NASHVILLE, Tenn.- On Friday, a Metro Council member submitted a substitute budget ordinance against Mayor Karl Dean's budget, which includes a 53-cent property tax.
District 25 council member Sean McGuire submitted a substitute budget ordinance for council members to look over before the budget's final vote on Tuesday. The 53-cent property tax hike is still in the budget, but under McGuire's amendment 4- cents of the 53 cents will go into the debt service reserves for future obligations.
If the proposed budget passes the Council on Tuesday, it could mean cuts for several metro departments. Including in the cut is $200,000 from Metro Codes, which would eliminate 4 new inspector positions. The Metro Transit Authority would get about $250,000 less a year, which officials said would be tough, but would not impact the new bus routes. Within the new budget the Metro Parks would lose about $100,000 a year, which could impact grounds keeping.
The biggest cut would come at the expense of Metro Schools. Under the new budget $3.5 million dollars could be cut from the proposed $7.2 million Metro Nashville Public Schools budget.
Metro Council member will meet Monday to vote on McGuire's amendment to the ordinance.
Mayor Dean issued this statement on Friday in response to McGuire's ordience:
"While I believe the budget proposed by my
administration reflected the needs of this community, I appreciate the process
the Metro Council has gone through, including the emphasis placed on
strengthening the city's debt service reserves. If adopted, I am
confident the budget as proposed by Chairman McGuire will also keep our city
moving forward."
