} I am committed to increasing transparency on how funding is used to address the affordable housing crisis in our city. Under my leadership, I will ensure that we are maximizing the affordable housing subsidies we grant and that federal, state, and local sources work together. Improve the functioning of the MDHA. Over half of MNPS students are economically disadvantaged, and many students have been affected by challenges such as trauma, violence, and food or housing insecurity. Police overtime is a drain on Metros general fund and many officers dont like mandatory overtime. Measure results. That same year, Omni received a $2.28 million tax break plus a $12 million cash payment. width: 100%; And for the difficulties of the job, police need need full access to mental health resources. Voters overwhelmingly decided that last years transit plan wasnt the right plan for Nashville right now. City leaders have been exceptionally creative with financing deals to help private developers, but that creativity and dedication is missing in action when it comes time to fund our schools, take care of our employees and create affordable housing. Counties | .widget-row.value-only.white { Interest groups and activists make parties their . overflow-y: hidden; The proposed purchase was kept quiet from council members, and Mayor Briley has not yet said what the intended use of the building would be. Development should serve the needs of this city, not the other way around. An area like Bordeaux is going to keep growing, but the quality and community impact of that growth will depend on the quality of the underlying infrastructure. Departing from standard theories, which place election-minded politicians at the center, we theorize parties as vehicles by which intense policy demanders get what they want out of government. The Convention Center Authority will have an estimated unrestricted cash balance of $190 million. Other cities have had success making incremental improvements to their existing systems. In the fall of 2018, the developer received a $25 million tax increment financing loan via a tax-exempt bond from the Metro Development and Housing Authority. Wage stagnation makes it hard to sustain a career in teaching; it shouldnt take 18 years of teaching in MNPS with a Masters degree to reach $60,000 per year. .votebox-results-metadata-p { In order to be a successful city, we must be a well-educated city. Sidewalks make walking safer. With your help and support, Nashvilles schools will work for everyone. top: 0px; It is clear that Nashville would benefit from a move to more of a grid model as well, with more cross-town and connector routes. Metro needs a reset of priorities and leadership. As a cost savings measure, we should bring some of the sidewalk project work in-house at Metro Public Works because we know sidewalks are going to be a stable long-term capital spending need. U.S. Congress | Here is how Mayor Brileys $750 million headline number breaks out: In short, the mayors supposedly three-quarter billion dollar housing investment is made up of unsecured promises for private contributions and a reframing of pre-existing funding and development plans. It comes just three days after he vetoed House Bill 239, which would have decreased the number of Appeals Court judges from 15 to 12. We need to find new ways to finance programs so residents can have greater access to these resources. Metro agreed to give $15.2 million to the developers of Nashville Yards, the future home of Amazon. I want the Metro Development and Housing Agency to focus on the housing part of its mission, rather than just the development aspect. text-align: center; In 2018, budget issues were kept quiet until the last minute, presumably to boost the chances of the transit referendum passing. With your help and support, we can create a city that works for everyone. .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} How many of these intersections have been upgraded since then? Mayor Barry rightly made sidewalks a priority, but there is room for improvement in a system that still only has 16.2 miles of projects in progress. } Improve residents access to services. Many were wary of the 2018 transit plan because it used a regressive sales tax to fund a plan that concentrated benefits in a relatively small percentage of our neighborhoods. Cities | | With your help and support, we can create a city that works for everyone and that moves everyone. } Additionally, only 13.8% of economically disadvantaged students met literacy benchmarks in 2018. As your mayor, I will facilitate the creation of a real ten-year plan to preserve and create a meaningful number of affordable housing units at an appropriate price with measurable results. Of the 1,435 MNPD sworn officers, only 157 are black and 137 are women. Most new units are priced for affluent renters and buyers. Tourism is an important part of our citys economy and identity, but it is time for the tourist economy to stand on its own two feet. As a parent of three boys, Ive seen how important after-school programming is in helping kids develop character and maintain good health. If, in the future, we move to use a regressive funding