Despite Nashville voters passing the $6.9 billion Choose How You Move transit referendum proposed by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, the mayor now seeks additional transit spending through the metro’s annual Capital Spending Plan (CSP).
O’Connell first proposed his $527 million CSP last Wednesday, with the mayor stating his proposed spending will “prepare us for the work to come from Choose How You Move.”
The mayor’s Wednesday press release explains O’Connell seeks $33.5 million to fund “foundational infrastructure improvements on the East Bank,” with costs shared between Nashville, The Fallon Company, Oracle, the Tennessee Titans, and other groups.
His office also clarified earlier in his proposal, “supports projects not scheduled for dedicated funding through the Choose How You Move program,” and argued it represents O’Connell’s campaign promise to improve transit in Nashville.
O’Connell’s office on Friday clarified a portion of the funding earmarked for infrastructure on the East Bank will actually be spent building a transit hub for the metro’s bus system.
Of the $33.5 million dedicated to infrastructure in the East Bank, the mayor’s Friday press release reveals $6.6 million will be spent on, “design work related to infrastructure needs such as street grid, new utilities, a transit hub, and other related projects to transportation and connectivity.”
While it is unclear what portion of the $6.6 million will be spent designing a transit hub for the East Bank development, the spending comes after the mayor’s office confirmed it will spend $500,000 on a “transportation management center and initial traffic signal upgrades,” meaning the Metro Nashville Council will be asked to approve an additional $7.1 million that could go to transit after voters already approved $6.9 billion in spending, and a new sales tax, for the same goal.
In addition to new bus lines, transit hubs, and 24-hour service, the Choose How You Move proposal approved by voters will also spend extensively to build new sidewalks and upgrade traffic lights using modern technology.
While seemingly popular with voters, Nashville Tea Party founder and government watchdog Ben Cunningham warned they are not included in the IMPROVE Act of 2017 that allows Tennessee cities to raise their sales tax to pay for transit, making the referendum illegal.
A legal challenge has yet to be mounted against the referendum despite Cunningham’s concerns.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell” by WeGo Transit.
More money down the rathole.
THE VOTERS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY MUST CONSIST OF FREDDIE’S Democrat Socialist of America.
People tried to warn that his ” transit budget” was a lie.
I blame local biased media for helping to protect against exposure of the truth.
Nashville will have to bankrupt before they learn.
How many Metro employees live outside Davidson County? They can’t vote, so this tax will not affect them. They don’t have to pay our taxes, yet we pay their salaries, family healthcare, life insurance, pensions & death benefits.
Before Phil Bredesen issued an Executive Order allowing employees to live outside Davidson County, we had a sound Tax Base. I think the Executive Order was unconstitutional bc it changed our Charter without a vote.
Theoretically, a person could be hired from another State, & ” work from home”.
Who audits this Sham management?
Do all Democrap Mayors come from the same Play Dope mold? Why do they always look like weasels? Maybe it’s the lack of testosterone…?
Waste of money…..spending on Freddie’s special projects.