Who Gets A Seat at the Table?
The Daily · · 8 min read
Good afternoon, everyone. Today:
- 1 Redistricting Nashville: who gets a say?
- 2 Sexton revives proposed sales tax cut on groceries
- 3 Newest Beacon poll results
+ And much more!
Redistricting is coming. Who gets to shape the council’s future?
Tomorrow, the Metro Council will hold a special-called Charter Revision Committee meeting to discuss the next steps in redistricting the county to comply with state law, which reduces the maximum size of the 40-member body to 20.
“The Metropolitan Council will follow the law and proceed in a manner that allows the voices of Nashvillians to be meaningfully heard,” Vice Mayor Angie Henderson told us. She then responded to House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s assertion that the state expects Metro Nashville to complete redistricting in time for the 2027 elections.
“Regardless of the Speaker’s expectations, the uncertainty induced by the state legislature’s targeted, performative ‘DOGE-ing’ of the Council has trapped us in limbo for over three years,” said Henderson.
The vice mayor has asked the Council Office to begin preparing for at least three potential public informational meetings across the county, which may need to take place as early as December.
According to Henderson, Friday’s special-called committee meeting will address plans for community meetings, potential Council work sessions, and the use of existing peer-city research and operational analysis to inform discussions with Council members and the public.
“We have been thinking and planning diligently,” said Henderson. “‘Lack of forethought’ belongs only to the State for setting this debacle in motion in the first place.”
What Peer-City Research?
During a September 2025 Metro Executive Committee meeting, Vice Mayor Henderson proposed engaging consulting firm Accenture to conduct an operational analysis of the Metro Council, with the option to incorporate a peer-city analysis to evaluate potential recommendations for restructuring the Council should its membership be reduced.
In October 2025, the Metro Council passed a resolution approving a broadly worded $500,000 Accenture contract for “IT and consulting services” for the Council Office. The legislation and the attached agreement don't specifically mention a study or plan for stakeholder interviews and peer-city benchmarking regarding the potential reduction of Metro Council. The language only appears in the Council Office’s staff analysis.
Since then, the Executive Committee has discussed the scope and phases of the analysis, though some members have expressed concerns that the process has not been sufficiently inclusive.
“What concerns me is that neither the full Council nor the public has been included in discussions that will fundamentally change how this body operates,” Councilmember Courtney Johnston told us. “Outside consultants were hired to make recommendations that have yet to be shared, and I have serious questions about how independent those recommendations truly are and the extent to which they may have been influenced internally.”
Johnston argued that Nashvillians need the Council to focus on the work ahead rather than engage in another political fight with the state, emphasizing that the process must be transparent.
“This is the people’s Council, not the vice mayor's or a select group of councilmembers’,” said Johnston. “Decisions about its future deserve transparency and meaningful public participation, not conversations limited to a chosen few.”
You can join Friday’s Charter Revision Committee meeting online or in person starting at 4 p.m.
✓You're on the list. The rest of today's issue is below.
Opinion: Safer Roads and a Stronger Rail Hub: Keep Freight Moving Through Tennessee
A Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger would end costly rail handoffs, take trucks off Tennessee's highways and ease the state's road funding gap, Blanks argues.
Bordering eight states and home to all six major Class I freight railroads, Tennessee is a nationally recognized logistics hub. Its central location, existing transportation infrastructure, and pro-business environment help businesses move goods across the country.
Memphis is the largest major rail hub, and one of the largest in the United States, but with interchange delays costing time and money, shippers are left looking for alternatives. That is where Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern can help. The rail companies are seeking approval of a proposed merger that would create a single coast-to-coast railroad, eliminating handoff delays between their networks, further cementing Tennessee’s role and expanding market access for local businesses.
As goods move between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, they must be handed off from one rail carrier to the other. These handoffs take time and add to shipping costs. For consumers, that means higher prices and less reliability. Combining the networks would eliminate those transfers, allowing shipments to stay with one carrier from origin to destination. Shipping freight with single-line service costs 25% to 35% less than comparable moves involving multiple railroads.
