Nashville's stories to watch in 2025

❓ The impact of Trump's immigration enforcement on Metro: President-elect Trump is set to return to the White House, and the specter of his administration ramping up immigration enforcement is already looming over Nashville's policing policies.

• Progressive council members are wary of policing tools that they think could be used for federal immigration enforcement.
• The Metro Nashville Police Department wants to utilize private security camera footage and implement license plate readers. Council is skeptical of both plans.

💰 All eyes on property taxes: Metro has not raised the property tax rate since 2020 when, in the early days of the pandemic, Mayor John Cooper and the Metro Council passed a 34% increase.

• The tax hike came after two years of failed attempts at smaller increases and amid scrutiny that the city was in poor overall financial condition.
• There's a sense that a rate increase could be coming in 2025, perhaps another hefty hike.

🏠 Affordable housing solutions: This could be the year Metro makes progress on major affordable housing initiatives.

• Expect city leaders to propose cutting red tape to make it simpler for builders to get their plans approved. Loosening zoning restrictions is possible as well, but radical changes are likely to face opposition from neighborhood groups.
• The biggest question is whether Metro contributes more funding to the affordable housing cause, since advocates say the current approach is a drop in the bucket in terms of addressing the city's needs.

🎓 TSU's rebuilding year: State lawmakers are likely to send millions of dollars more to the cash-strapped university as new leadership scrambles to regain sturdy financial footing. But progress will likely come hand-in-hand with austerity.

• Layoffs and program cuts are on the table as the university seeks to rein in expenses.

⚖️ Trans health care debate: Tennessee's law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors is at the center of the national debate over trans issues. Tennessee's Republican lawmakers and other ban supporters say they want to protect children, while opponents — including physicians — say the ban blocks vulnerable children from the care they need.

• The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on the law by June. Their decision will set national precedent.

❗ An execution update: Tennessee paused executions for more than a year ago after Gov. Bill Lee discovered prison officials weren't following their own rules for lethal injections.

• The Tennessee Department of Correction is very close to finalizing a new set of rules, which could allow for executions to resume.
• New rules could also usher in a new wave of legal challenges.

🏈 A Titans shakeup: It seems like a foregone conclusion the team will hunt for a long-term replacement for Will Levis at quarterback. The team will be picking high enough in the draft to select a top prospect, or perhaps they'll sign a veteran like the Vikings' Sam Darnold.

• The broader question is if lead owner Amy Adams Strunk believes she must replace general manager Ran Carthon and/or coach Brian Callahan.

🏒 Yes, and: The Titans aren't the only ones facing the fallout of a disappointing season.

• The Nashville Predators, who are in the midst of their 2024-25 season, are racking up losses and dashing last year's hopes of grandeur. Their offense remains anemic, and general manager Barry Trotz has already floated the possibility of a major roster overhaul.

🏀 Recruiting women's basketball: If Nashville is going to land a WNBA franchise, expect major progress this year.

• That means identifying an ownership group and venue where a new team could play. The city is regularly listed as a potential WNBA city, but those pivotal questions remain unanswered.