mechanism for a transportation plan, we need to be hyper-vigilant that improvements are distributed equitably across the county. } In 2019, Cooper vetoed the legislature's two-year budget, citing the lack of Medicaid expansion and adequate raises for public school teachers, leading to a months-long political stalemate. For the past four years, I have served as an at-large Metro Council member. I have spent my career in finance, real estate development, and project management. Arrowood finished second in a 2014 Court of Appeals race that featured 19 candidates. The Academies of Nashville have long been seen as a national model for career and technical education in high schools, and are often credited for improving high school graduation rates. I pledge to attend police-resident meetings in every precinct each year as Mayor. In effect, we are giving away a piece of land for $1.5 million net. Metro needs to begin doing business with the taxpayer in mind. Growth has costs and people are feeling left behind. That compares to less than one million dollars in all of 2006. Trust between police and the people they protect and serve is key to the stability of our communities, the integrity of our justice system, and the effectiveness of our police department. As mayor, I am committed to developing a people-first transportation plan that is focused on helping you get to where you work and where you live in a timely, safe, and cost-effective manner. border-bottom: 1px solid grey; Voters rejected last years transit plan supported by this mayor because it cost too much and delivered too little. As mayor, I will continue to exact the same scrutiny on the budget to ensure that our schools have the resources they need to succeed. Rising rents and gentrification have pushed many residents out of their homes. His first budget removed promised cost of living raises for employees. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was May 21, 2015. I will provide robust support for the Blue Ribbon Commission to identify savings and revenue opportunities. At the same time, Mayor Briley was patching a budget hole with ill-advised one-time property sales, his administration steered ten acres at the Fairgrounds into private hands. display: inline-block; When Metro sold the Clement Landport, it received net $15,000 per space for hundreds of parking spaces in the Gulch. Develop a new transportation plan within the first year. We should give police executives greater exposure to best practices and provide officers with cutting edge training and assessment tools. As mayor, I will commit to directing over half of new revenue into our school system. I want to hear your feedback and your ideas. Preserve existing housing. Research shows that teachers are the most important factor that affects student learning inside of schools, but non-school factors have a greater impact on student achievement outcomes. } We will do the hard work because we care about our neighbors, our neighborhoods, and in creating conditions that allow us all to call Nashville home. That requires targeted investments in neighborhoods that havent seen meaningful investment in generations. letter-spacing: 0.03em; If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Improving safety means sidewalks, protected bikeways and intersection improvements. Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. .widget-row { Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Under the current system, its hard for people who need help to get it. As this program succeeds, investment amounts can be increased. In 2017, Metro Council passed a three-year pay plan that included modest cost of living adjustments for Metro employees. color: black; As your mayor, my door will be open. I see it as part of my role as mayor to convene and connect community resources to the schools so that students receive the support needed to succeed in an intentional and systematic way. overflow-y: hidden; They are not currently valued as they should be, and teacher recruitment and retention has suffered as a result. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? I will present a fiscally-responsible plan within my first year in office. } In the race for five open at-large seats, candidates included Buddy Baker, Jody Ball, Karen Bennett, Al Carota, Erin Coleman, John Cooper, Elizabeth Dachowski, Adam Dread, Robert Duvall, Leroy Johnny Ellis, Erica Gilmore, Ronnie Greer, Sr., Frank Harrison, Jason Holleman, Martin Holsinger, Phillip Joseph Hostettler, Jr., Walter Hunt, Sharon W Hurt, Ken Jakes, James Keeton, John Lasiter, Don Majors, Lonnell Matthews, Jr., Bob Mendes, Sandra Moore and Jim Shulman. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} Professor John Cooper KC has one of the most high-profile practices at the Bar. The Lets Move Nashville plan was built with too little consultation with residents and neighborhoods. The "PACs" category has been renamed to "Committees," because the term "Political Action Committee" is not used in every state. Our biggest challenge as a city is making schools our top priority. And we need to keep taking steps to address chronic absenteeism. font-size: 20px; .results_row td { Protected bikeways should be expanded; a recent study showed that protected bike infrastructure nearly halves the number of fatalities and results in fewer deaths of drivers and pedestrians too. .widget-img { Nashville is booming and employers from around the country want to be here. .widget-key { } .outer_percentage { } Our notion of public safety should include pedestrian and driver safety. As a council member, I am proud to stand by my record of supporting access to green space and preserving Nashvilles unique assets. color: #888; The lead singer of a Christian rock band has raised eyebrows after he compared Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's performance at the Grammy awards to Adolf Hitler.. John Cooper, the lead singer of the group Skillet, is an outspoken conservative and supporter of former president Donald Trump and clearly isn't a big fan of 'WAP' the sexually explicit mega-hit from the two aforementioned . } The Barnes Fund has done great work, but the funding is too unpredictable from year to year. Addressing the costs of growth by focusing on our economic and community development efforts on people and not just buildings. John Cooper defeated incumbent David Briley in the general runoff election for Mayor of Nashville on September 12, 2019. The city has other revenue sources than just the property tax. The increased cost of living in Nashville has made it difficult for many educators to afford to live in the county. .inner_percentage { Expand parks programming and invest in our youth. He was an actor and director, known for Timecop (1994), The Arrival (1996) and Reversal of Fortune (1990). Pedestrian deaths are on the rise; 62 pedestrians have been killed in the last 3 years. Here are some of my ideas on how to make Nashville a city that truly works for everyone: Economic Development through Human Capital. What improvements would you like to see in your neighborhood? padding-left: 10px; He is a white, non hispanic male registered to vote in Leon County, Florida. .results_table { .inner_percentage.Green { The Thompson Hotel received $4 million of TIF in 2015. Here is what I said at the time: Once again, we are using taxpayer money to subsidize the wealthiest, and once again we dont need to. The men and women who are already serving us deserve a pay raise too. He was elected to this position in 2002 and took office the following year, replacing retired Judge F. E. Steinmeyer III. The market alone will not address this problem. padding-top: 8px; School districts | It isnt enough to be the fastest improving urban district if there are students who are left behind. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? These are some of my ideas for how I can best serve students as mayor. font-weight: bold; Additionally, I will create an affordable housing board of public entities, for-profit developers, nonprofits, and elected officials, including Metro council members and state legislators, to identify obstacles and challenges to affordable housing projects, and propose evidence-based solutions that could work in our city. As mayor, I will put taxpayers first in negotiations. .votebox-results-cell--check { Its located across from what will be the amazing new federal courthouse and what will be a glamorous part of town. Metros TIF Study & Formulating Committee report from May 2019 stated, there is no written strategy or policy in Nashville about when or how to use TIF on affordable housing projects. As mayor, I will define a strategy. We should celebrate that! See more in my Fiscal Accountability policy statement. We need to find ways to significantly lower our cost per linear foot of new sidewalk, which is over $1,000 per foot. This requires investment in human capital. } Nashville looks inexpensive to those relocating from the coasts, but we are becoming increasingly unaffordable for those who have been here. Time spent in traffic is increasing. Lets stop placing bus stops in ditches and instead create covered, well-lit stops where people can wait safely and comfortably. We can obtain additional revenue from tourism and development. display: block; I have always prioritized green space in my real estate development work because I know how critical it is for community health and future generations. Multi-platinum rock band Skillet released their 11th studio album this month titled Dominion, and frontman John Cooper is encouraging Christians to embrace their freedom in Christ despite the cost. Financial management and finding other revenues from tourism and development is the mechanism through which we will find additional funding for education. Yet in 2015, Metro sold the property to a developer for a mere $5 million due at closing plus $6.25 million over 25 years. The MDHA has long insisted that it has sufficient funding to carry out its Envision projects, without additional funding from the city. .top_disclaimer { The building sits adjacent to a parking lot that was central to city halls proposed Church Street Park land swap. Lets actually listen to the requests of those who use public transportation by having buses run more frequently and extend the hours buses operate. font-size: .9em; People may move here for