Progressives gain sway in Nashville city council

Group of 15 or so scores big wins on hot topics By Michael Cass • THE TENNESSEAN • September 6, 2009 Midway through their four-year term, political progressives on the Metro Council are starting to put their stamp on Nashville. The council recently opted out of a state law allowing guns in local parks. A nondiscrimination ordinance that would protect gay city employees and job applicants is on the verge of becoming law, six years after a more conservative council shot it down. And earlier this year, the city's legislative body spoke out against the controversial English-only proposal, 18 months after the previous council favored a similar law. Nashville voters followed the council's lead — and Mayor Karl Dean's — in January, rejecting the plan to make the government do almost all business in English. Councilwoman Megan Barry, considered one of the most liberal council members, said the "shift in orientation" reflects the will of the people. "Voters are the ones who made this decision that they wanted Nashville to be a more welcoming place and a more progressive place and a place where we can attract and retain business," said Barry, the lead sponsor of the nondiscrimination bill. "And you do that by being more forward-thinking." The progressives, a loose group of about 15 council members, don't win every time. A small group of them failed to change what they saw as inequities in Dean's stormwater fee structure or to block his plan to buy land for a convention center that hasn't been approved yet. Nor do left-leaning members dominate the council. Conservatives still represent suburban areas like Madison, Hermitage and parts of Donelson and Antioch, and they were able to defeat a bill Tuesday that would have allowed residents to keep chickens. But after controlling the conversation for much of the past two terms, the conservatives now hold less sway, and a solid core of progressives has been able to bring conservatives and moderates along on some major initiatives. Fixing 'misguided laws' Councilman Jerry Maynard, who led the fight to ban guns in Metro parks, said progressives are reacting to what they see as misguided laws passed by the state legislature. The legislature also voted this year to allow guns in restaurants and bars, though business owners can opt out and prohibit guns on their premises. "There's a sense of urgency because of what we saw in the General Assembly," said Maynard, who, like Barry, represents the entire county, not a particular district. "Progressives see the state going in the wrong direction. We want to make sure Davidson County is moving ahead in a progressive, prosperous way for all Nashvillians." Councilman Robert Duvall, one of the council's most hard-line conservatives, said the final vote on the nondiscrimination bill on Sept. 15 "will be a litmus test of where this council is." "I don't believe anybody on the council is doing anything specifically wrong," he said. "That's what they believe. I just hope it's not for some type of political agenda that this is being put forth." Duvall said residents in his Antioch district are heavily opposed to expanding the nondiscrimination law to cover sexual orientation. He said progressives could pay a political price in the next council elections in 2011 if they push too hard. May Town splits group Of course, even progressives don't always have a single definition of progress. When the Metro Planning Commission considered a rezoning in June for May Town Center, a potentially $4 billion office-retail-residential development in rural Bells Bend, 10 mostly progressive council members spoke out against the plan. They said the project, which the commission rejected, would ruin one of Nashville's last open spaces, create traffic headaches in West Nashville and hurt downtown. But Councilman Lonnell Matthews Jr., who often votes with his progressive colleagues, supported the project, arguing it would bring much-needed economic development to his northwest Nashville district. "May Town has more pros than cons," Matthews said Friday. "If not May Town, it has to be something along those lines, because we have to compete for those corporations and bring jobs to the city." Barry was one of the progressives who opposed May Town Center. But she said she recognizes that there's no free lunch, and Metro will have to allow some urban development in the urban core if it wants to keep growing. "We don't want a stagnant population," she said. "We want growth. But it may have to be in our own backyards." Councilman Jason Holleman of Sylvan Park agreed that more building in the city's core is needed. He said the city needs to focus more on zoning that accounts for a building's design rather than the traditional emphasis on land use. "People are willing to accept more density if it complements the neighborhood's character," he said. Holleman also said there's a good chance the council will look at legislation to preserve open space, an issue Dean is studying. No political agenda Progressives are expected to keep pressing for what they see as reforms, including mandating a living wage for some workers — an idea that business interests typically fight. But Councilman Bo Mitchell of Bellevue said