Nashville Metro Council Member Bob Mendes announced that he has proposed a resolution that would divert money designated for the new Tennessee Titans stadium to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS).
A recent audit performed by the Tennessee Comptroller’s office revealed an array of issues within DCS, including the failure of addressing problems that endanger children and the inadequate housing of children.
“The Department of Children’s Services is struggling to provide support services to Tennessee’s most vulnerable children and youth,” the audit states.
The new proposed $2.1 billion Tennessee Titans stadium in Nashville is “reported to be the highest public subsidy for an NFL stadium in history” and is poised to cost more than $1.26 billion in public funds, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star.
The Council agenda for 12/20 comes out tomorrow.
The Mayor's Office insists that the $760M in bonds for a new stadium will be paid by tourists & users, and not our families.
And the State DCS has a crisis where they're unable to provide adequate housing for kids in need. /1
— Bob Mendes (@mendesbob) December 14, 2022
In his resolution, Mendes requests that $50 million from the Titans’ new $500 million stadium funding be transferred to DCS. This $500 million is part of the stadium funding the Tennessee General Assembly approved.
Mendes’ resolution, (RS2022-1926) formally requests that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County “decline $50 million of the proceeds of the State Bonds if the State of Tennessee will agree to use such declined funds to provide adequate and appropriate facilities for children in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.”
Council member Mendes commented on his resolution, writing partially in a Twitter thread, “The Mayor’s Office insists that the $760M in bonds for a new stadium will be paid by tourists & users, and not our families. And the State DCS has a crisis where they’re unable to provide adequate housing for kids in need. If it’s true that the stadium revenue bonds are free to Nashville’s “general taxpayers,” and the Mayor’s Office projects this revenue to be $2.9 billion over 30 yrs, then we should help the State provide adequate facilities for children in their care.”
Tennessee State Senator Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) supported Mendes’ resolution, retweeting his thread and adding, “I’m here for it.”
I'm here for it. https://t.co/W6zgUpS57j
— Senator Charlane Oliver (@CharlaneOliver) December 14, 2022
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Bob Mendes” by Bob Mendes for Nashville Metro Council At-Large. Background Photo “Nashville Skyline” by Jacknstock. CC BY-SA 4.0.
I recommend that the full $500 million be returned to the taxpayers and that the outlandish stadium plans be put in the trashcan where they belong.
You can’t remove a homeless person from an encampment without having first secured housing. But a child can be removed before first securing housing? It’s the government so it makes sense.
DCS has been a disaster for some time. I doubt the current crop of ideological extremists dominating the Legislature will do anything since they hate government much more than they care about abused and neglected children. Anything that smacks of taking children away from parents is not something in their theology so they won’t touch it.
Sounds like a great idea!
Children don’t vote, or contribute to campaigns….. so where’s the urgency?