NASHVILLE — Directly following a House committee vote Tuesday on a Republican bill to reduce the size of the Metro Nashville Council, Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, and local elected officials will host a press conference to call for an end to the legislature interfering with city affairs.
House Bill 48, which would cut the size of Nashville’s council by at least half, is scheduled for a vote Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the House Local Government Committee.
Sen. Oliver, other state lawmakers and council members in the Nashville Metropolitan Minority Caucus will address this legislation and other actions by G.O.P. lawmakers to undermine Nashville’s right to self governance.
For instance, members of the Republican majority have filed legislation to:
- Undo a special tax district for Nashville’s convention center;
- Takeover Metro’s airport authority and sports authority;
- Rename a portion of Rep. John Lewis Way with a memorial to former President Donald Trump; and
- Undermine Nashville’s community-led police oversight board.
In past years, Republicans have passed state laws, specifically targeting Nashville, to restrict the authority of local governments on a wide variety of policy areas, including: local wages, affordable housing, government contracts, short-term rental properties, long-term renter’s rights, taxation, historical markers, numerous education policies and more.
Members of Nashville’s African American community are also raising concerns that the bill capping council sizes could lead to decreased representation for minority communities.
“Their actions amount to a hostile takeover of our city,” said Sen. Charlane Oliver. “There should be space for policy disagreements without political retribution. The capital city is a partner to the state, not a punching bag.”
