When the Levee Breaks: What Broke Nashville’s Finances and What to Do About It

by BY RON SHULTIS, The Beacon Center - This report offers the following solutions to get Nashville’s fiscal house in order: 

1. Reform the Pension System 

2. Reform Healthcare & Post-Employment Benefits 

3. Rightsize the Government Workforce 

4. Renegotiate & Reign in Corporate Welfare Deals 

5. Enact a Spending Cap

 

⃞⃞⃞

 

Top Stories

Restoring Our Way of Life: Operation Warp Speed and the Holding Rioters Accountable Act.

Phil Roe

By Congressman Phil Roe - This year has been tumultuous in many ways. Our lives have been upended by COVID-19, and we’ve seen violence and unrest in cities across our country. It’s understandable to be pessimistic during these times, but there are reasons to be hopeful. We all want to restore our way of life, and the Trump administration and House Republicans are working hard to do so and get America back on its feet.

 One of the most straightforward ways to defeat COVID-19 and return our lives to a sense of normal is to develop a safe, effective vaccine. We all miss seeing our church families every Sunday, attending a concert with our favorite bands, or cheering on our favorite football team in person. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed, we are well on our way to approving a vaccine and restoring our way of life. 

Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, treatments, and tests in a matter of months. But this does not mean we are cutting corners. The federal government and vaccine manufacturers are basing decisions on science and actual results, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will only approve a vaccine that is demonstrated to be safe and effective against COVID-19. There are already four vaccine candidates in the final phase of clinical trials, which means we could be only months away from a vaccine. This is exciting news.

In my lifetime, I have seen vaccines used to defeat deadly diseases like polio, and it’s my hope that we will add COVID-19 to that list soon. It may seem like a long time ago now, but prior to the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s, polio caused more than 15,000 cases of paralysis each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While polio is still a threat in countries where vaccines are less available, we eliminated polio in the United States in 1979, all thanks to the polio vaccine. Likewise, a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will help us defeat this deadly virus and put us on the path to recovery. As a doctor, I know how important vaccines are to public health, and I personally plan to receive the vaccine once it is made available for the general public.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not the only challenge our country is facing. This year, we have had difficult conversations about how to build community trust in law enforcement, and we’ve seen protests in cities across the country. While many of these protests have been peaceful, far too many have devolved into rioting and senseless destruction. To make matters worse, we have seen police officers targeted – and even killed – just for putting on their uniform. This is absolutely unacceptable. This violence must stop now. The overwhelming majority of our police officers are good men and women, and it is sickening to think that they would be targeted for serving our communities.

One of the most disheartening things we have seen during this violence is public officials in major cities refusing to restore peace, or even providing space for lawlessness to continue. I believe these officials ought to be held responsible for turning a blind eye to rioters and those who mean to harm law enforcement officers. That is why this week I joined my colleagues in supporting the Holding Rioters Accountable Act. This bill would allow the Justice Department to withhold 10 percent of certain federal funds from state and local jurisdictions where prosecutors are abusing prosecutorial discretion and intentionally refusing to prosecute rioters and violent protesters. This amount is increased to 20 percent in cases where prosecutors decline to prosecute an assault against a law enforcement officer. It deeply saddens me that this bill is even necessary, but we must restore peace to our cities and protect law enforcement.

Despite the challenges facing our country, we have reason to be hopeful. We still have a long road ahead, but we have made great progress toward defeating the coronavirus, and we are working to restore peace in our cities. The Trump administration and House Republicans are working around the clock to restore our way of life, and I will continue to do so during the remainder of my time in Congress.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

Top Stories

Nashville Council Member Bob Mendes: ‘Trump Is A Racist M***** F*****’

Bob Mendes is the perhaps the most powerful member of the Metro Council.  He is the member who orchestrated the 34%-37% tax hike, which was more that even the mayor had requested.  It is widely assumed that he will run for mayor at some point.

To read more about this story, including the reaction from his colleagues, follow this link. This was first reported by the Tennessee Star. 

Top Stories

Trump Train, Murfreesboro to Lebanon, Sunday Oct. 4th

 

For details, follow this link. 