there's no progressive caucus plotting an agenda, and Maynard agreed that there's not a "master plan." Mitchell said the council's makeup generally reflects the demographics of Nashville, which has long been more Democratic than Republican. But party politics don't come into play that often in Metro, where elections are nonpartisan and the main business is providing city services. "Many times at the council chamber, you've got to hang your 'D' or 'R' at the door when you walk in," Mitchell said. "There's a sense of urgency because of what we saw in the General Assembly," said Maynard, who, like Barry, represents the entire county, not a particular district. "Progressives see the state going in the wrong direction. We want to make sure Davidson County is moving ahead in a progressive, prosperous way for all Nashvillians." triggerAd(2,PaginationPage,9); Councilman Robert Duvall, one of the council's most hard-line conservatives, said the final vote on the nondiscrimination bill on Sept. 15 "will be a litmus test of where this council is." "I don't believe anybody on the council is doing anything specifically wrong," he said. "That's what they believe. I just hope it's not for some type of political agenda that this is being put forth." Duvall said residents in his Antioch district are heavily opposed to expanding the nondiscrimination law to cover sexual orientation. He said progressives could pay a political price in the next council elections in 2011 if they push too hard. May Town splits group Of course, even progressives don't always have a single definition of progress. When the Metro Planning Commission considered a rezoning in June for May Town Center, a potentially $4 billion office-retail-residential development in rural Bells Bend, 10 mostly progressive council members spoke out against the plan. They said the project, which the commission rejected, would ruin one of Nashville's last open spaces, create traffic headaches in West Nashville and hurt downtown. But Councilman Lonnell Matthews Jr., who often votes with his progressive colleagues, supported the project, arguing it would bring much-needed economic development to his northwest Nashville district. "May Town has more pros than cons," Matthews said Friday. "If not May Town, it has to be something along those lines, because we have to compete for those corporations and bring jobs to the city." Barry was one of the progressives who opposed May Town Center. But she said she recognizes that there's no free lunch, and Metro will have to allow some urban development in the urban core if it wants to keep growing. -->(3 of 3) "We don't want a stagnant population," she said. "We want growth. But it may have to be in our own backyards." triggerAd(3,PaginationPage,7); Councilman Jason Holleman of Sylvan Park agreed that more building in the city's core is needed. He said the city needs to focus more on zoning that accounts for a building's design rather than the traditional emphasis on land use. "People are willing to accept more density if it complements the neighborhood's character," he said. Holleman also said there's a good chance the council will look at legislation to preserve open space, an issue Dean is studying. No political agenda Progressives are expected to keep pressing for what they see as reforms, including mandating a living wage for some workers — an idea that business interests typically fight. But Councilman Bo Mitchell of Bellevue said there's no progressive caucus plotting an agenda, and Maynard agreed that there's not a "master plan." Mitchell said the council's makeup generally reflects the demographics of Nashville, which has long been more Democratic than Republican. But party politics don't come into play that often in Metro, where elections are nonpartisan and the main business is providing city services. "Many times at the council chamber, you've got to hang your 'D' or 'R' at the door when you walk in," Mitchell said. "We don't want a stagnant population," she said. "We want growth. But it may have to be in our own backyards." Councilman Jason Holleman of Sylvan Park agreed that more building in the city's core is needed. He said the city needs to focus more on zoning that accounts for a building's design rather than the traditional emphasis on land use. "People are willing to accept more density if it complements the neighborhood's character," he said. Holleman also said there's a good chance the council will look at legislation to preserve open space, an issue Dean is studying. No political agenda Progressives are expected to keep pressing for what they see as reforms, including mandating a living wage for some workers — an idea that business interests typically fight. But Councilman Bo Mitchell of Bellevue said there's no progressive caucus plotting an agenda, and Maynard agreed that there's not a "master plan." Mitchell said the council's makeup generally reflects the demographics of Nashville, which has long been more Democratic than Republican. But party politics don't come into play that often in Metro, where elections are nonpartisan and the main business is providing city services. "Many times at the council chamber, you've got to hang your 'D' or 'R' at the door when you walk in," Mitchell said.