News & Updates
Views and opinions about the key issues facing Nashville.
Abstentions on Amendment D
There was an administration amendment moved by CM Pulley on Tuesday to remove employee step raises and to add $2.6 million in police funding back into my substitute budget after I had removed it.
Budget - What’s next?
I need to catch up on my day job, but briefly…here’s what’s next for the Metro budget:
Final substitute budget proposal
A few weeks ago, I narrowed my options for the “Chair’s Substitute Budget” to two. I will go with the $1.066 option.
The “morally disingenuous” email
Every time I renew my call for Chief Anderson to step down as the police chief, I think about the time he called the advocates who prepared the October 2016 Driving While Black report “morally disingenuous.”
Budget alternatives
With six days still until the Council’s June 2 public hearing on the budget, it’s time to talk through the options.
Amendments for next week’s Council Agenda
The agenda is out for next week’s Council meeting. In addition to the FY21 operating budget, there are several important finance matters on the agenda.
Exploring other options
Over the weekend, I promised to post about some of the non-tax rate ideas that are out there. Here are several ideas I have heard discussed and my take on them:
Working on a substitute budget
This will be the third year in a row where I propose a substitute budget in place of the Mayor’s proposed budget.
Understanding the Mayor’s Proposed Budget
On May 7, 2020, I hosted a Budget & Finance Committee about how to understand the Mayor’s proposed budget. We got pretty far in the weeds.
What to look for in the mayor’s budget
Tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., Mayor Cooper will lay out his proposed FY21 operating budget for Nashville. Last year, on the day before Mayor Briley’s budget was announced, I guessed the size of the $2.332 billion budget to within $3 million dollars. This year, because of all of the unknowns, I’ll be lucky to guess it to within $25 million dollars.
What does “sharp” mean?
Many people are trying to understand what Mayor Cooper might have meant in the State of Metro address when he said to expect a “sharp” property tax rate increase.
Metro's public health orders
As of March 29, 2020, Metro does not have all of its public health orders gathered in one place. Here they are.
COVID-19 Issues: People, then money/budget
This is a collection of my thoughts about coronavirus issues as of March 26, 2020.
Best guesses about budget, including tornado, COVID-19 impact
Last year, before the Mayor announced his budget proposal, I estimated that it would be $2.335B. It ended up being $2.332B
Community budget meetings: COVID-19 Update
I understand that Metro public health officials may soon update their guidance about gatherings in Nashville.
More details about Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
At the Council meeting on Thursday night, there were some questions from Council Member Delishia Porterfield and others about how and where the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) will spend tornado donations.
Schedule for Council budget process (as of Feb. 13)
This morning, the Mayor’s office is holding a briefing session for media about the Mayor’s portion of the budget process, which is already underway.
Soccer standoff
As the standoff between the Mayor and the soccer team persists, I find myself wanting to be in favor of beginning stadium construction immediately.
Protect the community benefits agreement
As last year's city election season turned into fall and now into a new year, the inability to move forward on building the soccer stadium is beginning to take its toll. When the city passed legislation approving the stadium financing in 2018, there was also a landmark consensual community benefits agreement between Nashville Soccer Holdings and Stand Up Nashville.