Top Stories

If the House of Representatives selects the president, Trump Wins. But others questions remain. It could get real ugly.

by Rod Williams - I have never before been as concerned that an election for president may be messy and complicated as I am this election.   My worst-case scenario fear is that on inauguration day we have both Donald Trump and Joe Biden claiming to be the president.  I don't think we are, but I fear we may be on the brink of a civil war. I hope that is not the case but believe it is within the realm of possibility. 

Stepping back from the worst-case scenario, however, and consider something less drastic. What would happen in the event of a tie in the Electoral College.  Dr Larry J. Sabato of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia lays out a scenario in which there could be such a tie (link). 

The Constitution provides that in the event of a tie in the Electoral College, that the House of Representatives selects the President. This is what Amendment 12 says, which amended Article 2, Section 1: 

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; -- The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; -- The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.-- [These dates were changed by the 20th Amendment.] The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

As you can see from above that despite Democrats controlling the House, each state gets only one vote. Democrats currently hold 233 seats to the Republicans’ 196.  However, that does not matter.  Each state gets one vote. Wyoming has 1 representative and California 57, but each gets only one vote. Currently there are 26 states with Republican majority delegations and 22 with Democrat majority delegations and 2 with split delegations. The delegations are unlikely to change significantly following the 2020 election.  In that case, unless something very unlikely has happened, the House will choose Donald Trump to be the next president. 

This addresses what would happen in a tie. But assume it is not a tie.  I have questions, but not answers.

Assume that in a certain state refuses to certify an election. In my wild imagination, it could happen like this. A battleground state used mail-in ballots.  By the deadline for accepting ballots, the Democrat governor or election commission or legislature says the deadline is extended for accepting of mail-in ballots. They justify this based on an allegations that the President used the U. S. Post Office to  cause a delay in delivery of the mail. The Republicans appeal to the court and the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Republicans. Democrats are outraged and simply refuse to certify the election results. What then?

Does the Electoral College meet without the votes from that state counted?  I doubt that would be the case. Does the Supreme Court compel the Secretary of State to certify the results and if he still refuses, order him jailed and declare the election results certified? That seems more likely but I don't know. 

What if anticipating the presidency will be decided in the House, the speaker persuades the house to refuse to seat the delegation from a couple Republican states.  That seems possible. The Constitution Article 1, Sec. 5 has this to say: "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members." So could Nancy Pelosi refuse to seat the delegates of a couple states?  The Constitution is pretty clear. I see no remedy to stop this from happening.  If there is a constitutional expert or lawyer who knows how this action could be stopped, please share. I want to know. 

I am fully expecting Democrats to try to steal this election and if they are not successful at that, I expect them to be convinced that Trump stole the election. Many already believe that the 2000 election was stolen and that the Supreme Court unfairly handed the election victory to George W.  Bush, and they believe that the Russians engineered Trumps 2016 win. Many simple reject the system under which we operate and believe than anytime a president is elected who won the electoral vote but not the popular vote, then that win is illegitimate. 

We already have BLM and Antifa rioting across America, pulling innocent people out of cars and beating them, burning down businesses, assassinating police officers and intimidating people who are simply trying to enjoy a meal at an outdoor cafe.  Cancel culture rules and people who are not sufficiently "woke," are subject to being ostracized and may often lose their job.  It is dangerous to express one's support for president Trump in many places.  Never before has it been risky to put a candidates yard sign in your yard or a bumper sticker on your car.  With the anticipated Senate approval of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, we will see a deeper level of liberal anger and intolerance for the Democratic process.  We have the perfect ingredients for turmoil. I fear many liberals will simply refuse to accept the results of the election should Trump win.  If in some Democrat states, state governors refuse to accept the results and declare Joe Biden the president, or the Democrats in the Congress do so, or units of the armed forces recognize Joe Biden as Commander-in-Chief, this could get ugly.  If someone tells them Trump tried to steal the election and his claim to the office is illegitimate, and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, half the country will accept that. Many will act on that conviction. 

I am not a constitutional scholar and I have more questions than answers.  I would rather have knowledge than rely on feelings and I am looking for answers that will put my mind at ease, but I have a very bad feeling about this election. 

