The special mayoral election is Thursday, May 24, 2018
Experienced Mayor Briley Cares About Nashville
By Ms. June
NASHVILLE, TN — Mayor David Briley has been co-pilot in the Mayor’s office since 2015 as Vice-Mayor, and has stepped up to the plate in strong fashion since being elected to the position of Mayor in March 2018. He is doing the job without stooping to mudslinging political tactics like his opponents in the overcrowded arena leading up to the May 24th mayoral special election.
At the Tribune’s office, Mayor Briley said, “I’m in favor of extending the DACA program and realize there should be a comprehensive approach to immigration.” He added “We are also aware of the fact we have a lot of people that did not come here on their own, we have good people that are nurses, police and military and we have to be a welcoming place to those young people.”
Mayor Briley said “The amount of money allocated to Nashville General Hospital will be the maximum amount needed to operate efficiently and will perhaps end up being less than they need.” “As long as I’m Mayor, I am firmly committed to ensuring that people who don’t have adequate health care will have a safety net for their health care although it would be great if Medicare would expand and cover the 40,000 people in Nashville that need health care.” Lastly, he indicated there were measures in place to oversee funding at Nashville General Hospital while preventing fiscal irresponsibility and mismanagement.
Mayor Briley and his office are determining the proper body cameras for Nashville police to wear that will ensure the safety of citizens, and recording and storytelling in the aftermath of mishaps in the event of a police related shooting or fatality.
He will not increase taxes for the citizens of Nashville. He refused to provide a cost of living adjustment to the police union, refused to provide more money to schools and refused to close Nashville General because if he did these things, the citizens of Nashville would have been stuck with the tax bill. He chose to meet the status quo budget and instead provided “merit” based increases.
“It is pretty clear to me that not everyone is benefitting at the same level,” He continued. The Mayor appointed a minority business development council of minority business leaders to help his office better understand this situation. Mayor Briley added, “It is important to me that everyone gets a chance and can benefit from Nashville’s growth and status as an It City and I will work hard on that as long as I’m the Mayor.”
Mayor Briley has the proven experience, demonstrated leadership, and foresight to continue leading Nashville into the future. His vision is inclusive, and embraces the steady growth and diversity that continues to challenge Nashville as Music City has rightfully claimed its place as one of America’s top destination locations. Mayor Briley hears the voice of the community and in order to let him continue speaking for you and your family, get out and vote on May 24th, 2018.
Swain Says She Will Upset Briley, Clean House
By Peter White
NASHVILLE, TN — Dr. Carol Swain grew up with eleven siblings in a two-room shack without running water in rural Virginia. She is a Black Republican who has never held public office, but is extremely smart, and wants to be Nashville’s next mayor.
“I do believe it’s going to be an upset,” Swain said. “I want to the voters to give me a chance. They have been giving a particular group of people a chance repeatedly and they’ve been disappointed repeatedly. So, I think they need to be bold enough to try something new and something different.”
Swain said she hopes Mayor Briley doesn’t take her seriously, but voters do. “Sometimes you need an outsider, a change agent, who’s not beholding to anyone to come in and clean up. I think Nashville needs to be cleaned up. I’m the woman with the broom who’s willing to clean it up,” Swain said.
“I am excited about the opportunity to show people what good government looks like. I believe I can go in and do some things that no one else can do because I’m an outsider, because I’m a visionary, and because I have a strategy,” she said.
That strategy involves the equitable distribution of resources and convincing the city council to get behind her. “I’m going to try to catch flies with honey,” she said. She wants to start by fixing potholes and broken street lamps in the city’s most neglected neighborhoods. “It’s only fair,” she said.
“There are so many things wrong with the governance of the city and it didn’t start with Acting-Mayor Briley,” Swain told the Tribune. “It goes back to Karl Dean. Instead of bidding out projects they hand them over to their friends. So there is a level of cronyism that seems to be rampant throughout city government. It seems to be a common way of doing business that I think is a bad practice,“ she said.
Swain said city officials have handed out contracts and grants with no accountability. WSMV’s Nancy Amons broke a story last week about millions of dollars diverted from federal flood relief to build the Ascend Amphitheater. It was a pet project of then-mayor Karl Dean. Amons interviewed victims who needed but were never given money to rebuild their flooded homes.
Swain’s campaign released a statement calling for an investigation into the funding for the Amphitheater project and demanding the resignation of the city’s Chief Operating Officer, Rich Reibling. He was Karl Dean’s Director of Finance when the funds were misappropriated. Dean is running for Governor.
