Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain made a stark contrast between herself and the other more liberal candidates who want the job at a forum at Belmont University Tuesday night.
Moderators, for instance, asked if she, as mayor, would pass a property tax next year to fund public schools and give Metro workers a raise.
Swain said she would not — that’s because revenues are up 23 percent between 2015 and 2019.
“The revenues were an estimated $440 million. We need to find out where the money is going. Where the waste is and so, no, I don’t believe we need to raise property taxes. We need to cut spending,” Swain said.
“We don’t have a revenue problem in this city. We have a spending problem because we have leaders who can’t say no. They make irresponsible decisions. They spend like drunken sailors.”
At-large Council member John Cooper, when asked the same question, said there are other sources of revenue for the city other than property taxes.
State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, also criticized the notion of any proposed tax increase.
“It’s unfortunate we found ourselves in a position where the most fiscally responsible option was a property tax rate increase,” Clemmons said.
“That is a direct result of years of fiscal mismanagement and irresponsibility.”
Clemmons later went on to say how disappointed he was that Metro officials have invested so much time and effort in developing Nashville’s downtown area because of the boom, but not north Nashville, Antioch, and other areas.
Clemmons and Cooper, when asked about youth violence, blamed poverty and said more access to after-school programs will help address the problem.
Swain, however, had a different perspective.
“I think we need to work with families and inculcate values in our young people. The Restorative justice we hear so much about is political correctness and we are not telling our young people what they need to hear. Many young people who commit serious crimes are turned out and back home before the reports are even filed,” Swain said, adding she would work with parents, teachers and young people to address the problem.
“Too many judges are too liberal when it comes to holding young people accountable.”
Nashville Mayor David Briley, seeking re-election, said he believes Nashville is going in the right direction.
Watch the full debate:
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
[…] reported this week, Cooper and Clemmons, when asked about youth violence, blamed poverty and said more access to […]
The most important job of Mayor is the budget.
Whether the social proclitivites of the Mayor or liberal or conservative is or should be irrelevant. We have had Mayors for the past decade plus more concern with attending homo weddings, dancing in homo parades and providing sanctuary to illegals. I don’t want that any more than I want a mayor who is focused on fighting abortion and Sharia Law. As a Mayor, all of these issues are completely irrelevant and divisive.
I was born, raised and lived most of my life in Nashville and Davidson County. I’m now living in Robertson County, but if still there, I would vote for Carol Swain.
People are starting to connect the “dots”, and the whole “Deathocrat” (they “kill” everything they touch) agenda is going to come crashing down! Briley’s “Nashville is heading in the right direction” epitaph will be etched in white porcelain, because that’s the path Nashville is on! Clemmons and Cooper are only upset with the results of their brother Briley’s antics, because they aren’t the direct recipients of Nashville’s quid pro quo standard operating procedure.
Rick is right, Swain for Mayor!
Carol Swain for Mayor!