Top Stories

Senator Lamar Alexander: The Message is Clear – Children Need to Be in School

Comments from the Senate floor by Senator Lamar Alexander: Data from Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Education projects a dramatic decrease in proficiency— 65 percent in math, 50 percent in reading— among third-graders as a result of COVID-19 school closures in March through this summer. The message is clear: children need to be in school. 

The good news is that, according to the governor, 1,800 schools in Tennessee are open, in person, and as of today only seven of those schools have any sort of closure incident. So this problem hopefully won't be as pronounced this semester in Tennessee, because—except in Memphis and Nashville—almost all of our schools are open in-person to some degree.

To view the Facebook video, follow this link. 

Top Stories

Fifty-four years later, Metro is closing the Bordeaux nursing home.

by Rod Williams - After serving in the council and also just observing government for a long time,  I have learned a few things. One is that government is slow to change. Part of that is structural.  Because  new budgets are build upon last years budgets, it is easier to look at new needs and ask for more money than it is to reorganize or eliminate a division. Growing departments can provide more opportunity for promotions and employees are happy and the bigger a budget one commands, the more respect.  So, positions or agencies that have outlived their usefulness continue to exist. Bloated departments get more bloated. 

Another factor is that elected officials do not want to reduce the number of government employees.  They do not want anyone to lose their government job, ever.  Thankfully the State of Tennessee is not afflicted by this but it seems Metro and most governments are. Maybe it is because government employees are also voters.  Employees and their families make up a big part of the electorate. However, I think it has more to do with a mind set that government should set an example and that public service is somehow more noble than just working for money and that public servants should be immune to the laws of economics. Let me give you a couple examples:

When I first got elected to the Council in the 80's we still had elevator operators in the courthouse. There was a basement were there were a couple public offices and a snack bar, the ground floor where the mayors office is located, the second floor or mezzanine level where the Council meets, a third floor operated by the Sheriff's department.  There may have been a fourth floor but it was not open to the public and I don't recall what was there or even if there was a fourth floor.  Only rarely did someone go to the third floor. So basically the elevator served the basement, the first floor and the second floor.

Now, at that time, Metro courthouse was the only building in Nashville that still had elevator operators. I remember as a young boy growing up near Knoxville, I would go to town with my parents and there were department stores that had elevator operators but not many.  By the 1980's elevators were self-service. In the Metro Courthouse, the city had already modernized the elevators.  They no longer required manually closing the elevator gate and door and driving the elevator to the requested floor and properly aligning the elevator and building floors. By the time I was elected to the Council, elevators look much like they do now, yet there was an operator who sit a stool inside the elevator door and asked you which floor and pushed "B," "1," or "2," and rarely "3." Soon after I was elected in one of the first budgets, those positions of elevator operator were eliminated, but not without some regret and grumbling. 

Also, when I was elected, the city still had an ordinance that required all movie theaters to have a licensed projectionist.  At one time, so I understand, operation a movie projector was a skilled job and movie projectors were a potential fire hazard if not operated properly.  By the 80's technology had changed and any high school kid could load a cassette into the projector, yet Metro still required the job to be performed by a licensed projectionist. The law was essentially ignored but on occasion enforced. A bill was introduced in the Council to repeal the law.  It was resisted by the labor unions and many councilmembers voted against changing the law. It was changed but not without resistance. 

When I was first elected, Metro still provided twice-a-week, back-door garbage collection with everyone providing their own garbage cans.  This was costly as an operating budget item but also, disability claims and disability retirement by garbage men was an enormous cost. It seems as if it was almost expected that garbage men retired early with disability.  I don't doubt that the disabilities were real. Emptying garbage cans all day is bound to eventually cause a back injury. 

We did go to once-a-week, street or alley,  automated lift, collection as we see today but not without a fight.  Many wanted to keep the collection the way it was. People liked collection from their back door and did not want to haul their garbage cans to the street or the alley.  Secondly, many on the council saw the position of garbage man as a valuable employment opportunity we were providing to the least employable citizens.  High school drop outs who were not too bright could collect garbage and they didn't feel we should eliminate those jobs.  This change in the way we collect garbage took months to achieve and was hard fought. 

