NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Early voting is underway and voters are turning out in large numbers to make their voices heard. One of the key issues on the ballot in Davidson County is the transportation referendum known as the "Choose How You Move" plan.
If approved, the plan would raise the sales tax in Davidson County by half a cent to fund improvements in the city's transportation infrastructure, including enhanced bus services and better sidewalks. Volunteers from Shift Nashville are actively campaigning in support of the plan, which they believe will reduce traffic and improve infrastructure for the community.
"Vote for less traffic at the end of the ballot," a Shift Nashville volunteer said to early voters at the Southeast Library.
Diamond Bell, lead organizer for Stand Up Nashville, emphasized the importance of the plan for improving the city's infrastructure.
"If you think we need better sidewalks, or we need better infrastructure, we need more crosswalks, we need more safety for our folks, then you would vote on this transit plan," Bell said.
The coalition supporting the transportation plan is made up of several organizations, including Stand Up Nashville, The Equity Alliance, and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. These groups believe the plan will benefit Black, Brown, and immigrant communities by improving accessibility and safety.
“You’re helping the city go around. Your voice matters,” Bell said. “It matters to you to get out here and vote.”
The $3.1 billion transportation plan would be funded through fares, bonds, and state and federal grants, along with the half-cent sales tax increase. However, the proposal has faced opposition from groups like "The Committee to Stop an UnFair Tax,"who argue the sales tax increase disproportionately affects low-income residents.
Former Metro councilwoman Emily Evans, a critic of the plan, said, “You’re spending most of your paycheck on rent, groceries, gas, etc. So a bigger portion of your paycheck is going towards paying the tax.”
Despite the criticism, Mayor Freddie O’Connell has stated that the referendum will have benefits for residents with lower incomes.
Volunteers, including Bell, canvassed neighborhoods in districts 29 and 32 to raise awareness about the plan, hoping for a favorable outcome when all votes are counted.
Learn more about the plan, here.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
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-Rebecca Schleicher
