Council Approves Budget Close to Mayor’s Proposal

Last night the Metro council approved a slightly modified version of the budget proposed by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. The tweaked budget still raises property taxes by the full amount Dean asked for, while setting aside some $8.6 million for a rainy-day fund.

The turnout for last night’s meeting wasn’t massive. Around a couple dozen people there sported neon green ‘no tax’ t-shirts. Sitting near the front was Jerry Youngblood, a retiree from the healthcare business. Youngblood figures instead of a 13 percent tax hike, the budget should dump things he calls ‘extravagances,’ like bike lanes.

“Nothing against bicyclists and so forth… I just think in this day and age, a 13 percent increase – you’ll never get a 13 percent raise. Ever.”

Any raise at all would be nice, says Vanessa Robertson. Like many city employees, she’s been years without one, working as a surgical tech at Metro General. Robertson points out the tax increase will also affect her – and she’s okay with that.

“Are we not due a raise? Yes, we’re due a raise. I’ll be taxed also – I’m a homeowner, but in order for me to get my raise, I’ll be taxed. That’s just it.”

While the final budget isn’t exactly identical to what Mayor Dean asked for, after it passed he released a statement thanking council members for their input, and saying it supports his priorities.

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The council put off dealing with a measure to require new Metro workers to live inside the county. Member Megan Barry argues when hiring workers like police or paramedics, the applicants’ street address should not be a concern.

“You want the best candidate – and that candidate might live in Sumner County. That candidate might live in Rutherford County. And at the end of the day, I want the person that’s going to be working on me to be the most qualified and the best qualified.”

The council also deferred a measure that would undo the lifetime health insurance benefits retired council members currently enjoy. In an earlier budget committee meeting, two members favored the measure, three were against it, and ten abstained.