Nashville, we’ve got a problem. Every day, many of us waste valuable time stuck in traffic or waiting for buses. That’s time we could spend with family and friends, or doing the things that we love. Thankfully, there’s a solution on the ballot: Nashville’s most equitable transit plan ever, and it’s something we all need to get behind!
This comprehensive plan promises improvements across Davidson County, including upgraded traffic signals, enhanced sidewalks, safer bus stops, more frequent service, and new transit centers. Unlike previous initiatives, this plan directly invests in every single district and caters to all types of commuters. In addition to extensive evaluation by transit experts, the Mayor’s Office, and an independent audit of its revenue and expenses, this plan had unanimous support from the Metro Council at every stage of deliberation, including three separate council votes.
Well before we ever voted on this plan, the Mayor’s Office reached out to every single council person to schedule a meeting to discuss each individual district’s needs and how this plan would serve their constituents. The Mayor’s Office was receptive. For example, multiple council members advocated for plan improvements for both Murfreesboro Pike and Nolensville Pike that were added to the plan. This plan was approved by 3 separate, unanimous votes of the council as well as being voted on and unanimously approved by the Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Planning Committees. Meaning in addition to our individual meetings with administration and the transit director, there were 6 different votes taken by council committees and/or the whole body. The plan was unanimously approved on June 18, July 1, July 2, and July 16—zero “no” votes, zero abstentions, zero amendments, zero substitutes, and zero opposition.
Council members worked hard and challenged the Mayor and his administration to find the least invasive funding method for transit. The suggestion that the city can dedicate funds from its operating budget is misguided and misinformed. The Metro Charter dictates that the Metro Council will adopt an operating budget every year, which means the Council cannot bind future Councils to dedicate funding to transit and allocations can change from year to year.
It’s not logical to suggest or consider a property tax increase to pay for transit. One penny of property tax is worth between $3 and $4 million dollars, and a portion of any increase, by law, must go to schools. We are talking about over $100 million in annual operating costs just for transit. Absent the required amount for schools, how much of an increase are you willing to pay just for transit and no other city services? Our guess is not much.
Nashville is one of only 4 major cities in the Top 50 that doesn’t have a dedicated funding source for transit, which is needed to unlock the $1.4 billion in federal taxes to which we should have access. Currently, our federal tax dollars are paying for buses and transit opportunities in other cities across the country with very little coming back to Nashville. This transit plan brings our federal tax dollars home!
Trusted community organizations, like our labor unions, Stand Up Nashville, the Equity Alliance Fund, TIRRC, the NAACP Nashville Chapter, and NOAH, along with local community and faith leaders, have endorsed this plan because reliable transportation is crucial for affordability. Did you know that Nashville residents spend an average of over $1,000 a month on transportation, and half of Nashvillians make less than $70,000 per year? This means that many Nashvillians live paycheck to paycheck, and a single car repair can mean missing work, school, or needed healthcare appointments. Nashvillians deserve to move around our city with dignity. Many of our bus stops are in yards without access to a covering, bench, sidewalk, or even a curb to get to the stop safely. Investing in this plan can help reduce fatalities as our neighbors walk to bus stops and our children walk to school.
For just a half cent on the dollar, we can enhance our transit system, benefiting even those who don’t ride the bus. Improved sidewalks and pedestrian crossings will make our city safer, while upgrades to over 600 traffic signals will ease congestion. Notably, over 60% of the funding for this plan comes from the millions of tourists who visit Nashville annually and use our city’s resources and federal funding.
The worst thing we can do is nothing. Voting in opposition is choosing to do nothing. For a small investment, we have an opportunity to transform our city into a more accessible, affordable, and efficient place to live. If you are wondering what the real cost will be to you, the taxpayer, you will be paying an extra 50 cents for every $100 spent or $5 for every $1,000 spent, far less than we pay in gas or parking fees while trying to navigate a growing city. Let’s choose a Nashville that works for everyone and vote FOR Nashville’s transit plan!
Delishia Porterfield, Councilwoman at Large
Chair, Metro Council Budget and Finance Committee
Kyonztè Toombs, District 2 Councilwoman
Vice-Chair, Metro Council Budget and Finance Committee
