I'm going to keep doing my job

With David Briley's win on May 24, he has formally resigned as Vice Mayor. The vacancy will be filled in the scheduled August 2, 2018 election (perhaps followed by a runoff five weeks after that).

I want to thank the many supporters who have encouraged me to run for Vice Mayor. I have taken a hard look at it, but have decided to stay where I am and finish my term as an At-Large Council Member.

In thinking through it, the biggest draw was that in these chaotic times the Council needs a steady hand with a countywide perspective in the big chair. Done well, the Vice Mayor proactively sets the tone for the body. I think I would do a good job. But the opportunity has costs. I'd lose my vote except in a rare tie. In turn, losing a vote might mean losing the ability to be a direct participant in forming legislation.

In the end, I feel that I have more to offer by continuing to be in the trenches on legislation. My focus has been on inclusiveness and equity, transparency and accountability, and livability. Here's a partial list of legislation I have drafted, sponsored, or materially amended.

There is so much more work to do on all of these. The community is angry -- and rightfully so -- that we have a budget crunch when the city is booming. It is not acceptable that city leaders are giving themselves a high five for a historically low unemployment rate at the same time that Nashville is reneging on promised employee cost of living increases, and not fully funding our schools, and selling valuable real estate just to make ends meet. The best place for me to work on these issues is where I am today, as an At-Large Council Member.

Several of my Council colleagues likely will be running for Vice Mayor. It may be awkward to have multiple colleagues running for the same office, but that seems unavoidable. My view is that Nashville needs someone with an established countywide perspective to help guide the Council and the city through these chaotic times. The best candidate should have a track record of supporting a path that reflects the values of the entire community.