As Metro Council holds a final vote on a county budget tonight, the council’s finance committee has voted in favor of an alternative. The substitute passed yesterday on a unanimous voice vote.
Finance committee chair Sean McGuire’s budget raises Davidson County’s property tax by 53 cents–the same amount as the Mayor’s proposed budget. However, McGuire’s spending plan makes cuts in funding to Metro Schools by about 3 and a half million dollars. Municipal Auditorium, the Farmers’ Market, and transit would also see reductions.
In addition, about eight million dollars would go into a rainy day fund. McGuire says putting that money away could help Nashville in the long run
Several council members tried to tack on amendments that would’ve made deeper cuts. All were defeated.
Metro Schools spokeswoman Meredith Libbey tells the Nashville City Paper that the reduction in school funding would lead to job cuts, though unclear how many people would be affected.
Mayor Dean has said he’s not opposed to Councilman McGuire’s budget, saying that it would allow Nashville to ‘keep moving forward.’
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM