The decision by President Joe Biden to drop out in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris could help Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell pass his WeGo Transportation Referendum in November, according to the longtime chief of staff to former Representative Jim Cooper prior to his retirement in 2022.
Lisa Quigley claimed the key to electoral success for Democrats and their issues in Nashville depends on activating key voting blocs in a statement to Axios, stressing that “younger” and black voters are vital.
“In Nashville, we really need to count on younger voters and Black voters to show up at their strength,” said Quigley.
She added, “Harris has put the wind beneath their wings.”
The mayor stopped short of predicting Harris’ candidacy would boost his referendum’s odds. He told the outlet, “We all benefit from a more engaged electorate,” and urged voters to back his referendum regardless of their other political preferences.
Jeff Morris, the executive director of an outside group supporting the referendum, told Axios that anything that creates “added voter and excitement and motivation” would benefit his campaign.
O’Connell’s Choose How You Move referendum would create 86 miles of new sidewalks, 600 new traffic signals, and 38 miles of 24-hour bus lines serving an expanded part of Nashville and its suburbs.
While Harris’ candidacy could boost the referendum, Nashville Tea Party Founder Ben Cunningham maintains it is illegal because O’Connell seeks to raise the half-cent sales tax using the 2017 IMPROVE Act, which did not allow taxes to be levied for sidewalks, street lights, or other ideas outlined in the mayor’s proposal.
Cunningham has additionally branded the proposal a “greendoggle” and argued that the plan relies on unreliable or finite federal funding. Should the federal dollars disappear, Cunningham said the referendum could result in an increase in property taxes for Nashville citizens.
“So when people vote in 2024 on the transit referendum, they’ll actually be voting for two tax increases,” said Cunningham in March. “They’ll be voting for the sales tax increase, and then they’ll be voting for the 2025 property tax increase because you know what 2025 is? It’s a reappraisal year.”
The mayor claimed the transit referendum would ultimately cost $3.1 billion, but a third-party analysis commissioned by the Nashville government found the true cost over the 15-year life of the project swells to $6.93 billion.
Harris received endorsements from both O’Connell and disgraced former Mayor Megan Barry, who resigned after details surfaced of her taxpayer-funded affair with her bodyguard but is now the Democratic Party’s nominee to challenge U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-05) in November.
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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 “Kamala Harris” by Kamala Harris.
Jim Cooper is a Leftist idiot. I have known him for 30 years. Nothing has changed.
No Kamala in Tennessee!
It’s the vibes!
Oh I’m sure it would. Our Socialist ( Kommie)Mayor wants our Davidson County Tax payers to allow him to build & rent homes in his 15 minute cities as a part of his “Transportation Plan”. That will eliminate the need for cars, he says. You can walk wherever you need to go.
Look at the very tiny apartments in the very tall buildings in China. This is Mayor Freddie wants for Nashvillians & Harris/Waltz want for our Country. This should scare the hell out of everyone.
15 minute cities is one of the World Economic Forums’ Globalists goals for the world.
Another goal is reduce the population. They are destroying our Food Supply Chain. China is buying millions of acres of our farmland in America. & hoarding the farm produce in China.
Socialists/ Marxists needs to tear down a free market Society in order to establish their Utopian Socialist/ Communist Society where all people own nothing. This means all people are Poor, except for the Elite. VENEZUELA IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A VERY WEALTHY COUNTRY BEING DESTROYED BY COMMUNISTS.
If you are not familiar with the Cloward/ Piven plan to destroy America, I suggest you learn about it now. It’s a Communist plan that has been under way since the 1960s. If you do not know who the enemy is, you cannot win the war.
NOVEMBER 5, 2024 IS OUR LAST CHANCE TO REMAIN FREE.
VOTE NO on Freddie’s transportation plan IN NOVEMBER & vote yes for President Trump.
Leading fools around by the nose is not a pretty thing.
I choose to drive my car. No thanks……Trump 2024!
Have people in Nashville become that woke that they would vote for such a liar and evil women as Kamala ?
the leftists sure stick together. even for a candidate who got zero primary votes.
If they pass the expanded Bus system, it will be a financial disaster for Nashville.
It started at $3.2 Billion and is already up to $6.8 Billion – $3 Billion is “unfunded”.
People who earn less than $48,000 will ride free, which means the Homeless and illegals will ride free. In other cities where the Homeless ride free, some of them ride all day, and who can blame them – it’s better than a tent. But most people won’t ride with the Homeless.
The Libs can be incredibly goofy, and this is an example.
Message to Gov. Lee > Please do NOT subsidize it like you subsidize the train to Lebanon – doesn’t the State give them $1 million a year?
““In Nashville, we really need to count on younger voters and Black voters to show up at their strength,” said Quigley.”
So, the two groups most negatively impacted by the Harris-Biden regime are needed to pass more legislation to further impact them. Makes sense.
Who believes anything that a Democrat says?
Likely liberal Nashville voters!