Nashville’s budget will top 2 billion dollars for the first time ever, announced Mayor Megan Barry at the ‘State of Metro’ address earlier today.
This new budget comes with no tax increase, a 3 percent raise for all city employees — and as usual, education will take the largest share.
Nearly $850 million will fund a number of initiatives for Metro schools, including the increased cost of educating English language learners.
“With our growing new American
community, nearly 1 in 4 of our students comes to our schools in need of improving their English
language skills,” Barry said. “I don’t see this as a burden. I see this as a tremendous gift.”
For Barry, the “gift” is that Nashville schools have the opportunity to shape the minds of thousands of multilingual students.
Additionally, she said there will be an increase in teacher pay in order to make Nashville more competitive with peer cities.
“While also making it possible for our teachers to live in our growing city,” Barry said.
Barry went on to say that affordable housing is also needed for other residents, including fire fighters, musicians and the hospitality workforce.
She admitted that a lot has been said about housing over the years with many of those conversations bringing minimal change.
Last August, the city began construction on a 68-unit building which will be the first public housing to go up in almost two decades.
Pointing to two additional groundbreakings in North and East Nashville, Barry promised that many more workforce housing developments are soon to come.
The city’s growing transit issues were addressed as well. Barry
said Nashville has to go “bold,” or risk losing economic gains made in recent years.
She promised a plan by the end of the summer, with input from neighboring counties. She also said it’s time to get serious about a funding mechanism that draws from the region, not just Davidson county.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM