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On Saturday, June 26, I held my final FY 22 Budget Conversation with some help from former council member Fabian Bedne. This conversation was particularly exciting for me because we discussed something that I value dearly: participatory budgeting. As some of you may know, my entire council campaign revolved around two key pillars, one of which was the implementation of some version of community budgeting, the other being education. So, I am happy to report…
Read MoreLast week’s Budget Conversation focused on highlighting the changes put forth by Budget Chair Kyonzte Toombs in the substitute budget. This discussion was a special treat as I was not only joined by Budget Chair Kyonzte Toombs, but also CM Bob Mendes, CM Delishia Porterfield, and CM Sandra Sepulveda as well. As you all may know, the substitute budget passed unanimously at Tuesday’s council meeting–a testament to the incredible work by Budget Chair Toombs and…
Read MoreLast week’s Budget Conversation investigated the way we fund public safety in our community. After this discussion with our six panelists, I was reminded that public safety comes in many forms, and from many different sources. That being said, each panelist had their own perspective on how we should be allocating our resources and where public safety measures should originate. However, one thing rang true for all our guests: Nashville needs a better mechanism through…
Read MoreLast week’s budget conversation was focused on an issue of great importance to me: our children. For the first time ever, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has a proposed budget that exceeds the $1 billion mark. That’s right, $1 billion. I was excited when the mayor announced at the state of metro that his proposed budget fully funds our schools. As someone who ran on fully funding our school, regardless of the zipcode, this is…
Read MoreFor last week’s Budget Conversation, I was joined by the Assessor or Property, Vivian Wilhoite, and SEIU Local 205’s Political Director, Jason Freeman. Together, we spoke about the reappraisal process and the implications of the referendum. Below are the main takeaways from our discussion. Breaking Down the Reappraisal Process WHAT IS REAPPRASIAL? Reappraisal is a four-year cycle required by the State Board of Equalization (SBOE) that serves to reestablish equity of property values. It is…
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