And in just my cursory scan of the agenda, I see at least 3 items of particular import carrying debatable content:
- Approval of the Bellevue tax increment financing resolution
- Charlie Tygard's animate-your-church-with-LED-billboards bill (first reading, but it ought to be pulled off the consent agenda and debated)
- Sean McGuire's request to dissolve the Metro School Board as we know it
One more at least:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nashville.gov/mc/ordinances/bl2008_111.html
This one has been under the radar. One would think that, if only because to counter the appearance of impropriety, the Council would hold off on their own retirement benefits until they've figured out how big the estimated budget shortfall is going to be this year.
The Tennessean is reporting on how each of the Metro departments would respond to a potential 5, 10 or 15% cut (the predicted reduction is as much as 23%), including which libraries would be closed. At the very least, it's in bad taste for the Council to be expanding their own benefits right now.
I personally think it is in poor taste for the council to receive these benefits at all. I would prefer that eligibility only be allowed in cases where council members do not have access to health plans at their workplaces.
ReplyDeleteI would feel even better if an authority outside the council reviewed individual requests to participate in the city plan for members who do not have insurance.