Medicaid was passed into law in 1965. By that act, the poor were no longer dependent on charity.  The poor were given choices.  At that time, Metro operated a charity hospital and charity nursing homes. We still do.  It was just recently announced that we are finally closing the Bordeaux nursing home. 

Signature HealthCARE has been the operator of the Bordeaux nursing home for the last six years and their contract is expiring in January. Prior to 2014, Metro actually operated the facility and the staff were metro employees. In 2014 we privatized the operation of the facility and it is now operated by Signature. Metro sent out an RFP for an operator and neither Signature nor anyone else submitted a proposal. Bordeaux has been unable to fill its beds and is operating at only one-third of its licensed capacity. Bordeaux is rated 1-out-of-5-stars by CMS. So, finally Metro is closing the Boudreaux nursing home and the site will be redeveloped. It is not anticipated there will be difficulty in finding beds for the patients in Bordeaux as there is adequate capacity at nearby facilities. 

Finally, we are getting out of a business we should have gotten out of over fifty years ago. It is now time to  also close General Hospital. We need to change the mindset that because government once did something, it should do it forever. We need to recognize that change happens. We need to embrace technology and innovation. Transportation is a good example. We still move people along fixed routes in big conveyance vehicles while in the private sector, on-demand and flexibility and options are the norm.  We need to stop thinking that it is governments job to give people a government job with a guarantee they will never lose that job. 

For more on the closing of Boudreaux, follow this link and this link. 

Top Stories

Mayor Cooper committed to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement- signs Climate Mayors Letter.

Metro Nashville press release - Mayor John Cooper signed on to a Climate Mayors letter sent to U.S. Congressional leaders this week, urging bold action on environmental sustainability while also building a more just economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A network of 461 mayors committed to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement, the Climate Mayors are calling on Congress to invest in economic recovery strategies that embed resilience, equity, and sustainability in America’s cities. 

 “As mayor, I see first-hand the urgent issues facing our communities today: the ever-present threat of climate change, the challenges to public health and prosperity caused by COVID-19, and racial and economic disparities,” said Nashville Mayor John Cooper. “Cities across America are demonstrating that growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand – and now, our federal government can show the world that investment in a zero-carbon economy has multiple co-benefits for healthcare, housing, jobs, the economy, and the resilience of our infrastructure.” 

 With a focus on recovery from the economic impacts of the pandemic, Climate Mayors are advocating a nationwide transition to a zero-carbon economy – a step many American cities are already pursuing as a means to create good-paying green jobs, clean the air and lower carbon emissions, improve public health and resilience to climate change, and lift up the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. 

The coronavirus pandemic has hit communities of color and low-income households particularly hard -- the same individuals and families in neighborhoods that suffer most from the harsh impacts of a changing climate: toxic pollution, skyrocketing temperatures, drought and wildfires, and extreme weather events like floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Climate Mayors are determined to build a strong, green economy that ensures all Americans are prepared for future health, economic, and environmental shocks. 

Recognizing the need to work together at every level of government to move beyond this devastating pandemic, Mayor Cooper and other Climate Mayors are urging Congress to work with state and city leadership to build new policies and amplify existing programs that have already proven effective. They list several goals for Congress to prioritize with any economic recovery package, including: 

• Build for a Better Future: Returning to the status quo is insufficient to meet the challenges of climate change and economic disparities in our communities. We must increase resolve and ambition to reinvest in municipalities. 
• Lead with Equity: Federal investment should include some level of priority for communities that have been historically underserved, including those disproportionately impacted by climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Prioritize Multiple Benefits: The best investments will also have benefits for job creation, neighborhood resilience, and better public health outcomes in cities. 

Attached to the letter is an appendix with sample policies and programs to advance a just, resilient recovery that puts Americans back to work while creating cleaner, healthier, more livable communities. These recommendations are accompanied by success stories from Climate Mayors’ member cities where similar policies and programs have led to community benefit. Locally, Mayor Cooper’s Sustainability Advisory Committee is working with his administration to produce recommended strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation that similarly infuse resilience, equity, and other benefits such as public health and neighborhood livability into Metro Nashville’s sustainability related policies and programs.

