The people behind the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act say they need supporters to contribute money to help educate Davidson County residents about the proposed referendum.
Nashville attorney Jim Roberts said they also need the money to fight the likely counteroffensive from Metro Nashville government officials, many of whom may try to discourage people from supporting the referendum. And many of Nashville’s establishment media outlets could wage their own information campaign against the referendum, Roberts said.
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, organizers are pushing again for Davidson County voters to have the chance to vote for the proposed Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act. If voters approve it, the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act would roll back Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s 34 to 37 percent tax increase.
“This is put up or shut up time for a lot of businesses that have complained about this property tax. As far as I am concerned, it’s time for people to start pulling the wagon here,” Roberts told The Tennessee Star.
Roberts said certain of the city’s high-profile business owners, whom he did not name, could campaign on the referendum’s behalf.
“All those guys have offered advice and help. They are all a little bit afraid of drawing too much attention from the mayor,” Roberts said.
“It’s really time to step up and I think they will. I’m trying to schedule some meetings with those guys.”
When it comes to the referendum, Roberts said that Nashville’s traditional media outlets, especially The Tennessean, will not report accurate stories.
“The Tennessean can’t help themselves. They will get it wrong. They will misreport what it is. I expect that,” Roberts said.
“That is why we need money to help counter that message,” Roberts said.
Donors may give anonymously, at least until the referendum is on the ballot, Roberts said.
“Then it becomes a political action campaign, and it will have standard reporting duties, which, of course, we will follow,” Roberts said.
People may donate through the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act’s website.
As The Star reported Saturday, the people behind the proposed referendum said they have obtained 14,000 signatures for a referendum on the matter and have filed those signatures with the Metro Nashville Clerk’s Office.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
