Nashville Councilman Freddie O’Connell Announces Plan to Run for Mayor in 2023

Metro Nashville Councilman for District 19 Freddie O’Connell announced, according to The Tennessean on Thursday, that he plans to run as Nashville’s next mayor in 2023.

O’Connell has been a councilmember since 2015, serving the downtown and Germantown area of Nashville.

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Zoning Legislation Stirs Controversy in Connecticut

Democrats in Connecticut’s state House of Representatives are offering legislation they say will facilitate affordable housing and “racial justice,” though opponents of the measures say they will merely hamper local control of development.

One bill would mandate that municipalities permit housing containing a minimum of 15 dwelling units per acre within half-mile radiuses of rail stations. At least 10 percent of the units in such areas would be required to meet the state’s definition of affordable housing, i.e. that it costs an occupant no more than one third of his or her annual income. 

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Public May Not See Net Benefit of Infrastructure Bill That Could Expand Rail in Northeastern Pennsylvania

Much fanfare surrounding infrastructure legislation in Congress focuses on road and bridge improvements, but the bill’s implications for relatively costly rail transit in northeastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere have gotten far less attention.

The current proposal to spend $66 billion on Amtrak would be the largest federal expenditure on passenger rail since the creation of the transit agency.

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Fairfax County Workers Seek Authority to Remove Union Bosses

Workers in Fairfax County are asking the National Labor Relations Board to change its policies so they can vote to remove union bosses at any time during a contract.

Under NLRB rules, workers cannot vote to oust union representatives until after a contract has expired or after three years have passed, whichever is earlier. Employees at Transdev, a public transport company, who are working at the public bus service Fairfax Connector are seeking a change to the rule with legal help from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

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Nashville Releases Preliminary Transportation Plan

Metro Nashville officials have released their preliminary Metro Nashville Transportation plan, and it proposes, among other things, upgrading the city’s bus system and creating a Nashville Department of Transportation.

The plan that Metro officials sent to The Tennessee Star Monday did not specify total expenses, but The Tennessean assesses it will cost more than $1.5 billion.

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$9 Billion Transit Backers Try New Poll To Fish For Support

One citizens’ group says the city and its backers are conducting yet another poll to try to show support for the Let’s Move Nashville Transit Improvement Plan. NoTax4Tracks said in a press release that at least one of its people received a polling call regarding the $9 billion transit plan…

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Experts at Beacon Center’s ‘Off Track: What’s Wrong With Nashville’s Transit Plan & What We Should Do Instead’ Summit Slam Mayor Barry’s Scheme

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The Beacon Center of Tennessee hosted a free conference open to the public on Saturday featuring the nation’s foremost experts discussing “Off Track: What’s Wrong with Nashville’s Transit Plan & What We Should Do Instead.” The title reflects the sentiment of attendees, primarily interested citizens versus special…

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Nashville Metro Council Buries True Cost of $9 Billion Transit Plan

A PAC opposed to a $9 billion transit plan calls Nashville Metro Council’s vote Tuesday a “shameful” effort to pull the wool over the voter’s (sic) eyes.” NoTax4Tracks made the statement in a press release in response to Metro Council voting 21-14 not to accept an amendment to the light…

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Nashville Metro Council Plays Shell Game With Transit Costs

The Metro Council voted Tuesday to not disclose the true cost of Mayor Megan Barry’s light rail transit plan to voters on the May 1 referendum. Metro Councilmembers John Cooper and Tanaka Vercher had asked that the May ballot language include the full $9-billion-dollar costs. They proposed the amendment that Metro…

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NoTax4Tracks: There Is No Such Thing As $1.5 Billion In Free Transit Money for Nashville

“There is no such thing as a free lunch” is an adage many students learn in an introductory economics course. Perhaps that adage could apply to Mayor Megan Barry’s $9 billion transit plan as well. NoTax4Tracks, the PAC opposing the May 1 referendum in Nashville/Davidson County on a proposed increase…

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Nashville Transit Polls? What Polls? Opposing Sides United In Not Talking

Both sides in the fight over the upcoming May 1 referendum in Nashville/Davidson County on a proposed increase in sales and hotel taxes to fund Mayor Megan Barry’s $9 billion transit plan are playing their cards close to the vest in terms of releasing information. NoTax4Tracks, the PAC opposing Mayor…

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‘Let’s Talk Transit’ Event With Mayor Megan Barry Long on Slogans, Short on Substance

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – At a “Let’s Talk Transit” Nashville Chamber of Commerce event sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas on Wednesday , keynote speaker Mayor Megan Barry delivered a number of campaign slogans and one liners, but her address was short on the substantive details about her proposed $9 billion mass transit plan.…

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After Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s Fare Reductions, Just 16 Percent of The Metropolitan Transit Authority Funding Is Self-Generated

  Mayor Megan Barry’s July 1, 2017, Metro Budget included proposed fare reductions and no-cost transfers for Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) users, making the “self-generated” portion of MTA’s funding a mere 16 percent, with the balance coming from Metro Government at 60 percent, the State at 6 percent and Federal…

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