How do you plan to effectively address and improve the aging infrastructure in Davidson County?
We’ve made too little progress on much of our infrastructure, like sidewalks, for far too long. It’s going to take renewed focus and investment. It’s important to note that there has been some success, such as the work the Water Department has done in separating our stormwater and sewer infrastructure, which is very important.
Going forward we’ve got to get back to basics, things like filling potholes and improving pedestrian infrastructure – like sidewalks – which will enhance the quality of life for many Nashvillians. I’m committed to leading that work as Mayor.
Would you commit to supporting a dedicated funding referendum during your first term as Mayor of Metro Nashville-Davidson County?
Significant transit efforts have failed twice in recent years and we cannot afford to fail again. Since the last detest we’ve seen trust in institutions erode, not grow. We must do two things to get this right.
(1) We’ve got to get back to the basics: patch the potholes, pick up the trash, and build the sidewalks. These are key to rebuilding trust in government that we can get transit right.
(2) We must do robust community engagement and work to get community buy-in. As Mayor, I’ll help lead both of these efforts. Based on this input, we’ll work with community stakeholders to determine the optimal time to ask the public to approve dedicated funding for mass transit.
In light of the current housing and infrastructure challenges, what sustainable strategies will you implement to ensure the long-term affordability of Nashville as a place to live, work, and thrive?
Nashville is becoming an increasingly expensive place to live. The cost of living here has risen in large part because the supply of housing hasn’t kept up with the growing demand. In 2019, I helped create an ambitious affordable housing plan and left a great job in the Mayor’s Office to move over to MDHA, the city’s public housing authority, to implement it.
As Mayor my focus will be on creating more overall housing. We will do that by sustainably and robustly funding the Barnes Fund, working closely with the private sector to reduce regulatory barriers to building housing, and ensuring all metro land sales are first evaluated for suitability of affordable housing development. Further, I’ll work to hire housing navigators who will assist
Nashvillians, particularly our seniors, in taking advantage of great programs like the senior property tax credit freeze.
How do you propose to effectively reverse the rising juvenile crime trend in Davidson County?
Nashville is less safe than the city I grew up in and that is, in part, due to rising crime by juveniles who feel disconnected. To reverse this trend we’re going to need to make investments in improving the long-term prospects for our youth, and having a fully-staffed police force to prevent more crimes from happening in the first place. I believe that with the right vision and leadership Nashville can be home to the best public school system in America. Further, there are incredible opportunities to invest in more youth employment programming. When we do these things we will give young people more productive options. Further, we must ensure young people have access to mental health resources. We must also ensure we hold people engaging in violence accountable. I’ll work to ensure our police department is fully staffed and have the time and capacity to better engage with the communities they protect.
In addition to meeting the budget requests of Metro Nashville Public Schools, what measures can you take as mayor to enhance the success and achievement of K-12 students?
Our students are bringing a number of challenges with them to the classroom — homelessness, hunger, domestic violence, etc. We need to provide more supportive services to our students. I’ll work with the many great nonprofits and service providers in our city as well as step up Metro’s commitment to providing wrap around services. When we do, our students can focus more on learning and our teachers can focus on teaching in the classrooms.
We’re also facing a teacher shortage and a childcare shortage. I’ll partner with MNPS to place childcare inside select MNPS facilities.
In your vision for Nashville’s future, what specific investments and initiatives do you believe are necessary to empower residents with the skills, resources, and equitable opportunities needed for significant upward economic mobility?
While not every good job opportunity requires a college degree, college graduates earn on average 63% more than those with just a high school diploma. Students who choose not to enroll in college immediately after high school need pathways to high-skill, high-demand jobs, but they often struggle to access them.
I’ll amplify existing programs and deepen community partnerships so more students are able to connect with college opportunities and workforce certifications
From Nashville GRAD to the College Success Collaborative and beyond, Nashville boasts successful programs that can help students pursue higher education and workforce certifications. The problem? Many students and families don’t know about them, and if they do, they don’t know how to access them. As Mayor, I will work with community partners to help expand these programs and make them more visible and accessible to the families who will benefit from them.
How will you strategically support the growth, development, and sustainability of small, medium, and large businesses?
I served for eight years under three different Mayors as the Director of Economic and Community Development. During that time we helped add more than 42,000 jobs here and lowered the unemployment rate in Nashville from over 8% to 2% – the lowest in the country. We worked with companies of all sizes to understand what their most significant challenges were and worked to address those issues. We created a first-in-the-nation small business incentive program. We also worked closely with the Chamber, state department of ECD, TVA, area universities and private sector employers to highlight Nashville’s attractiveness. As Mayor, I’ll re-engage with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce to work on the many factors that influence the long-term success of our city. I’ll work to have Nashville create more high-paying jobs and ensure we’re equipping our young people with the skills needed to take advantage of those jobs.
From your perspective, do you believe that the continued growth in Davidson County is ultimately beneficial? If so, how do you plan to manage and maximize its positive impacts?
Yes, I’d rather be a growing city than a shrinking city. But, with growth comes challenges. As I said in a previous answer, our growth must be met with investments into infrastructure and housing to ensure our current residents aren’t squeezed by it. And, I believe we need to do much more to ensure it’s Nashville residents who benefit from a growing Nashville. I’ve talked extensively about my belief that MNPS being the best public school system in America is possible – and when we do that it will better position our young people to capture high paying jobs that growth creates.
