Metro Nashville At-Large Council Member Steve Glover warned Sunday that his colleagues on the Metro Council are about to turn Nashville into “a debt-ridden city” that will burden current and even future residents.
Glover urged Metro Council members to first have “a meaningful, logical discussion” before they pass a nearly half a billion dollar Capital Spending Plan. This, after Metro officials imposed a 34 percent to 37 percent tax increase on residents, which Glover described as “the highest one I have ever seen.”
Glover said this during a Facebook Live session Sunday night.
Glover suggested alternative ways to manage the city’s budget and asked “why do we put everything on a Visa or Mastercard?” Glover said he believes sales tax revenues may deliver “a substantial surplus.”
“We have this administration, and timing is not their forte. People have just finished paying their tax bill, [and it’s] fresh on everybody’s mind. Lord knows it’s fresh on my mind. Therefore, now we will come back and say we won’t cut anything. We are going to spend more,” Glover said.
“Well, if we would, sit down and rethink our position? If, in fact, we have a surplus, if, in fact, we have an opportunity to pay cash for some things, then maybe we could put a few of these things on the GO button, but wait to pay for them before we start them and pay cash?”
Glover described how much cash he would use versus how much credit.
“So, as opposed to borrowing a half a billion [dollars], maybe do a quarter of a billion, but we pay cash for the other 50 percent of the deal? Now, there is a unique idea that hasn’t even had any discussion in Nashville. Other cities and other states have done it. Guess what?” Glover asked.
“It works because you are paying cash. You are not putting the burden of debt on all people. If this [budget] passes, and I am afraid it will, we just added an additional $700 plus on every person in Metro Nashville — even a child that hasn’t been born yet. You just added a boatload of more debt on the folks.”
As The Tennessee Star reported this month, Cooper proposed a $474.6 million budget for the next fiscal year, and he said that two-thirds of it will address education and transportation needs.
Cooper’s proposed budget calls for, among other things, a new high school in Bellevue to replace the current one, which is more than 60-years-old and would serve 1,600 students. The mayor also has proposed $4.2 million for phase one of a new Cane Ridge Middle School, which he said would relieve pressure at Antioch Middle.
Cooper’s proposed budget also calls for replacing a fire station, building a new police precinct in southeast Nashville, park lighting and repairs, new greenways, and fleet and radio upgrades for first responders. The mayor’s budget also calls for more affordable housing.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “Steve Glover” by Steve Glover.
Debt is not REALLY a problem…mostly a perceived one. The BIG problem was Trump not sending enough of the federal money to Nashville. He sent some through Tennessee, but the Governor kept it. The money needs and can flow straight from Washington where there is more than enough. Thank GOD Biden is in to start sending more money.
Nashville is bound and determined to turn TN into California ( along with the other large TN cities ) Normies stand up!
Before I had enough of the total lack of common sense in Nashville politics and moved out of the county, I communicated with Councilman Glover about the city spending. It amazes me how democraps think their legacy is spending the taxpayers money with no care in the world about the city (and state/county ) debt. They think they are life’s answer to your every “need”. I admire him for the stand he takes on issues but the voters that elected the ones that raised taxes and will vote for more spending, will never get it. I’m glad I moved to a city/county that for now seems to have the ability to actually think.