the city, but theyll stay for the neighborhoods. The propertys true value was many times that. There were good elements in last years plan and we largely know what needs to be done. It has given millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to developers who dont need them and has ignored our schools, our traffic, and our affordable housing crisis. Our city ranks poorly on intergenerational mobility, which is a measure of the percentage of those born into the bottom 20 percent of incomes make it to the top 20 percent. The lack of prioritization of schools has led to troubling outcomes for many students. The first year of my term will be focused on safety while we formulate a broader transportation plan. I am a supporter of collective impact programs like Community Achieves, which has brought community partners into 22 MNPS schools to focus on improving family engagement, college and career readiness, health, and social services. Hon. Electoral history [ edit] 2012 Arkansas House of Representatives [ edit] I am most passionate about responsible public finance. Parks promote investment. [3] The winners in the runoff election were Cooper, Gilmore, Mendes, Hurt and Shulman. So in 2018, the General Fund saw $15.86 million in hotel tax. We need to conduct performance audits of Metro departments and agencies to increase the transparency of how tax dollars are spent and identify areas for improvement. Primary Job Title Chairman. padding-left: 0; John Cooper (born October 15, 1956) is an American businessman who is the mayor of Nashville, Tennessee. Our neighborhoods need infrastructure investment. MDHA has lost track of its mission. We will also audit and track the use of General Obligation bonds by MDHA. "I don't think reporters should vote . John Cooper was earmarked for a career in politics, but instead returned home to Nashville, earned his MBA at Vanderbilt in 1985 and began a career in business. } Without a course adjustment, we risk leaving our neighbors further behind. In recent years, it has financed a parking garage for a luxury condo development downtown, and given tax increment financing to hotels and other luxury developments. Jan 20. Per state law, TIF loan proceeds may not pay for unit construction but can fund land acquisition and site preparation. After consulting with residents and with police leadership, I will ask the police chief to set specific goals for reducing crime, reducing unnecessary uses of force, and improving public levels of satisfaction with the police. What Ive learned concerns me. John Cooper talks pain of losing friendships over biblical views, defending faith in public sphere. The mayors plan envisions increasing the citys contribution by $5 million a year. He worked long hours weighing the evidence and. With your help and support, we can create a city that works for everyone. We should not have included a bonus of ten acres at the Fairgrounds beyond the incentive of the stadium. }. It values promoting development, not protecting our quality of life. } Establish a revolving loan fund for affordable housing. Nonprofits are working to connect displaced workers with new careers. If implemented well, a Metro Nashville Department of Transportation would help streamline and accelerate sidewalk construction, make safe street designs more likely to be implemented, and create a more effective home for an ambitious transportation demand management (TDM) program. What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government? Bad deals and park giveaways will end when I become mayor. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. } As mayor, I will commit to doing the hard work of getting affordable housing right. I was the only countywide elected official who campaigned against it, and I did so because it simply was not the right plan for Nashville. The Joseph Hotel received $4.5 million of TIF in 2018. I commit to creating and publishing a public engagement plan for transportation planning, something the current Mayor has not done. } As a council member, I am proud of my record of supporting access to green space and preserving Nashvilles unique assets when City Hall tried to sell or give them away. The two remained friends in spite of being from different political parties and were often spotted together in the Washington D.C. social scene. font-size: .9em; Nashvilles future depends on the quality of education we provide to our students today. } The city of Nashville, Tennessee, held nonpartisan elections for mayor and metro council on August 6, 2015. margin: 8px auto; .race_header.green { I plan to create a public safety subcabinet that brings together representatives for MNPD, Sheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, the Division of Youth Services, probation and parole, as well as representatives of nonprofit and faith-based groups, to identify problems and solutions. We need implicit bias and de-escalation training that goes above-and-beyond the standards required by the State of Tennessee. However, his budget continues to include the parking meter proposal and is expected to bring it up again after the election. I will start by listening to the residents of this city.