June 29, 2005

Sixty-Seven Cents

67-cent property tax increase and a $20 wheel tax increase...that's what we are now going to have to pay.

Last night, the Metro Council only had a *few* hours to hash through the new budget proposals. In the end, they voted 24-12 in favor of Budget and Finance Committee chair Diane Neighbor's budget.

More from the Nashville City Paper.

Comments:

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Whoa...$20 wheel tax increase. As if the $50 I was already paying wasn't a rip off. I have serious issues every year when I get my tags renewed...this is America. We shouldn't have to pay $70 for a freakin' sticker on our plates.

Posted by: Jill at June 29, 2005 09:39 AM

$75 in Marshall County.

Posted by: Jakester at June 29, 2005 12:43 PM

It was a dubious treat to watch the little drama presented by the Council last night, as member after member stood up to emphasize how very reluctantly they were supporting the Neighbors budget and as some tried repeatedly to cut off debate before the COLA budget proponents could have a chance to make them look worse. Why? Because every person in that room last night knew before they walked in that the Neighbors budget had more than enough votes to pass. All the speechifying from the side that knew they were going to win was designed to do one thing: Lay down some sound bytes to pull out when they’re challenged at the next election for raising taxes.

When the opportunity to amend the Neighbors budget was neatly slipped past them in a procedural sleight of hand Houdini would envy, Ludye Wallace made a point of reminding everyone that the cameras were rolling. I can only hope it was not just in response to the few Council members who forgot that long enough to complain that all the debate had made them miss supper, betraying an arrogance so stupendous it almost made me lose my own meal.

This budget is the first time I’ve ever really watched the Council in action on a citywide issue, and I am left dumbfounded, depressed, and angry. It’s not so much the outcome, which I think everyone expected. It was the way they went about it, making it clearer with every passing day what they think of the intelligence of the average Nashville taxpayer. I wish I’d paid attention sooner, and I wish every taxpayer in Nashville had taken the time to watch their representatives “represent” them. It’s been quite an eye opener.

Posted by: CBW at June 29, 2005 01:11 PM

Thanks to bloggers, Nashvillians still have the right to defeat the wheel tax increase via a petition drive and referendum.

http://billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/006619.html

Posted by: Bill Hobbs at June 29, 2005 03:35 PM

I moved out of Davidson County a couple of years ago. Between the congestion and lack of quality affordable homes, I could not justify getting a house there. Williamson County is also overrated and overdeveloped imho.

Tell me you can find a beautiful new construction brick home of 2500-3200 square feet, with a three car garage on an acre lot with nice neighbors for under $160,000. And it's only a twenty minute ride into downtown Nashville. I'd like to thank Nashville's legislators for what I believe is going to make my property jump in value in the next couple of years.

My biggest problem is getting liquor by the drink. I guess I had to compromise somewhere.

Posted by: smantix at June 29, 2005 08:15 PM