an unemployment claim? 
You can file your claim anywhere and at any time during the week online.

If you need assistance you can click on the help icon and speak to a representative.

You can meet our field representative at the Career Centers on specific scheduled days during the week.

Information Needed to Apply for Unemployment 

• Social Security Number 
• Driver’s License or State Identification Card 
• Complete mailing address 
• Phone number 
• Email address 
• Names and addresses of all previous employers for in the last 18 months. 
• Banking Information including routing number and account number for direct deposit.

If you were affected by a recent closure due to COVID-19 please answer “Yes” to this question:
Are you unemployed as a direct result of Covid-19?
Follow the prompts and enter all required information, including a return to work date. If your employer did not provide a return to work date, enter the date 16 weeks from your file date. A return to work date must be entered in order to exempt you from the weekly job search requirement.

Covid-19 Need Claim Assistance?
If you have any questions pertaining to your claim, please contact the help line at 877-813-0950. Website assistance https://tdlwd.zendesk.com (This link will allow you to create an email request ticket, to correspond with an agent regarding any inquiries that you may have. An agent will respond within 48-72 hours of the ticket being

Top Stories

Full text of the Mayor's State of Metro Address

57th State of Metro Address Remarks, John Cooper Mayor, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County

Vice Mayor Shulman, President Pro Temp Syracuse, thank you for joining me in the Metro Council
Chamber today.

To all of you watching this at home – Members of the Metro Council, my friends, and all residents of Nashville -- this is an unprecedented time for our city. This empty chamber exemplifies that. Today is the most unusual State of Metro speech in our history. I am talking now to the Councilmembers who are not here – who are appropriately following social distancing – and to everyone at home.

Our community is connected even when we have to stay apart. This chamber may be empty, but our hearts are full; our resolve is strong.

I want to talk about the three major challenges before our city. We face the challenge of rebuilding after a devastating tornado. We face a pandemic unlike anything we have seen before. We face perhaps the most sudden and sharp recession in American history. And Metro was already facing financial challenges: an unbalanced budget, thin cash balances, mounting debt payments, and unmet needs.

Two of the four or five worst disasters in the 238 years of Nashville history happened this very month. The tornado destroyed or damaged 2,242 structures, including 3 metro schools. Now COVID-19 has emptied our classrooms. Our streets are quiet. Many businesses have temporarily closed. We all know people who are now out of work.

This may well be the greatest set of challenges Nashville has ever faced. These are hard times. But we will get through them. And we will be a greater city. We will find solutions and move forward together.

To the Council members who would normally fill this Chamber, and to Metro employees serving the city every day, these crises remind us of why public service is important. City government is the first responder and the last resort. Metro will always show up. We will always take care of our neighbors. We don’t always have the most resources – but we do have the most will. We’ve shown that this month. And we will show it in the months ahead.

This is a city that shows up to help neighbors after a storm and knows to stay home to keep neighbors safe during a pandemic. We are going to be a stronger city on the other side of this.

Now these challenges – a tornado, a pandemic, and our troubled finances – do not come at an easy time. Even before the tornado and COVID-19, Metro faced difficult issues. We have a shortage of teachers and first responders. Our children need new textbooks, and social and emotional learning. Many residents lack affordable housing. We need more sidewalks, safer intersections, and a better transportation system. And our future requires sustainable financial management.

These are the topics that I had hoped to talk about today, and the investments that you on the Council and I, as Mayor, had planned to make in this budget. I know we will tackle these issues together. We must and will address them. The needs haven’t gone away. My commitments have not gone away, but we must get beyond the crisis at hand.

First, The Tornado

Less than a month ago, while Nashville slept on the night of March 3rd, a category EF-3 tornado touched down in Bells’ Bend and cut through Tune Airport, North Nashville, Germantown, East Nashville, Donelson and Hermitage.

Two people lost their lives here in Nashville. We join the friends and family of Michael Dolfini and Albree Sexton in mourning their loss. The storm claimed another 23 lives in Benton, Wilson, and Putnam Counties.

I will never forget that night: driving through the devastation in North Nashville to arrive at the shelter at the Farmers’ Market in the dead of night. Talking with the mother who managed to grab a pack-and-play before scrambling out of her building with her baby. The families cared for by volunteers while they huddled with their dogs. As the morning dawned, people came together.

