Members of the Davidson County Election Commission voted 3-2 Monday to allow voters the right to say yes or no to the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act.
“The panel’s approval, along party lines, came after commissioners obtained a legal opinion from Vanderbilt University Professor Jim Blumstein, who was recently retained as the commission’s legal counsel. The opinion states it is the commission’s ‘duty’ to place the initiative on the ballot in 75 to 90 days,” according to The Tennessean.
“The Election Commission’s duty is to place the proposed amendments on the ballot for approval or disapproval by the voters of Metro,” an executive summary reads.”
One of the key players behind the proposed Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act predicted last month that, after several months of a legal battle, it would go to a referendum. But that same man, Nashville attorney Jim Roberts, said people who dislike the proposed referendum will continue to use the law to obstruct it and keep it from passing.
The referendum, if voters approve it, would roll back Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s 34 to 37 percent tax increase.
Members of the Davidson County Election Commission voted last month to use last year’s August election instead of last November’s election to determine how many signatures were needed on a petition calling for the referendum. Fewer people voted in the August election versus the November election
Roberts told The Star last month that he and his supporters turned in enough signatures.
“What you are going to see, probably very soon, is that they will vote to put it on the ballot and then some very dishonest groups are going to file just a plethora of lawsuits, making wild claims, misinterpreting the law, and they are going to try to overwhelm the commission and overwhelm us, which is very dishonest to argue with. That has already started, of course,” Roberts said at the time.
Roberts said he was optimistic that the proposed referendum has a fighting chance, given the new makeup of the Davidson County Election Commission.
As reported, two Republicans have replaced two other members of that political party on the Davidson County Election Commission. Davidson County Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts — no relation to Jim Roberts — identified those two new men as Dan Davis and Ross Evans. Jim DeLanis now chairs the Election Commission, replacing now-former commissioner Emily Reynolds.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Finally! Thank you Jim Roberts! So sick and tired of little napoleon’s unethical crap! Not only did I pay $400 more in property taxes this year, but they also want to add 100k in value to my home so they can get even more! ENOUGH!
How much longer until this man is out? He should have been recalled already if he hadn’t pulled shenanigans there too!
Once we get this NTPA passed and into law, a forensic audit of Mayor Cooper, Bob Mendez, and a few others needs to be done. Guaranteed, there are a bunch of less than legal financial transactions going on, that all work their way back to government officials!
Nashville is south of Chicago and guess what flows downhill? Yup, and now you understand why downtown Nashville doesn’t smell too purdy!!
This is the ONLY plan available to Nashville voters which will create more
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Mayor Cooper and Council Member Bob Mendez are the main architects of this large property tax increase! Mendez and Cooper have hurt the young and the old property owners in Davidson county. Young people can’t afford buying a house and the older citizens have to make choices to pay their property taxes or sell and move! Jim Roberts, Please ask for another referendum that freezes property taxes at the rate when you purchase a house and to lock property taxes and can only be adjusted when the house sells to current rates! This would help every property owner! I am proud of the three GOP election members that voted to allow this vote! Thank you! Have you had enough of the Jim and John Cooper dynasty? Council member Mendez should be recalled immediately!!!