In a potentially misleading description of his record, Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell claimed his administration achieved the “lowest property tax rate” in the city’s history, despite championing a rate set about 26 percent higher than the certified revenue-neutral rate calculated under Tennessee law following the 2025 property reappraisal.
O’Connell made the remarks to Fox 17 on Monday, when the outlet published a roundup of statements by mayoral candidates expressing their views on property taxes, which have become critical for business and home owners after some saw tax bills with hikes higher than 350 percent.
“We just established the lowest property tax rate in the history of the city,” said O’Connell, according to Fox 17. ” One of the hardest things about being in a city that’s grown quickly, that’s had a rapidly, emerging economy with multiple different sectors is just keeping that affordability measure in place. That’s why approaches like housing affordability is a part of our public policy is what’s going to help more there.”
He told the outlet, “I’ll say it this way: We’re going to we’re going to build every budget responsibly. We’re going to look at those places. Two out of the past three years, we’ve asked our departments to do targeted savings or efficiency savings. And we’ve, reduced grocery taxes this year. And we’ll continue to explore all those.”
O’Connell appears to be specifically referring to the property tax rate of $2.814 per $100 of assessed value paid in the Urban Services District, which his office has called the lowest rate since the Metro government was formed. O’Connell also recommended a $2.782 per $100 rate in the General Services District, which was passed by the Metro Council.
The mayor’s claim that the combined $2.814 rate for properties in the Urban Services District is the lowest in Metro’s published history appears to be accurate. However, O’Connell recommended the $2.814 rate, which the Metro Council subsequently adopted, after the state-required certified-rate process calculated that a rate of about $2.222 would have been revenue-neutral following Nashville’s 2025 reappraisal of property values, which saw a sharp increase property values.
O’Connell and the Metro Council ultimately set rates that saw bills about 26 percent higher than would have been seen under the revenue-neutral rate.
While property tax increase has reportedly caused residents to consider moving and businesses to close, O’Connell previously dismissed concerns as the “cost of doing business” in a city with rising property values.
“I think there’s a recognition that this is a moment when we’ve seen property values go up in an extraordinary way, right across the board, 45 percent median increase in property value, and that’s challenging in its own right,” the mayor said in May. “I also don’t talk to a lot of people who want to see their property values go down.”
He added, “This is a place where when you add that value, when you’re creating things that are contributing to the city’s growth, there is a sort of a cost of doing business associated with it.”
O’Connell said in May that the city would offer grants to select business owners in a bid to offset the property tax hikes.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Freddie O’Connell” by Freddie O’Connell.