Residents of North Nashville, East Nashville, Donelson, and Hermitage organized to take care of each other. Churches played a key role in bringing people together. One church, Lee Chapel AME, didn’t have electric power, but it had its pastor, Representative Harold Love, who was there leading the response with many, many, many others including Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood. Throughout the day and in the days that followed, hundreds of volunteers converged on Lee Chapel, bringing food, supplies, and offers of
help and hope.

That week, more than 26,000 individuals signed up to volunteer with Hands On Nashville. That’s 4,000 more people than volunteered in the 8 months following the 2010 flood. Never has Nashville stood stronger.

First responders, Public Works employees, Nashville Electric Service workers, Hands on Nashville volunteers, community and faith partners, and thousands of everyday Nashvillians restored life to the city. What they did is nothing short of heroic.

Since March 3, earlier just this month, Metro crews have cleared 116 blocked roads and 60 alleyways, repaired infrastructure at 335 intersections and 72 traffic signals, removed 5,128 truckloads of debris totaling over 239,000 cubic yards, and restored power to nearly 50,000 homes. All in less than a month.

The work of recovery continues. I want to thank the 21,414 donors who have contributed over $9.9 million to date to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The Community Foundation has made grants to 42 nonprofits in Davidson County to help with tornado recovery efforts, including Hands on Nashville, Lee Chapel AME Church, Gideon’s Army, the Martha O’Bryan Center, the Donelson

Fellowship, Rooftop Nashville, and Need Link. They will continue their vital work in the months and years to come.

There is still a great deal of work to be done. Many residents have been displaced. There have been reports of unscrupulous speculators trying to take advantage of people in their time of crisis. Let me be clear, that is not Nashville Strong.

For those of you who still need help with shelter, food or utility payments, please know that my office has been working on these issues. You can dial 2-1-1 to ask for help. The Metro Action Commission can help with rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Call 3-1-1 or go online to Hub Nashville for other resources. FEMA is still accepting applications for relief as well.

Our neighborhoods are resilient. After the 1998 tornado, St. Anne’s Church in East Nashville etched a
quote in stone that reads, “God was not in the tornado, but in our response.”

We see that response now at 624 Jefferson Street, the decimated building that housed Music City Cleaners and the Lab. There, Joshua and Tabitha Munday have already put back three beautiful murals, one of which depicts their son Zion in front of a circle of community residents, one wearing a sweatshirt that just says, “Love.”

That is “Nashville Strong” in action.

Our neighborhoods now face yet another challenge – the coronavirus. Churches that brought people together in recovery are now adjusting to worshipping remotely. Restaurants and bars, playgrounds and barbershops, schools and music venues – places of coming together – are now temporarily closed.

And Then, The Second Challenge: The Virus

This is the great challenge of the current moment – the reason this chamber is empty today.

We acted decisively to meet this challenge. On March 15, at my direction, the Metro Board of Health issued an order closing entertainment venues. I also formed a Coronavirus Task Force and asked Dr. Alex Jahangir, the head of the Board of Health and, also, a surgeon at Vanderbilt, to serve as Nashville’s coronavirus response coordinator.

One week after that, as the threat grew, I issued the “Safer at Home” order, directing people not employed in essential occupations to stay at home and not gather in groups for 14 days. The purpose of this order was to slow the pace of the pandemic and to prevent our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

Yesterday, the State joined us in issuing a Safer at Home order. And today, in consultation with public health authorities, I am announcing that we will be extending our Safer at Home order through April 24, consistent with the statewide schools closure.

Although these are still early days, I am encouraged by Nashville’s response to the Safer at Home order. People are observing social distancing and it is making a difference. What we are doing now will save lives.

Make no mistake: Just as the Greatest Generation met their challenges, we will meet ours.

Quiet heroism is everywhere. Metro employees continue to deliver vital city services: picking up trash, responding to emergencies, caring for our most vulnerable. I thank all of you for the work you continue to do.

To the grocery store clerks, the bus drivers, the warehouse workers, the food preparers, and delivery people, thank you. You are part of the frontline of the great fight of OUR time.

Finally, to our health care providers. We thank you for your work during this difficult time. We have an obligation to try to help you – by practicing social distancing and following public health guidelines. The fastest way to move beyond this current crisis is to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Flattening the curve will get people back to work sooner.