Rod's Comment: I am so disappointed in Mayor Cooper for signing on to this irrational, ideologically-driven letter.  If we wait for a zero-carbon economy we will never have a recovery. 

"Good paying green jobs" are a myth. Cooper probably knows that. The good paying green jobs only last as long as they are subsidized, unless you count jobs in nuclear energy and fracking for natural gas. Environmentalist hate both nuclear energy and fracking which accounts for a large part of the green house emissions reductions we have experienced.  Actually, nuclear energy is also subsidized and expansion has mostly been blocked by environmentalist, so about the only real good paying green jobs are in natural gas fracking which environmentalist hate.

As almost everyone knows who wants to know, The Paris Climate Agreement was not much more than a feel-good measure and would have done little to cut green house emissions.  Each country set their own plan to mitigate global warming and reported on their progress. It had no teeth. There was no mechanism that forced a country to set a specific emissions target by a specific date. Lesser developed countries were to be permitted to pollute more than developed counties however, so they could play economic catch-up.  In that sense it was an international wealth redistribution agreement. 

I am pleased President Trump got out of the agreement, but it was so insignificant, he could have just stayed in and just ignored it. The result would have been about the same. After observing the thinking of environmentalist for some time,  I am convinced that they are more about feel-good measures and symbolism than accomplishing anything and they are irrational. That is a shame, because I believe the theory of climate change is valid and steps should be taken to address it.  Getting back in to the Paris Climate Agreement will accomplish nothing except virtue signal, however. 

To read the letter of the Climate Mayors and learn more about the organization visit their website at this link. 

Top Stories

Nashville Metro Council refuses to make sacrifices that they are asking their own constituents to make

Justin Owen

by Justin Owen, President and CEO The Beacon Center, Sept. 14, 2020 - These two staggering statistics offer important context for this post: 

 1) If you serve two terms on the Nashville City Council, you get lifetime health insurance. 

 2) The city of Nashville has more than twice the debt held by the entire state of Tennessee. 

 

Let those sink in for a moment before moving on. These graphics show the full picture of the city’s debt situation: Given the first stat, it’s no wonder the second is true. 

As Beacon pointed out in a recent policy report, lifetime Council benefits are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the city’s fiscal woes. But they are a tip that must be lopped off if the city is going to seriously pursue reforms to restore some fiscal sanity. Despite his earlier failure to use his historically high property tax increase to drive meaningful fiscal change elsewhere—such as our debt, pension system, and other liabilities—Mayor John Cooper is at least now discussing the issue. And some Council members are joining the call. Sadly, nearly half still refuse to make sacrifices that they are asking their own constituents to make. The push to merely review lifetime health benefits for Council members recently squeaked by on a 20-18 vote.

We have found no other city in America that lavishes such rewards for public service. Sure we should provide reasonable compensation and benefits to elected officials, especially so that those at all socioeconomic levels can participate, as some defenders of lifetime benefits suggest. But should we offer the most handsome benefits package there is? No. Especially not when our mayor and the Council demand that we pay 34% more in taxes, all while still to this day forcing some businesses to remain closed or at limited customer capacity. 

The tone-deafness of Council members who defend such preposterous benefits is trumped up by the union bosses who adamantly refuse to acknowledge that benefits hardly any other American receives should be reconsidered. At a time when every Nashvillian has been forced to sacrifice more for the city, so too should those who work for us. That’s especially true for those we elected to serve us, not plunder our pockets for life after just eight years of service.

This is reposted from The Beacon Center website. To learn more about the Beacon Center or to subscribe to their email updates, follow this link. 

Top Stories

Proposed Charter Amendment Would Be Self-Inflicted Disaster For Nashville, say an official Metro Nashville press release.

Would cause massive cuts to city services including layoffs to first responders 

Metro Nashville press release -  An array of Nashville leaders stands united to oppose Nashville from being gutted by an upcoming charter amendment proposed by an entity calling itself “4GoodGovernment.” The amendment would create a $332 million deficit for this fiscal year, threaten Metro’s credit rating, constrain the city’s ability to set property taxes to pay for services, and result in a suspension of capital projects. The proposed amendment would result in dramatic cuts to essential services such as emergency response, schools, trash collection, and road repair throughout Nashville.

