Nashville's Dean says that social legislation affects the business climate

In an interview with The City Paper, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean noted that when businesses consider Nashville, they sometimes have concerns about the social legislation coming from the Tennessee General Assembly.  He contrasts that socially conservative agenda at the state level with the commitment to non-discrimination in Metro Nashville:

You mentioned fielding calls from other cities and people checking out Nashville and how hot it is. When you’re fielding those calls, do you ever hear, “Gee, we’d love to come down, all this social agenda legislation is worrying us.” Do they ever say, “What the hell is going on with the legislature in Tennessee?”
Dean: I won’t mention names, I’m not really at liberty to mention it, but there have been companies who have actually come here who have heard about some of the social legislation and expressed concern. My position has always been, particularly in the area of nondiscrimination, that that absolutely shoots us in the foot. Particularly if you’re a cultural city and an artistic city and a university city. I think Nashville stands on its own. I think people look at Nashville and know that it’s different. Cities have to be friendly, which we are. Cities have to be inclusive, which I think we are, and we try to get more and more inclusive. That’s the way government in cities should operate. But I have heard it. The business [in question] came.

I wonder whether the business-friendly Legislature will get the message.  More correctly, I wonder what it will take for the Legislature to get the message that restrictive social legislation is unattractive for business growth and development.  To give credit, some legislators from both parties do, but not nearly enough.

Until the Legislature gets the message, it will be important for more cities to pass inclusive non-discrimination ordinances like Knoxville and Metro Nashville.  But at some point, we need a fundamental change at the state level.  Corporations are going to have to add their voices to the national media and equality advocates in Tennessee if that is going to take place.  Let's hope it does.

-Chris Sanders

Nashville Pride Political Report

Despite the rain and wind, 2011 will go down as another great year for Nashville Pride. Congratulations to the organizers for putting together a great festival.

It was a good day for politics, too. We used the TEP booth to get word out about our TEP PAC endorsed candidates for Metro races. Among our endorsed candidates who attended were Council Members At-Large Ronnie Steine and Megan Barry, Mayor Karl Dean and District 19 Council Member Erica Gilmore who both spoke from the main stage, and District 6 candidate Peter Westerholm and District 18 candidate David Glasgow. There may have been others and I'm sorry if I missed anyone. By the way, it was also great to see the Davidson County Democratic Women and the Davidson County Young Democrats out at Pride.

There was concern about HB600 and Don't Say Gay among some of those attending, but we did our best to make the case that we can continue to fight back in the face of a Legislature bent of putting discrimination into law. There's never been a more important time to do so.

-Chris Sanders

Great turnout for Walk with Mayor Dean and TEP today

The Walk 100 Miles with the Mayor initiative is going strong and today's hike along the Mossy Ridge Trail was no exception. About 40 friends of TEP as well as 30 other dedicated walking enthusiasts turned out for a 4-mile walk with Mayor Karl Dean through some of the most beautiful parts of the city. We were pleased to be joined by Metro Councilmen Carter Todd and Jason Holleman. District 22 Council candidate Seanna Brandmeier also braved the heat and it was great to see her.

One of the best parts of the event was the opportunity to meet the students who have been protesting HB600, the Special Access to Discriminate law that nullified Metro's Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance. It was fascinating to get their perspective on what needs to be done to move Tennessee forward.

The event was a perfect blend of fitness, nature, and the value of equality--just what you'd want in "a city on the rise."

-Chris Sanders

Boxing Day Edition : Deserved Praise and Questionable Blame

Calendar Notes: It's Boxing Day. Of course, it's Sunday, too. So I'm not sure whether those in the former British Empire get tomorrow off or not. But here's hoping they do. It's also St. Stephen's Day or the Feast of Stephen--you remember, the day that prompted Good King Wenceslas to look out "when the snow lay round about/ Deep and crisp and even." Seems fitting for today.

Praise: Speaking of good, there's a great piece in today's Commercial Appeal titled "12 Who Made a Difference." And one of them is TEP's own chairman Jonathan Cole.

Cole said one of the things the group has been successful at is "engaging the GLBT community in a more formal way in the political process.

"If we don't send a message to our local leaders, then we can't expect leaders we send to Washington to express those same values."

The list of cities more progressive than Memphis on GLBT issues is long, but Cole is staying put.

"Do I ever want to give up? I will take breaks, but I don't feel I need to throw up my hands yet," he said.

The fight for equality "is not for summer soldiers and the sunshine patriots. It's a commitment for the long haul."

Amen to that!

Blame?: In my view, there's been some odd criticism of some folks who have been great supporters of equality legislation in Nashville.

Let's start with yesterday's Tennessean. It included a piece about 18th District Councilwoman Kristine LaLonde and her role in the Belmont University controversy. LaLonde was a cosponsor of the 2009 Metro non-discrimination ordinance She has spoken about the conversations occurring inside Belmont to make the campus more welcoming. As a faculty member she is a voice for equality. We shouldn't forget that it was the faculty resolutions on this issue that prompted trustee emeritus Mike Curb to get involved in the matter. If the Belmont Board of Trustees is going to make a change, it will require concerted action from the faculty and from benefactors like Mike Curb to move things along. So while I understand the source of the questions that some have raised, I would hate for people to lose sight of the factors that will actually bring change to Belmont and the role LaLonde is playing. Besides, the bill revoking Belmont's Rose Park lease has been deferred indefinitely, so that piece of the puzzle is a moot point now.

My thoughts would be along the same lines with respect to Mayor Karl Dean. The Mayor just recently sent a letter to boards, commissions, and authorities asking them to update their non-discrimination policies to match's Metro's in response to the inflammatory comments by the Belmont board chair/Convention Center Authority chair. The Convention Center Authority has already updated its policy. However, there have been a few complaints that the Mayor should have taken this action in 2009. Sure, and why not long before that, for that matter? But here's the thing. When we were working with the Mayor and allied Council Members on the non-discrimination ordinance, we asked for a very focused ordinance that would have impact and pass. No one in 2009 talked about the boards, commissions, and authorities. We either assumed the ordinance would cover those bodies or it didn't occur to us. In 2009 the Mayor and allied Council Members did everything they were asked to do in supporting the bill. That includes speaking publicly for it, working on strategy for it, voting for it, signing it, and implementing it. It is the first law of its kind in Tennessee and it happened because people worked together like a symphony.

It's going to be tough to pass something like the bill requiring vendors contracting with Metro Government to have an inclusive non-discrimination policy if we aren't focused on keeping our friends from the 2009 effort motivated to stick together. After a snowy holiday, let's get back to work on making something positive happen.

-Chris Sanders

The Leadership Vacuum and "Trickle Down" violence against GLBT people

I'm noticing that more commentators are starting to explore the connection between anti-equality rhetoric in the political sphere and the notable cases of GLBT youth suicides due to bullying.

Take this passage from a post at Americablog by Gabriel Arana:

"The real charge is that anti-gay rhetoric in politics has a trickle-down effect that reinforces the type of anti-gay attitudes that make life tough for gay teens. The connection between the work of the National Organization for Marriage and the culture of homophobia that prevails in schools is much less direct, but it exists."

In other words, the aim of anti-equality rhetoric in politics is directly to impede law and policy that would advance civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people; it is not to promote physical violence against us. But physical violence against our community exists and it is worthy of asking whether anti-equality rhetoric in politics is one cause.

So let's look at the situation in Tennessee.

*Vonore, TN fire: I'm not aware of any high-ranking elected official in Tennessee who either uttered words of comfort to Stutte family who recently lost their home to anti-gay arson or made any public condemnation of this violent act. As far as I know, the last time any public official condemned violence that involved our community was when Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam made these remarks about the shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church:

"It is often easy to make these tragic events, which are far too frequent, about the community in which they occur. Knoxville is a caring, compassionate city where diverse viewpoints are shared and respected. Every person, regardless of race, religion, age, sex, or sexual orientation is a person of human dignity and a valued member of our community."

He was prompted to do that, but at least he did it. Others condemned the shooting, but didn't mention our community.

*Lack of positive discourse: Apart from some members of the Memphis City Council, the Shelby County Commission, members of the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County, a few state legislators and local school board members, you won't find many elected officials having anything positive to say about legislation that promotes equality in our state. With the exception of Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, you won't find anyone in the executive branch of government who is openly supportive.

Instead what you're more likely to find are remarks like these from Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey:

“Tennessee has a direct interest in the outcome of this case,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey. “If upheld, it will be used to allow same-sex marriage in Tennessee. Over 80% of Tennessee voters chose to define marriage in our constitution as the union of one man and one woman. Tennessee has an important interest in protecting the ability of our state to define marriage and I strongly urge Attorney General Cooper to join other states fighting for that same right.”

I'd say that Tennessee GLBT and questioning youth are at particular risk because most of the public discussion they hear about themselves from leaders in their communities is of a very similar negative variety. It means their straight peers are absorbing it with the idea that there's something wrong with the GLBT kids. That's a short leap to bullying. We need more community and political leaders to speak out in specific ways for our state's GLBT community.

With particular attention to the Don't Say Gay bill: I shouldn't have to mention it, but I'm going to because it bears most directly upon the issue of bullying GLBT youth--Rep. Stacey Campfield's Don't Say Gay bill. Do I think Rep. Campfield wants youth to take their lives or to be bullied? No, I don't. But I do think his ideology about sexuality and gender makes him utterly and dangerously oblivous to the situation youth find themselves in. And it blinds him to the need for specific protections against the violence they face as well as the specific affirmation they need to overcome the despair that can drive them to take their lives.

Watch these videos again and reflect upon them in light of the youth who have taken their lives. Do I have to hit you over the head with the question: "How long are we going to tolerate legislation like this? When are we going to put this awful bill out of its misery and move on to take positive steps to address bullying and its very specific victims?"

-Chris Sanders

Discrimination against GLBT community noted in Nashville Poverty report

Nashville's Poverty Reduction Initiative Plan with Executive Summary & Action Committee Reports came out today. Released by the Mayor's Office and initiative co-chairs Howard Gentry of the Nashville Chamber Public Benefit Board and Cynthia Croom of the Metro Action Commission, the document offers recommendations in the areas of child care, economic opportunity (the committee on which I served), food, health care, housing, neighborhood development, and workforce development.

I read through the plan this morning and was pleased when I got to the section on workforce development. Right there on page 66, discrimination against the GLBT community is acknowledged as a barrier not once but twice. One of the action steps recommended is:

Action 5
Provide quarterly workshops for business on related topics in order to lower barriers
and increase cultural sensitivity in the employment process.
The recommended action steps include: 1) holding quarterly workshops that increase awareness of various topics including federal/state/local incentives (work opportunity tax credit), physical/mental disabilities, religious accommodation and multicultural awareness
(socioeconomic barriers, GLBT, and job readiness training); and 2) inviting all businesses, ranging from small start‐ups to Fortune 500 companies, to this quarterly workshop.

How will this action reduce poverty in Nashville, what are the expected outcomes, and what willbe the change that occurs if this action is taken?

This action seeks to increase knowledge and awareness of cultural differences which will enhance the employers’ ability to recruit and retain quality employees. The city of Nashville is steadily attracting both quality employers and employees. In an effort to lead the business community to do the right thing, these workshops can support businesses by creating a forum where the benefits and concrete “how‐to’s” of cultural sensitivities can be discussed. As a result, businesses can better understand how embracing efforts to lower barriers and increase cultural sensitivity in the employment process can positively affect their bottom line and benefit the community. Participants will have an increased knowledge of federal/state/local incentives (work opportunity tax credit), physical/mental disabilities, religious accommodation, and multicultural awareness (socioeconomic barriers, GLBT, job readiness training). There will be increased rates of hiring populations that live in poverty. END

First, this is perhaps the first time that a Metro report of this scale has acknowledged that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is one factor among many that contributes to poverty in our city. And in that regard, it is a good reminder to both the mainstream and the GLBT communities that we are not immune to poverty, joblessness, and underemployment--all intensified by discriminatory practices. Second, armed with the moral authority of having passed its own non-discriminatory ordinance, Metro is in a position to recommend more open discussions with business about discrimination against the GLBT community. These discussions alone will not solve the problem, but they represent another step forward. There is a recognition that such discrimination ought to be part of the dialogue along with other factors like disability, ethnicity, etc.

Mayor Dean signs Metro NDO

Mayor Karl Dean signedBL2009-502 today around 11:00 a.m. Central Time. The ordinance prohibits discrimination in Metro government employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Thanks to all the Council sponsors and Mayor Dean for your support!

The ordinance is the first law in Tennessee that provides employment protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Other bodies have adopted similar policies such Metro Nashville Public Schools, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and the Shelby County Commission--all of which provided important precedents for the Nashville effort.

Mayor Karl Dean receives CABLE Power of Inclusion award

Today at the CABLE Nashville luncheon, Mayor Karl Dean received the Individual Award for the Power of Inclusion. Other nominees included Carol Etherington, Marcy Johnson, and John Seigenthaler. The speaker for the event was Maria Echaveste, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff in the second Clinton administration. TEP was glad to contribute material for the nomination of the Mayor for the award for his inclusive approach to Nashville's GLBT community. Congratulations, Mayor Dean.

Seen and heard at the Human Rights Campaign dinner

The Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner was a good ticket tonight if you wanted to be in the midst of State and local politics. Starting at the State level, Tennessee Democratic Party chair Chip Forrester was spotted at the silent auction and the dinner meeting the guests. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack, who earlier in the week had expressed his concerns about the adoption ban bill in the Legislature, was also at the dinner. It should be interesting to see whether this refreshing change in the rhetoric will catch on with some of the other candidates.

Council Member Ronnie Steine was also spotted at the silent auction and he attended the dinner as well. I didn't notice any other members of Council or hear their names called from the podium. District 18 candidate David Glasgow had a table at the event, and he got an enthusiastic reception from the crowd of 450. Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors had bought a ticket, but she sent word that she was too ill to attend. Both she and Mayor Karl Dean had welcome letters in the dinner program. When Dean was introduced, he got a rousing standing ovation before he even began to speak. He urged the crowd only half jokingly to go forth from the dinner to spend their money and help the local economy. Then he turned to a brief tribute to the honorees Suzanne Bradford and Judy Lojek and Brad Beasley. He ended by expressing his solidarity with the guests in their quest for equality. There was no specific mention of any forthcoming Metro legislation. I don't read much into that since it is the Council's prerogative to introduce the hoped for nondiscrimination ordinance.

The One-Two Punch--Proposed amendments fail

With 162 of 173 precincts reporting, ballot measures one and two have been defeated by large margins.

Well done, Nashville for All of Us! It's been a great experience playing a very small role in this coalition.

But a special thanks should go to Mayor Karl Dean. He put it on the line. He spoke at the Council meeting when the members passed at-large Councilman Ronnie Steine's resolution against English Only. But he continued to use his political capital to fight one and two. That's what moral leadership looks like. At a time when many of us thought the measures would pass, he didn't back away.

The issues of schools, crime, and the budget are still there waiting for you tomorrow, Mr. Mayor. But I hope you celebrate tonight.

Mayor helping get out the vote on English Only

You can find his email here.

I am strongly against these charter amendments and I want you to join me in voting against English Only and Amendment No. 2.

While I do not question the intentions of the proponents of this initiative, I feel a responsibility as mayor to explain the implications such a radical change in our law could have for our city.

First, let me explain what the English Only amendment is not. It is not a vote on immigration reform and it is not a harmless message to office holders. The proposed charter amendment will have absolutely no effect upon efforts to curtail illegal immigration or to reform current national policy. Rather than permitting voters to send a message to the government, the referendum alters our charter in a way that will create legal, political, social and even moral consequences for years to come.

To me, it is the antithesis of hospitality and an unnecessary drain on taxpayer resources. The issue is divisive and will distract us from doing those things that will help us realize our potential as not just a great American city, but a great international city.

Keith Durbin taking new position

The Nashville Post, The Tennessean, and Out & About Newspaper are reporting that District 18 Metro Council Member Keith Durbin will be resigning his office to take a position as Director of I.T. for Metro effective January 5. The first out member of the GLBT community elected to a legislative body in Tennessee, Durbin's appointment is another first. He is the first openly gay head of a department in Metro.

With years of experience in the field, Durbin will bring expertise and leadership to the position. TEP congratulates Keith in his new role. The appointment demonstrates Mayor Karl Dean's commitment to professional excellence and diversity.

Best of Nashville in Politics

Congratulations to Emily Evans who was recognized today by the Nashville Scene as the "Best Metro Council Member." I happen to be in her district and am very happy for her.

Mayor Karl Dean made a couple of appearances in the Reader's Poll. He was listed as number one in "Best Thing That's Changed Nashville in the Last Year" and "Best Local Politician." Apparently the Scene doesn't agree with their readers. They attempt to paint him as MIA and avoiding controversy. They glide past the English-only matter:

True, he did speak out against Eric Crafton's "English Only" ballot initiative. But he's pulled a disappearing act on some other important issues.

Huh? I think that stance deserves a little more attention. He made a forceful speech before the Council on an issue where he's likely to be on the opposite side of the majority of voters. He has fought the proposal with every tool at his disposal in the name of a welcoming city and avoiding future costly litigation.

He made the community enhancement grant process substantially more transparent and he has taken a leadership role in looking at issues of poverty and economic development in Nashville's Poverty Symposium. Isn't this the sort of thing we want the Mayor to do?

The Scene has always played a valuable role in their skeptical look at local government. But I'm not following this time.

Good news for Dean

The responses to Mayor Karl Dean's state of Metro address in the media left readers with one conclusion--the honeymoon is over. The offense? Understatement, apparently.

Well, the Mayor got some "good" news today, if it's all right to use that word. First, the number of prospective layoffs of Metro employees has been slashed from 200 to about 80 and is still declining. Of course, those employees won't be in their usual slots and as a result services will suffer. But it's encouraging that the impact on those employees has been softened considerably. Second, Martin Luther King and Hume Fogg magnet schools were rated in the top 25 public schools in the country by Newsweek. For the school system in general, substantial problems remain. But the news helps vindicate Dean's focus on schools.

Not a bad rebound, Karl!

Another look at the State of Metro

Being a day late on a blog is like being late a few weeks in the rest of the world, but I wanted to take some time to review Mayor Karl Dean's State of Metro address. There has been some strong criticism in the commentary.

It's important to look at what the Mayor did and didn't say about the budget issues that Metro faces. He summarizes a whole news cycle in saying, "It's no secret that we have some financial challenges as we move ahead." Dean knows that his audience reads the paper and he's not going to rehash all the details of the problem. The task is to put together a budget that "reflects our city's priorities," and he believes he has done so.

The substantive question is not whether Dean has fairly given notice about the budget issue. The question is whether his solution is merely "smart fiscal management." I found in Dean's speech a three-fold approach--fiscal management, a change in the "business cycle," and economic development.

The Mayor didn't unpack the first two. But fiscal management would include the cuts we've heard about and tough expense control. It includes a variety of practices such as making the community enhancement grant process competitive and accountable. As for the change in the business cycle, it is too early to know how long the recession or pre-recession will last and when things will turn around. There is no doubt that the average American is hurting. Growth is likely to be weak through the end of year, but Wachovia analysts are saying the odds of recession are now about 45% as opposed to the 90% they predicted in April. So while he has no control over the business cycle, Dean's comments aren't out of place since the economy will turn around, hopefully sooner than we expect.

Economic development in Dean's view involves several pieces. The investment in schools and attention to the dropout rate are part of the solution: "It's simple math--more kids graduating would have a huge economic impact on our city." Dean mentions partnering with the Chamber to "recruit new companies to our city" and working with "small business owners and entrepreneurs." He also devotes a couple of paragraphs to what some call the creative class, describing them as "full of intellectual capital." I think if he were to be faulted, it would not be on the approach, but on the lack of specifics. Specifics are clear with respect to the dropout rate, but they are not as clear in terms of attracting new business and nurturing a climate conducive to creative types, at least not in the text of the speech.

The Mayor gives a nod to the critics of big government by noting that his budget includes "no new property taxes," a position which draws fire as a mistake in the Nashville Scene piece cited above. But how could any official--even the gutsiest--propose an increase in property taxes when foreclosures are rising around the area? The likelihood of avoiding recession may be higher now and that will eventually work in the city's favor, but it is not yet an experienced reality for Metro residents. Until it is, Dean has no good options for increased revenue.

"Good"--there's that word. "Ladies and gentlemen, as we approach the mid-point of 2008, the state of Metro is good." The budget situation is not good and the dropout rate is not good. What does he mean? Unlike some spectators, I took "good" as a fairly mild description. It certainly contrasts with the President's description of the state of the union as "strong" or "has never been stronger." I think it was an attempt to avoid exaggeration. He lists a number of features of the city that are good. He may also ironically be borrowing a page from Bob Clement via Jim Collins when he closes by saying, "The destination our city arrives at will be great." He acknowledges that the "path we take will not be easy." Good becomes a great deal more understandable in that context.

Bad time to be a government employee in Nashville

Whether you work for Metro or for the State, chances are that someone has been evaluating how essential your job is. 2000 buyouts are being discussed for State government and 200 layoffs for Metro are in the works.

Let's say that most of these employees are downtown, just for the sake of argument. And let's say that all of them eat lunch for about $5 per person every day (or spend $5 downtown on something just about every day), that's an almost $3 Million impact on downtown in one year.

Of course, not all of the employees whose jobs are being cut work downtown. And not all of them spend $5 on lunch, but some spend more and some buy other things. And many of the Metro employees who are being laid off will land in other Metro jobs...or at least that's the hope.

I'm not saying the State or Metro had good alternatives, but there will be an impact beyond those employees and their families. I should note that SEIU's Mark Naccarato thinks Metro could approach the matter differently. He accuses Mayor Dean of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." Not surprising considering that SEIU endorsed Bob Clement in the runoff. By way of disclaimer, I should add that TEP-PAC endorsed Dean in the runoff.

Dean signs Metro contracting non-discrimination law

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59573

Yesterday, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean signed into law the non-discrimination bill for minority contracts. The bill's goal is to give women and racial and ethnic minorities more access to Metro contacts. There will possibly be a follow-up story as soon as tomorrow in the City Paper on the omission of GLBT businesses from the law.

Love in the Branches (of government): Dean and the Council

P.J. Tobia describes the rebound relationship between Metro Council and Mayor Karl Dean. And Internal Service Fees figure prominently in the story. What a surprise! Councilman Charlie Tygard's remarks are priceless. http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/News/2008/04/03/Kissing_Karl_Dean/index.shtml

Assessing the Purcell legacy

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59345

The City Paper takes a look at the Purcell years. Unfortunately much of the piece focuses on Internal Service Fees (yes, the phrase is capitalized in the story) in Metro government and how tough that made it for Council members to follow spending. Yawn. Do the presence or absence of Internal Service Fees make or break the greatness of a city?

If one were to talk about Purcell's legacy, why not talk about the growth of the neighborhood focus that he either tapped into or unleashed? The number of neighborhood forums that the mayoral candidates had to endure alone should be evidence that something is different and ought to be analyzed.

What about diversity issues? During Purcell's two terms, Nashville saw an amazing increase in our immigrant population--Latino, Kurdish, North African, etc. Did the city put in place structures to make that transition easier or more difficult?

Why not mention a couple of courageous stands he took in his last years like vetoing the English only ordinance or blocking the law that would have restricted the display of niche newspapers in the name of some vague notion of cleaning up clutter? Purcell ended up being something of a First Amendment Mayor. But to talk about that would mean we would have to focus on the substance of policy instead of the Byzantine world of procedures and processes. Ugh.

Of course, in the GLBT community, the debate continues about his legacy on equality issues. On the one hand he appointed staff and members of commissions (including Human Relations) who were out. To his credit, he also didn't try to hinder then Law Director Karl Dean from issuing the opinion that the Human Relations Commission could investigate charges of discrimination based on sexual orientation (the issue of gender identity was not addressed) without the need for a non-discrimination ordinance. But there are also many in our community who maintain that he offered no leadership when the ordinance was being debated in Council, even though he campaigned and raised money vigorously in our community. And I suspect that we will continue to debate that legacy whether the media decides to mention it or not.

Dean's first budget

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59287

No time for an analysis now. If numbers put you to sleep, take a look at the presentation WITH PICTURES, no less, in this pdf: http://www.nashville.gov/finance/docs/omb/fy09-budget/The-Budget-FY-2009-03-25_TL-Final.pdf .