Nashville is fortunate to have so many great hospitals and healthcare systems. Their partnership with the city has and will continue to be a vital part of our response. I particularly am grateful for their help staffing our COVID-19 Assessment centers. Their collaboration with our Office of Emergency Management is Nashville at its best.

If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19, please call our hotline at 615-862-7777. They will direct you to medical care or to an assessment center, where screening and testing are free.

Stay home. Practice social distancing – stay 6 feet away from other people, avoid gathering in groups. As
Dr. Hildreth, the President of Meharry and a budding TV star, likes to say, “Don’t be a vector.”

And Now, The Financial Challenge

Unexpected disasters such as the tornado and COVID-19 are why cities have rainy day funds. Unfortunately, Metro Government doesn’t have a rainy-day fund, and instead, actually thinned its cash balances. Our lack of a rainy-day fund has left us vulnerable in what has become a stormy season.

During last year’s campaign, I talked a lot about fiscal stewardship. Finance is the foundation of everything a city does. I was worried about our thin cash position and other financial weaknesses. In our first months, we made great progress in stabilizing our finances.

In the fall, the State Comptroller called on Metro to balance its budget, build up our cash balances, and institute a policy for sustainable cash management. We responded by balancing our budget, finding new revenue, and making painful reductions to our spending. New revenue included $12.6 million from the Music City Center and $3.6 million from the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation. These were great steps toward tourism benefiting residents throughout the county. I’m hopeful of more opportunities
like these when the coronavirus pandemic passes and tourism returns.

Our Chief of Operations & Performance Management, Kristin Wilson, is already working on opportunities and she created Metro’s first performance management team. Finance Director Kevin Crumbo put Metro on the path to establishing a comprehensive cash management policy and a structurally balanced budget. Department heads have welcomed and contributed to these efforts.

I expected to be here today with the budget to put our fiscal house in order and invest in our neighborhoods – in our schools, in transportation, in affordable housing, in public safety, and in environmental stewardship. Then came the unexpected: the tornado and the coronavirus pandemic, and with them a new set of challenges and financial uncertainties. And now we have a new priority — to get through this — to manage resources, save lives, protect and serve people, support employees, and provide comfort, care, food and shelter.

The tornado hit first, putting pressure on our city’s operating and capital funds. The city has an excellent insurance policy. We are hopeful of relief by FEMA for costs that insurance does not cover. But, making insurance claims and applying for FEMA relief is a lengthy process. And it’s worth noting that it took 8 years for Metro to receive its final reimbursement from the 2010 flood. And, not every cost will be
eligible for reimbursement. We cannot delay. We must serve our people, now. That means we must spend our own money, now, to invest in rebuilding our city.

The financial impact of the coronavirus will be far more serious. Last week, unemployment claims in Tennessee increased by 1,300 percent. Our local economy – and, with it, Metro’s revenues – are falling dramatically. What is true for you is true for the city, too. This is an uncertain time.

The Finance Department estimates that for the remainder of this fiscal year, ending June 30, revenues from sales taxes and other activity taxes will be down between $200 and $300 million. And that estimate is just for the fourth quarter of this fiscal year. And there is an unknown impact on next fiscal year.

This shortfall requires immediate action. With this uncertainty, our first concern must be in maintaining the delivery of essential services by Metro government – to protect our police, our fire, and our basic services. That requires financial stability. Tough decisions are required in the weeks and months ahead to get us through this crisis and give us a better future.

We are already taking steps to shore up our cash flow. Last week, Metro announced a hiring freeze,
except for public safety and other critical services. There will be no promotions or pay raises. All travel is on hold. I have directed all departments to identify immediate cost reduction opportunities. We are
delaying non-essential capital spending.

These actions will reduce city spending by millions of dollars. But unfortunately, these steps will not be enough to cover our revenue shortfall. We need to find hundreds of millions of dollars in savings and in new revenues, just to keep us where we were.

Now, we had plenty of financial vulnerabilities before the tornado and the virus. Let’s review some of the
challenges we started with.

First, as is well known, our city did not have the cash balances that we should have had. After years of spending down our cash, we will need more than $100 million to bring our fund balances up to just 5 percent of expenditures. This was before the virus dramatically reduced city revenues.

Second, as is well known, debt service payments have been rising sharply. Debt has dramatically increased on a per capita basis over the last several years and that in turn has required a greater and greater share of our revenue. Next year we must add an additional $40 million to cover that increase.

Third, as is well known, Metro has relied on non-recurring revenues to match recurring costs in recent budget years. It has used fund balances or projected proceeds from one-time asset sales, that might not even happen. The use of this one-time money in last year’s budget, including spending down reserves, was roughly $70 million. This is not sustainable. That money must be replaced. Our recurring revenues must match, or be greater than, our recurring costs.

These already difficult financial issues are compounded by the virus-related slowdown. Sales taxes represent just under one third of our city’s tax base. So, a sharp decline in sales taxes makes us more reliant on our other revenue sources. Fees will also be going UP to help cover our basic costs. I’m happy to announce today that the Music City Center has agreed to contribute an additional $35 million, on top of its payment in lieu of taxes. But even these additional measures won’t be enough to meet our needs.

The fiscal quarter that starts tomorrow and the year ahead will be extremely challenging for Metro Government. We cannot cover such a shortfall by just cutting services. We will be forced to use cash balances that are already stretched thin to ensure continuity of essential services.

Let me be direct. The budget ordinance that will be filed with the Council in April will sharply increase the property tax rate from its current historically low level. The final amount will be determined with the best information available, but it will be substantial. This is something we have to do.

By April 28, I will submit a formal budget to the Metro Council. Between now and then, my Finance Department and I will continue a thorough review of every option to make our city fiscally sound. We will consider every cost-cutting opportunity, turn over every stone, and look beneath every seat cushion.

If money from the future Federal response – for the tornado and for the virus – is so robust and becomes so timely that we have more revenue than we anticipated at some later date, then all to the good, we can adjust.

But our responsibility is clear. We have to file an actual balanced budget – a budget that gets us through this crisis safely to the other side. Metro must balance its budget, just like businesses and households balance their budgets. Our budget has to be submitted within the next month — with the best information available – the very same month that we have to get through the shock wave of the pandemic. This is no time for avoiding unpleasant realities or gambling with the city’s future. We must ensure that we have the resources to get us all the way through to the post-virus Nashville.

Metro’s finances are in a place where there is no option. We can’t print money or borrow to cover our operating expenses. We must raise property taxes, as difficult as that is right now. You are the shareholders of the city and this is my report. This is what we have to do to get safely to the other side.

So, In Conclusion

This is not a budget message, as much as it is a statement of principles. Through careful financial stewardship, we will meet today’s challenges and build a greater city on the other side. And I’d like to note that even after a property tax increase, we will still have a lower tax environment than our peer cities. That should be a source of pride to us all. Our resilience will set the stage for our future growth and prosperity.

In the current moment, stewardship means preserving essential services by stabilizing our finances. But once we get beyond the tornado and the pandemic, the stewardship we show today will provide the platform for our future.

We will not lose our vision. This is a season of challenges. But the time will come when we can invest again. And when that season arrives, we will move. We will move forward with plans to make our teachers the best paid teachers in the state of Tennessee. We will have a new transportation plan with solutions for every neighborhood. We will implement a 10-year affordable housing plan. We will have fully staffed fire and police departments, and we will have body cameras.

I’m optimistic enough to see that we will get back to having traffic problems in a few months. Visitors will come back to downtown. Our growth will continue. Our ability to respond to two simultaneous emergencies will confirm Nashville as a place where people want to put their future.

The need to make Nashville a city that works for everyone is more urgent now than ever. Believing in Nashville is not a leap of faith. This city – and our country – have the resources and talent we need to build a better future for all our residents and all our children.

Metro’s entire Emergency Operations apparatus has been heroic in responding to two states of emergency. Thank you for the sacrifices you and your families are making in spirit of true public service.

Thank you, Nashville. Be safe. Take care of your families and neighbors. Getting this right can save thousands of lives. We’ve got to meet this challenge. We’ve got to and we will. Nashville’s best days are ahead of us. Nashville will take care of each other and, together, we will build a city that works for everyone.

My thanks to the Council as my partner in this great work together. I know that we — as a city — have the courage and the faith to see us through.

The highlighting in the above is mine - Rod Williams

Top Stories