Retroactive application will eliminate city services, reduce property values, and render schools “unrecognizable” 

If passed, midway through the fiscal year, the amendment would retroactively reverse the property tax increase passed by 32 of 40 Council Members. The FY21 budget provided for a continuity of city services during the pandemic and began to restore Metro’s dangerously thin cash reserves. 

This proposed charter amendment comes at a time when Nashville’s financial position was already destabilized by a $216 million decline in sales tax and other activity taxes this fiscal year, in line with state forecasts. With this amendment, Nashville would be left unable to make up for the lost revenue. The proposed amendment would immediately move the budget out of balance and create a $332 million shortfall for the current fiscal year. As a result, Metro would be compelled to take immediate corrective actions to comply with state law and the Metro Charter’s balanced budget requirement. Few parts of Metro Government, including emergency services and schools, could be spared significant reductions or eliminations, and nearly all capital projects would be required to be halted. 

The proposal would immediately and directly hurt Nashville residents. “It will negatively impact property values and drastically reduce city services for all Nashvillians,” said Kristy Hairston, Board of Directors President for the Greater Nashville Realtors. 

Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of MNPS, is also alarmed by the proposal and said the resulting cuts would “render the school district unrecognizable to students and families.” 

Neighborhood infrastructure and Nashville’s credit rating will be devastated 

In addition to requiring a referendum for raising property taxes beyond two percent, the proposed amendment would also require a referendum for the issuance of bonds for projects exceeding $15 million, with vague exceptions for construction of “educational classrooms”, public libraries, public healthcare buildings, police and fire stations, and “Charter-protected facilities.” 

This aspect of the Charter amendment would cripple Nashville’s ability to make neighborhood infrastructure investments, such as building community centers, repairing roads, adding affordable housing, building new schools, and improving our park system, without a costly referendum. 

Financial rating agencies would likely downgrade Metro’s financial outlook and outstanding bonds if the charter amendment is even placed on the ballot. This may result in increased borrowing costs and limit Metro’s ability to complete significant transactions and refinancing. A credit rating downgrade would make every city project more expensive for taxpayers. 

Special election will cost $800,000, prompted by a tax levy that restores Nashville’s traditional low rates 

The Davidson County Election Commission has verified that a sufficient number of signatures were collected to place the amendment on a special election ballot on December 5, 2020. According to the Election Commission, the special election will cost Nashville taxpayers approximately $800,000. 

Even with this year’s increase, Nashville still has a lower property tax rate than Knoxville, Memphis, Chattanooga and other peer cities. Nashville’s current rate is in line with historic traditional levels; the tax rate of $4.22 remains below Nashville’s 25-year average of $4.30. Nevertheless, the proposed Charter amendment would require county-wide voter referendums for any property tax increase over two percent – a limitation that would prevent keeping pace with inflation and result in violations of state law during appraisal years. 

Passage of the Charter amendment would result in massive cuts to city services 

At mid-year, a $332 million spending reduction could affect 35-58% of the six-month remaining Metro Government operating budget. If a potential 35% cut were spread evenly across Metro operations, the following impacts could occur: 

• Public Works Trash collection service reduced to twice monthly, with complete elimination of recycling collections. 
• Fire 35% cuts to the NFD Operating Budget, resulting in cuts of approximately 557 positions, including 12 ambulances, 31 fire companies, and 17 fire inspectors. Dramatic increases in response time delays.
• Police Reductions in force of one-third of MNPD officers (450-480 officers) through layoffs and a hiring freeze; Closure of four of MNPD’s eight precincts due to officer shortages; Dramatic increases in response time delays. 

