Republicans and Democrats are on both sides of Nashville transportation proposal
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Strange political bedfellows lined up for and against Mayor Freddie O'Connell's $3.1 billion transportation funding plan in recent days.
Why it matters: O'Connell's ballot measure seems to have the backing of Nashville's political establishment, but there have been some notable defections.
The latest: Former Gov. Bill Haslam, a Republican, is expected to unveil his support for the plan this week.
The big picture: Al Gore, a Democrat, and Bill Frist, a Republican, have also endorsed the transportation funding proposal, which would raise the city's sales tax by half a cent.
Yes, but: Two Metro Council members at opposite ends of the city's political spectrum said they oppose the plan.
- Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston, a Republican, and Metro Councilmember Joy Kimbrough, a Democrat, separately emailed their constituents to explain their opposition.
Zoom in: Gore said he backs O'Connell's proposal for environmental reasons, his passion topic.
- According to the former vice president and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee, "51% of the city's climate pollution comes from transportation." Gore said voters should support O'Connell's "plan to invest in making our roads not only cleaner, but safer & more efficient."
- Frist, who is a surgeon, reiterated his support after he wrote a column in the Tennessean over the summer touting its health benefits.
- He said the plan "will help Nashvillians more efficiently & economically navigate the city while improving community health."
The other side: In a lengthy blog post, Johnston expressed concerns about the long-term financial commitment required to pay off the $3.1 billion in revenue bonds over 30 years.
- She also questioned whether the plan would effectively reduce commuter traffic, saying it would offer "very little if any return on investment."
- Kimbrough told constituents she has a problem with using a sales tax increase to fund the plan.
- "Sales taxes affect poorer families more because they have to spend a bigger share of their income on basic goods," Kimbrough said. "The cost of living is already out of control in Nashville. Rent is sky-high and everyday goods and services are too expensive. This unfair tax increase targets those who are already struggling to make ends meet."
Reality check: The vast majority of Metro Council members, and the city's top progressive activist groups are vocally backing the pan.