Metro’s Spending Divides Mayoral Hopefuls During Feisty Debate

The mayoral candidates were as intense as ever in a televised debate Monday night, especially on questions about city spending and taxes. While David Fox criticized Megan Barry’s city council votes, she accused him of trying to scare taxpayers.

David Fox tried to make the otherwise wonky fiscal policy matters as relatable as possible by saying he wouldn’t raise Nashville’s property tax. And for the first time, he went after Barry’s vote — while on council — in favor of a tax increase.

He said the increase made it tougher to afford housing.

“One reason the price has gone up is the tax hike — property tax hike of 13 percent Ms. Barry signed on to a few years ago,
“ 
he said. 
“
You know, we have to be fiscally careful here … We were able to spend $18 million on a Gulch bridge, we’ve spent tens of millions of dollars on incentives. I think: How do we prioritize our money?”

Barry only voted to raises taxes once in eight years.

She said public investments are now paying back in a big way, both with an increased tax base and through the long list of new libraries, community centers, and fire stations built in the past few years.

The longest squabble of the debate — about six minutes — saw the candidates go back and forth about city debt and whether to continue using the city’s 
“
rainy day
“ 
fund. The Metro Council budgeted $74 million from the fund this year after allotting about $70 million from the fund last year. 

Fox, again on the offensive, said he was 
“
astonished” 
that the council dipped into city savings even during a time of revenue growth.

“It blows my mind,
” he said. 
“
How is it possible that we could not stay within our means? … 
Mrs. Barry votes for all of these expenditures.
“

Barry swung back.

“
I find David’s indignation disingenuous,
” she said.
 
“This has been an ongoing conversation about David’s fear-mongering about our overall debt. … 
We actually have a balanced budget. And we have a balanced budget every year.”

So it went, with Fox charging that Barry didn’t do enough on affordable housing and transit.

Each time, the councilwoman answered with examples of policies and programs that were enacted while she was in office.