Other Departments 

• Partial to complete closure of parks, recreation centers, and libraries. 
• Severe reductions in services for the Hospital Authority, Metro Transit Authority, and the Sports Authority. 
• Significant delays and bottlenecks for permits, licenses, and inspections. (Metro Government is undertaking further work to review potential impacts) 

Effect on Metro Nashville Public Schools 

• At mid-year, a $332 million spending reduction could impact up to 25% or more of the six-month remaining MNPS operating budget. 
• Budget cuts to every single school in the district would be required. 
• MNPS would likely be compelled to significantly reduce education resources, including: 

Increased class sizes; 

Transportation service adjustments resulting in longer bus ride times; 

Reductions in social work, counseling, community connections, and other services for families in need; 

Reductions of supplemental services for students in robotics, career connections, college preparation, and other advanced academics; 

Elimination of Social and Emotional learning (SEL) initiatives; 

Reduced technical assistance and professional development for teachers and schools; and 

Elimination of stipends for extra duties such as coaching and other extracurricular activities.

Reactions to proposed charter amendment 

“This would cripple our city and gut essential city services. After two natural disasters this year, we don’t need a self-inflicted one. This would severely weaken Nashville at a time when we need to build Nashville stronger.”— Mayor John Cooper 

“Cutting 25% of the MNPS budget would, unfortunately, render the school district unrecognizable to students and families. We owe our students an exemplary education, and it takes resources to hire the teachers and staff needed to serve students academically and socially emotionally.” — Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools 

“Greater Nashville Realtors remains committed to a vibrant and financially strong Nashville. Based on our independent study of Metro’s finances earlier this year, the city must make changes to become more financially stable, but this proposal is not the answer. This change would only harm the well-being of this city and its residents. It will negatively impact property values and drastically reduce city services for all Nashvillians.” — Kristy Hairston, Board of Directors President, Greater Nashville Realtors 

“At first glance, the implications for the people of Nashville and Metro’s fiscal stability are significant and will alter the current positive trajectory of our city.” — Ralph Schulz, President and CEO, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce 

“The aftermath of the Nashville tornado and ensuing pandemic has created a time for our city to come together not pull apart. A property tax cap would be another disaster especially in the African-American community, but this time it would be self-inflicted. Nashville already has the lowest property tax of any other large city in our state so let us all pull together and give our city and ourselves the funding we desperately need to survive and thrive.” — Pastor Chris Jackson, President, Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship 

“No council member was excited about raising property taxes, but the new tax rate is still below the 25-year average and below the rate in FY2017. 32 council members, including me, recognized the need to vote for an increase because we understood that the stability of Nashville depends on being able to pay our bills, so that we can continue to provide needed services to residents.” — Councilwoman Kyonzte Toombs, Budget and Finance Chair, District 2 

“I voted against the property tax rate increase, but mandating a 2% cap is just as fiscally irresponsible as the rampant spending and poor fiscal policy that got us to this point in the first place. The city wouldn’t be able to provide basic services; essential services like public safety and schools would suffer. It would essentially cause a government shutdown which, believe me, no one wants. In the long term, a 2% cap wouldn’t even allow us to keep up with inflation. We absolutely need fiscal responsibility, but a 2% cap is just not practical or sustainable.” — Courtney Johnston, Metro Councilwoman, District 26 

“Gutting city services, slashing schools and eliminating first responders during a pandemic is a terrible idea and would hurt working families in Nashville.” — Vonda McDaniel, President, Central Labor Council 

“This proposal is just another dangerous far-right attempt to destroy the progress that we’ve made in Nashville. It would prevent Nashville from being able to pay our bills, invest in our schools, and maintain neighborhood infrastructure.” — Anthony Davis, former Councilman and owner of East Nashville Beer Works

Rod's Comment: 

We need a realistic rebuttal telling us just how painful the cuts will be. 

by Rod Williams- Keep in mind that the above is not a balanced argument from some neutral party but is the response of the Mayor's office. I expect a certain amount of alarmism and awfulizing.  The threat to cut essential services is always made anytime an effort is made to deny government a tax increase or cut a tax. Like Chicken Little hollering, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling," or a global warming prophet making apocalyptic claims that we only have x number of years to save the planet, I have become somewhat  immune to these claims of how terrible it will be if we don't raise taxes. 

