For 50 cents more, Nashville will receive a billion-dollar investment in public transportation

Nashville, we have a problem. Every day, many of us waste valuable time in traffic jams or waiting for buses. This is the time we can spend with our loved ones or with the things we love.

Luckily, there is a solution on the ballot: Nashville’s most equitable transit planand that is something we all need to get behind!

This comprehensive plan promises improvements throughout Davidson County, including improved traffic signals, improved sidewalks, safer bus stops, more frequent service and new transit centers.

Unlike previous initiatives, this plan invests directly in each individual district and targets all types of commuters. In addition to a comprehensive assessment by transportation experts, the Mayor’s Office, and an independent audit of its revenues and expenditures, this plan was unanimously supported by the Metro Council at every stage of deliberation, including three separate council votes.

Council members worked hard and challenged the mayor and his administration to find the least invasive method of funding transit. The suggestion that the The city can provide funds from its administrative budget is misguided and misinformed. The Metro Charter requires the Metro Council to adopt an operating budget each year. This means the council cannot require future councils to provide funding for transit and that allocations can change from year to year.

Here’s why property taxes aren’t a good way to fund transit long-term

It is not logical to propose or consider increasing property taxes to fund transit. A penny of property taxes is worth between $3 million and $4 million, and a portion of any increase must go to schools by law. For transit alone, we’re talking annual operating costs of over $100 million. How much more would you be willing to pay for public transport alone and no other city services if the required amount for schools is missing? Our guess is not much.

Nashville is one of only four major cities in the top 50 that do not have a dedicated transit funding source needed to unlock the $1.4 billion in federal taxes we should have access to.

Currently, our federal tax dollars fund buses and transit in other cities across the country, with very little of it returning to Nashville. This transit plan brings our federal tax dollars home!

Trusted community organizationslike our unions Stand Up Nashville, the Equity Alliance, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), and Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH), as well as local community and faith leaders, have advocated for this plan because reliable transportation is critical to affordability .

Opinion: Nashville voters should listen to diverse views when deciding on the transit plan

Did you know that Nashville residents spend an average of over $1,000 per month on transportation and half of Nashville residents make less than $70,000 per year? That means many Nashvillians live paycheck to paycheck and a single car repair can cause them to miss work, school or necessary health appointments.

For an extra 50 cents, the citizens of Nashville receive a tremendous investment

For just half a cent on the dollar, we can improve our transit system, benefiting those who don’t ride the bus. Improved sidewalks and pedestrian crossings will make our city safer, while upgrading over 600 traffic signals will reduce congestion.

Remarkably, 60% of the funding for this plan comes from the millions of tourists who visit Nashville annually and take advantage of our city’s resources.

With a small investment, we have the opportunity to transform our city into a more accessible, affordable and efficient place to live.

If you’re wondering what the actual cost will be to you as a taxpayer, you’ll pay an extra 50 cents for every $100 spent, or $5 for every $1,000 spent, far less than we pay for gas or parking fees pay as we try to navigate a country growing city. Let’s choose a Nashville that works for everyone and vote for Nashville’s transit plan!

Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield, a council member, is in her second year as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee after previously serving as its vice chair, and is the immediate past president of the Minority Caucus.

Councilwoman Kyonzté Toombs, who represents District 2, serves as Vice Chair and former Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and is currently Chair of the Minority Caucus.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessee: Opinion: The Transit Improvement Plan is fair and financially sound