She opposes a Civilian Oversight Board to oversee police misconduct. Without training about what police do Swain says civilians who know nothing about law enforcement will just exacerbate tensions between the Black community and the police.
However, she said police need better training, too, and picking the right police chief is important to build trust on both sides.
Swain thinks fair competition is good for the body politic. She is bringing it.
State Rep. Love, Jr. Running Hard for Mayor
NASHVILLE, TN — Tennessee State Rep. Harold Love Jr., D-Nashville, calls himself a “coalition builder.” He’s also a Methodist pastor, and now a major name among the candidates running for Mayor of Nashville.
He cites education and expanding access to health care – the centers of his work in the state legislature – as key issues that would be further emphasized as mayor. His current district includes parts of North Nashville, Bordeaux, Edgehill, and East Nashville.
Representative Love feels he can run successfully county-wide. While a major foundation of his support lies in Nashville’s Black neighborhoods, his district also includes various colleges and universities, plus several diverse areas.
He says his legislative record over his five and a half year tenure shows he’s not only done things to help Nashville, but can work effectively across the aisle.
Love’s also qualified to run for re-election for his state House seat in an election set for August 2. He has said if he wins both the mayoral election and state House primary he will vacate the House seat before that seat’s general election in November.
The current pastor of Lee Chapel AME Church in North Nashville, where he also resides, the 45-year-old Love is the son of former Metro councilman and longtime Democratic State representative Harold Love Sr.
He has earned both undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Tennessee State University, with his PhD in public policy, as well as a master’s degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt University.
His rise to the House District 58 seat began in 2012, when Love narrowly beat incumbent Rep. Mary Pruitt in the Democratic primary. Now expansion of opportunity and involvement in public policy decisions for previously ignored constituencies stand as the cornerstones of Harold Love Jr.’s run for the city’s top office.
Activist, Executive Carr Says He Can Win the Mayor’s Race
By Tribune Staff
NASHVILLE, TN — jeff obafemi carr this week officially began his run for Mayor of Nashville, following one of the largest referendum votes in the city’s history.
carr is a graduate of Metro Public Schools and a Cum Laude graduate of Tennessee State University. During his tenure as TSU Student Government Association President, the 22-year-old carr led a nationally-publicized Sit-In and hunger strike in 1990 that eventually forced the State of Tennessee to spend over $120 Million Dollars to improve the North Nashville campus.
Upon graduation, carr worked under James R. Threalkill at historic Edgehill Center. During that time, he also began publishing The Third Eye, an influential newspaper whose advocacy for the African-American Community included backing the merger of Nashville General Hospital and Meharry’s Hubbard Hospital (where incidentally carr was born).
He is known in the arts community as founder of the Amun Ra Theatre (ART), whose productions appeared on main stages in Nashville and nationwide over its 11-year history. carr was awarded a commendation from the Tennessee Historical Commission in 2007 for his play “Ordinary Heroes,” which explored unknown stories of the Nashville Civil Rights Movement. He says his Mayoral platform will reflect his experience, noting the brevity of the remaining term of just over a year left from the time former Mayor Megan Barry resigned from office.
“The people want and need a leader who is going to move beyond great-sounding ideas and build programs based on proven success,” he added.
carr is married to Kenetha, a Cum Laude Graduate of Fisk University, and his partner in both business and Infinity (she is its Chief Operating Officer). The couple have five children ranging in ages from 23 to 6. The four youngest attend Metro Public Schools, a rarity in the Mayor’s office.
Prominent local businessman David Fox, who was Runner-up to Barry in the 2015 mayoral election, is serving as Campaign Treasurer. “I’m very eager to do all I can do to ensure jeff wins this critical election,” Fox said. “After witnessing such unfortunate leadership of our city the past few years, I’m delighted to support the only fiscally responsible candidate with a legitimate path to winning this election.”
Rounding out the staff is Campaign Manager Gicola Lane, a well-known community advocate, organizer, and non-profit leader. A 2018 Emerge Tennessee Alumna, she is nationally known for her leadership with National Bail Out, which provides resources and support to help get low-income residents out of jail.
“This campaign reflects the true diversity of Nashville,” carr explains. We have to move this city beyond the partisan politics that have divided people into white and black or blue and red camps. That won’t work anymore and people are tired of it. We have to have a Mayor who can unite people, hear all voices, provide experiential leadership from day one, and execute efficiently in a financially responsible way. As an Independent, it is my aim to create an atmosphere of cooperation and completion.”
Erica Gilmore was unavailable for interview in the Black press
