He's not a politician, and that's why he wants to be Nashville's next mayor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Originally from the business sphere, Bernie Cox is running for mayor.

He hasn't held elected office before, but Cox said he is a non-politician, and that makes him perfectly positioned to run for Nashville mayor. He said his career extends into business and entrepreneurial endeavors.

NewsChannel 5 sent every person running for mayor a questionnaire with the same questions. We have not edited these answers from the candidates, meaning these responses are straight from them.

Nashville’s violent crime rate outpaces the national average as well as that of similar-sized cities. As Mayor, how would you work with MNPD to ensure Nashvillians can feel safe in our city?

I’ve had the privilege to personally speak with several Metro Police officers. Our first responders and law enforcement are key to safety and preservation of Nashville tourism and residents. They should all be compensated with a fair and decent wage for the amazing duties they perform each and every day, and often with threat on their own personal safety.

But, do you know what I hear most from them? They want to be supported. That’s their biggest need is a want to believe that our city and administration have their back while they have ours. It’s about building motivation and security within the departments themselves and not allowing politics to reduce their values to protect, for fear of ridicule by government bureaucracy. The safety of our community does not belong in the political arena. We must show our support and appreciation by recognizing their needs and desires are aligned within our community. Meeting their professional commitments is paramount to their mission to serve and protect.

We’ve seen multiple neighborhoods grapple with the proliferation of homeless encampments that pose threats to public safety and sanitation. How would you balance compassionate treatment of the unhoused with the desire of citizens to live in clean, safe neighborhoods?

I have seen this firsthand within my own neighborhood next door to where I reside. I have an enormous amount of empathy for those less fortunate, simply wanting to re-enter society . . . but there is no back door presently. I get it.

However not at the cost of decreasing property value, increasing crime and health issues within our community. Investment must be made in order to assist, train and motivate those that “want to be” helped. Not with individual hand outs, but with actual training and assets to help raise these folks to a feeling of self respect. Sadly, many have reached a mental incapacity and demand special psychiatric and medical assistance. But by no means should we allow these encampments to destroy our city. “Give a [person] a fish, they’ll eat for a day. Teach a [person] to fish . . . they’ll eat for a lifetime”.

Metro Nashville government has been involved in a series of spats with the Republican-controlled state legislature that could have far-reaching effects on how the city functions. How will you work with the state legislature and preserve the will of Metro Nashville’s voters?

This bothers me to this day. Politics is often determined as to whether one has “D” or an “R” in front of their name. I recall the days I was able to have a spirited conversation with a group of friends. Each of us would do our best to convince the other to our point of view.

At the end . . . we’d go out and have a beer! Sadly, those days are gone due to politics and which side of the political aisle you sit. It will take a mayor that is able to sit these folks at a conference table and apply common sense to issues in discussion, and decide what is actually best for Nashville . . . not politics.

For the first time ever in Vanderbilt’s annual poll, a majority of Nashvillians said our city is moving in the wrong direction. How do you think we can get Nashville on the right track?

I’ve come to cherish Nashville’s roots as Music City, the Country Music Capital of the World. However, I see that image in jeopardy of being permanently tarnished by a flurry of mismanagement.

For instance, the fastest-growing investment market in the country is in jeopardy of diluting our Music City culture and unique downtown architectural atmosphere. I will re-focus city development on those projects that enhance our heritage, protecting the tourism industry, and all while operating within our revenue streams. No doubt, the most positive characteristic of Nashville is our charm. Our historic architecture that is brick and mortar, artsy streets and downtown neighborhoods make us what we have been most famously known for around the world.

As Nashville has grown, so has the cost of living. What strategies would you employ to make our city affordable for working families?

This question will get many answers to convince voters that they have the best answer, projecting hypotheticals to entice voters of space-aged solutions. Fact is, this is a national problem. My answer is simple.

Get government out of the way and allow capitalism to perform as opposed to tax and spend mentality.

 A Nashville mayor hasn’t discussed rapid-area transit in earnest since Mayor Barry’s plan was rejected by voters. What are your thoughts on what the city needs for public transit?

There has been amazing growth and development in our existing and newer neighborhoods that has created traffic congestion within our city and suburbs. Many have proposed ideas that could not even become reality within decades. We need to manage growth, and with that, traffic into and out of the city. That is something that nearly every candidate approaches in their platform, and rightly so.

However, my position is that we must manage that growth within our budgetary constraints, which means, we cannot and should not, invest billions of borrowed money now to make a pipe dream of transportation solutions. We can do more with less, if we’re smart about incremental improvements. It’s time for our elected arm-chair-warriors to remove party affiliation from dialogue and create the best solution for Nashville.

 Just under 30 percent of Nashville’s third graders are reading at grade level. Nashville has trailed significantly in education gains compared to other Middle Tennessee counties. What can a mayor do for education?

Proper funding of teachers can not be compromised by political extremists. The strength and progress for our future is crucial in our children’s education and development into society. Social studies, math, science, literacy and equity are vital in the classroom.

There is a perception that downtown is more of a priority because of the revenue it generates. What policies do you propose that will serve all neighborhoods?

This question cannot be directed solely Nashville. It is a national problem that has saturated the entire country due to our continued dependence on others as opposed to independence. Politics is in the way depending if you carry a D or an R in front of your name. There is a continued divisiveness as politicians choose politics over policy, often compromising what is best for Nashville.

This is a rather open-ended, somewhat hypothetical question, so let me just respond that I firmly believe there are neighborhoods around the city in need of city-provided funding. One of my utmost duties as mayor is to see that those neighborhoods with the greatest need receive the much-needed funding to enhance their neighborhoods, regardless of property values. We are all taxpayers, therefore we are all equal in services for those neighborhoods and they should receive government funding.

Nashville has faced the following in the last three years: the pandemic, a tornado, a bombing, and a mass shooting. What makes you qualified to handle these levels of crises?

As mayor, it is mandatory to communicate effectively with public and media outlets to deliver a clear and concise message without creating fear or provoking alarm.

A threatening and destabilized environment makes it very important to give thought before making any public announcement. In addition, admitting and recognizing uncertainty is better than displaying other than truth.

Come July 1, Nashville’s Community Oversight Board, as we know it, will cease operating. How will you ensure that Nashville gets the same level of community oversight that voters overwhelmingly approved?

) I am a strong supporter to eliminate waste in the government. Eliminate, or at best, reduce our spending problem. This will be a challenge as previous administrations have incurred obligations for us, but we must not only try, we must do it. When it comes to politics as usual, the government is the problem, not the solution.

It will be one of my top priorities on a weekly basis to roll up our sleeves, identify the ineffective and inefficient programs and close them. That will not make my administration popular with those affected, and will likely garner negative press at every turn, but I'm not running for the Most Popular Politician award. I’m running to solve problems for Nashville with intensions to work uniformly with state/local government.