Here’s what Nashville voters are saying about the transit referendum

While the presidential race may be top of mind for the nation, the measure at the bottom of the ballot in Davidson County could lead to significant changes for Nashvillians: the transit referendum would establish a half-cent sales tax increase to fund a $3.1 billion dollar proposal, with projects like 86 miles of new sidewalks, a bus rapid transit network and more.

More: Understanding Nashville’s transit referendum

Voting early in West Nashville, Vanderbilt University professor Benjamin Legg said he views the referendum — which he voted in favor of — as the most important thing on his ballot.

“I voted in 2018 for that transit plan. I was a bit taken aback by how resoundingly it was rejected,” Legg said. “I don’t have any optimism for this one because of that.”

Legg’s pessimism isn’t unfounded. While this year’s plan is substantially different than the one put forth in 2018, some of the same concerns remain.

A major one? Cost.

The 2018 proposal would have raised four different taxes. This year, the proposal asks voters to raise just one tax — the sales tax — by a half cent. The mayor’s office estimates that the increase will cost the average Nashville family around $70 per year.

Some voters, like Crystal Miller in Antioch, feel that burden is too much.

“I have some worries because Nashville is so big and busy. But it’s expensive to live here,” Miller said. “And I think just financially, it’s something that we couldn’t do right now.”

Lisa Crawford was undecided on the referendum as she headed in to a poll in Bellevue. But the price tag was a factor:

“I just wish there were way that they could do it where it didn’t cost as much money,” Crawford said. “It will bring work. It will bring more jobs. So that’s a plus and it will help people to get to more jobs. So that’s a plus as well.”

Even for voters that are solidly in favor of the proposal — like Antioch resident April Gung — the potential burden of an increased sales tax loomed.

“I work in the public schools and work with a lot of families that are super stretched in financially. So any increase in tax is obviously a concern,” Gung said. “But we live in Antioch, and so people out here are very much disenfranchised if they don’t have a car. So I was happy to vote for it.”

While some see the cost as a burden, other voters feel Nashville’s lack of a robust transit system — particularly amidst the city’s growth — poses a larger problem.

Patrick Carmichael, an accounting specialist, voted in favor.

“I believe it’s a good thing because we have a lot of people coming to Nashville,” Carmichael said. “It’s getting crowded and clustered around here, so more transportation, free of the highways.”

Bellevue resident Derek Bachtold agreed.

“It definitely is needed here with 100 people moving here a day,” Bachtold said. “There’s definitely improvements needed. For stoplights, for sidewalks. There’s no sidewalks in this town.”

Find all of WPLN’s explanatory coverage of the transit referendum here. For election coverage — including live updates on Election Night — visit WPLN.org/elections-2024.

Marianna Bacallao, Katherine Ceicys and Caroline Eggers contributed to this report.