One thing that needs to be rejected in the above press release is that we are undertaxed.  A lower tax rate than some other cities does not mean we pay lower taxes.  I had an occasion to go house shopping with a young couple recently.  In the greater Woodbine area there are lots of two-bed-room, one-bath, 758 sq. ft. houses fetching $300,000.  If in Chattanooga or Knoxville, the same home in a similar neighborhood might sale for half that. The tax rate is only one factor in the formula that determines how much property tax one pays. I reject that we are undertaxed.

Also, if a tax rollback would cause severe pain, the fault lies with the mayor.  The tax cut would be much less severe if we had started the year off with the lower rate.  If the mayor really believes the tax rollback will cause the dire outcomes he cites, then he should immediately make cuts so that they will not need to be as drastic as he outlines. He could get a three months jump if he did the cuts now instead of waiting until December. It he starts cutting now the cuts would be 25% less severe. If he doesn't start making drastic cuts, then I don't believe he believes what he is saying. 

With the above said however, one should not think that the cuts will not be painful.  We were already in dire straights with low reserves, and an underfunded fire department, and a budget that did not balance when Mayor Cooper took office. If this passes, we will feel the cuts.  

Some of the cuts should have been made years ago, anyway.  General Hospital should have been closed shortly after the passage of Medicaid  It is a disaster and closing General would save $50 million a year.  

We should stop running empty buses while we work on breaking the mold of yesterday's system of mass transit and develop a pubic transit system that focuses on on-demand paratransit. In the meantime, we should ask United Way to step up to the plate and develop a charity program of assistance for those dependent on mass transit.  

We should suspend the recycling program. It cost $1.5 million more than last year and a large part of what is collected goes to the landfill anyway. What percentage, I don't know because public works will never answer that question. 

We should suspend the program that develops bike lanes and suspend the building of sidewalks.  We need to do both anyway. The bike lanes reduce roadway capacity and contribute to traffic gridlock and congestion and I almost never see them being used.  We need to stop building sidewalks until we can figure out why we build so few new sidewalks but tear up and repour perfectly serviceable sidewalks at an enormous cost. 

Cutting the school budget could provide an opportunity to improve education.  We could embrace charter schools and make the schools that are not charter, more like charter schools by giving school principles more authority, responsibility, and autonomy.  This would allow for the slashing of overhead and central office.  We could reimagine public education. 

Doing the above will not balance the budget, however and to do some of this would take time.  Not all saving would be immediate. I don't doubt that the tax rollback would require closing some parks and some libraries- maybe most of them for a while.  How far we would have to cut, I don't know.  I hope that the parties responsible for getting the proposed referendum on the ballot will develop a rebuttal to the mayor's sky-is-falling alarmism and give a realistic picture of what cuts would be required. I helped gather signatures to help get the proposed referendum on the ballot. I plan to vote for it but I am ready to accept some painful cuts. We need a realistic rebuttal however, telling us just how painful the cuts will be, so voters can make an informed decision. 

Top Stories

Assumed Senator-elect Bill Hagerty's statement on the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Bill Hagerty

Nashville, TN — Bill Hagerty, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, released the following statement following the news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing. 

 “My family and I join Americans across the country in praying for Justice Ginsburg’s family during this difficult time,” said Bill Hagerty. “For more than two decades, Justice Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court, and she blazed trails for women and believed deeply in public service. 

President Donald Trump can – and should – nominate a constitutionalist to fill this Supreme Court vacancy; the future of our nation for generations to come depends on it.”

Top Stories

Tony Tenpenny, Rest in Peace.

Condolences to the family and friends of Tony Tenpenny.  He was a good man and a good public servant. He passed  away as a result of complications from the Coronavirus. 

Here is a Facebook eulogy from Melissa Lening Smithson: 

Just heartbroken of hearing the news about our dear friend and fellow Woodbine brother Tony Tenpenny. What a giving soul, a fighter, a true spirit of being a blessing to others. We will deeply miss you here on Earth, but know you are with our Lord Jesus Christ and Almighty, visiting those that went before you and watching over us. You will always be with us, thinking of you when we are fighting the good fight, and your legacy will live on in your son and beloved wife. Rest in Peace brother! We WILL see you again.

Psalm 73:26: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Luke 20:36: For they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

 The Tennessean: Former Nashville councilman Tony Tenpenny dies from COVID-19 complications

Top Stories