Three Issues That Separate At-Large Metro Council Candidates

The candidates vying for one of Nashville’s five at-large Metro Council seats support many of the same proposals and principals. But here are three areas where there’s some daylight between their positions:

Building a $100 million flood wall around downtown Nashville

Of the 10 candidates who made the runoff, those not currently on the council came down against the flood wall during a forum Thursday night, though they got pushback from some current councilmen. Half of those still in the race are term-limited district council members, like Lonnell Matthews. He says he stands by his vote in favor of the flood wall, which failed by the narrowest of margins in June.

“Downtown is a significant part of our revenue, and I believe it needs to be protected,” Matthews said.

Candidate and council member Erica Gilmore, whose district includes downtown, said she would also continue to support the flood wall.

The project, which is meant to prevent a repeat of the 2010 flood, was a priority of outgoing Mayor Karl Dean and is expected to come up again.

The five non-council members running for at-large seats say they’ll vote no. Jim Shulman, who previously served two terms on the council, points to Pennington Bend as an example of why.

“They’re still trying to recover from the flood,” Shulman said. “No, we need to take care of our neighbors.”

Attorney Bob Mendes took a more nuanced approach.

“I would not vote for it based on the currently available information,” he said.

Councilman Jason Holleman said he plans to vote no again unless the money to pay for the wall and pumping station comes from the downtown businesses who would benefit most.

Establishing a city minimum wage

Most of the candidates favor creating a city minimum wage, even though state law likely would trump any effort to raise the base pay in Nashville.

“The best of us need to help the rest of us,” community organizer and candidate Sharon Hurt said.

“I do worry that it’s a gift to Rutherford County,” candidate John Cooper said. “But I think we have to take a leap.”

Cooper is a real estate developer and the brother of Congressman Jim Cooper, D-Nashville.

Council member and candidate Karen Bennett, who typically sides with the handful of conservatives on the council, said she opposes raising the minimum wage in Nashville above the federal level of $7.25 an hour.

“I think we need to increase our skill set and then we can demand a higher wage ourselves as individuals,” Bennett said.

Councilman Robert Duvall did not attend Thursday’s forum, but he has come down against living wage proposals
in the past.

Support for new local hiring rule

Bennett also doesn’t support the new local hiring rule approved by voters on Aug. 6. It requires 40 percent of the hours worked on large city-funded construction projects to be done by Davidson County residents.

Attorney and Army veteran Erin Coleman says she isn’t keen on the charter amendment, either.

“I’m in favor of the concept. We should put our local people to work,” she said. “But there are some major issues with the amendment.”

Coleman and mayoral candidate David Fox have suggested the local hiring rule may have a loop hole for out-of-state workers. The next Metro Council will be required to create rules for implementing the new policy.