Better rail connections would help Tennessee businesses grow beyond the markets they already serve. A manufacturer looking to sell farther west has to account for transportation costs when deciding whether it can compete for a customer’s business. Lower shipping costs and more predictable deliveries could make those sales possible. The same goes for businesses buying raw materials or components from suppliers across the country. A combined network would give them more direct access to those suppliers, helping them plan production and fill orders on time. For communities looking to attract new employers, those connections would be another reason to invest in Tennessee.
HEADLINES
Sexton revives proposal for sales tax cut on grocery items
House Speaker Cameron Sexton has filed a placeholder bill to remove the state’s 4 percent sales tax on milk, eggs, and bread. He said lawmakers could expand that list during the 2027 session to include items like meat, flour, sugar, and fresh produce. His bill is a narrower answer to Democrats, who picked up six seats in this month’s election and are again calling for a full repeal of the grocery tax, which has been estimated to cost the state about $800 million a year.
TNJBeacon poll: 88% of Tennesseans want a voter-approved cap on property tax increases
The Beacon Center’s November poll found 88 percent of voters support a yearly limit on property tax increases, with voter approval needed to go above it, and only 6 percent opposing it. Sixty-four percent said they’d be more likely to back a legislator who supports a statewide cap. The online survey of 1,200 registered voters also found 55 percent approve of Governor Bill Lee and 78 percent support renaming Nashville’s airport after Dolly Parton.
Beacon CenterNashville Metro Council considers candidates for vacant sheriff position
The Rules Committee interviewed both candidates to replace Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall, who retired unexpectedly just two months after winning a seventh term. Candidates include the temporary acting sheriff Ruby Joyner, who has worked at the sheriff’s office since 1999 and has the backing of Hall and the Minority Caucus. Former lieutenant Jared Irvin nominated himself and says he sees “opportunities for improvement.” The appointee will serve until the August 2028 election, and both plan to run for the seat.
BannerFormer student files first class action against Vanderbilt over cyberattack
Madison Brinnon, a former Vanderbilt student and employee, filed the federal class action in Nashville. She accuses Vanderbilt of gross negligence for storing sensitive data without encryption. The suit follows the ransomware group BYOD’s claim that it stole more than one million Social Security numbers. It seeks damages, court-ordered security audits, and lifetime credit monitoring. The university says fully restoring its systems will take weeks.
NewsChannel 5
DEVELOPMENT
Via City Now Next: Chicago-based LG Group has started leasing Marston Music Row, a 396-unit, 20-story tower at 1740 Division St. and its first Nashville project.
More infoCamden Property Trust says it won't move forward for now with its planned Camden Gulch II apartment tower at 909 Division St. because the math no longer works, after buying the 300-unit Harlowe across the street instead.
Multifamily DiveEnvision Napier's first phase breaks ground next summer and will displace about 50 families, and advocates say MDHA has backed off its "build then tear down" promise.
Banner
PAMPHLETEER TOOLS
THINGS TO DO
- View our calendar for the week here. Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
- On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
- Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
Tonight Thu, Nov 12
| Show | Venue | Time | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nat King Cole Songbook | Schermerhorn Symphony Center | 7:30p | $43 | Info for Nat King Cole Songbook |
| The Fretliners | Station Inn | 10p | $20 | Info for The Fretliners |
| Live Jazz: Parker James, Paul DeFiglia, & Anson Hohne | Station Inn | 7p | Free | Info for Live Jazz: Parker James, Paul DeFiglia, & Anson Hohne |
| Open Mic | Fox and Locke | 6:30p | Free | Info for Open Mic |
| Kelley's Heroes | Robert's Western World | 6:30p | Free | Info for Kelley's Heroes |
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.
The rest of today's issue
Keep reading: free, just your email
Headlines, tools, development and tonight's shows are one step away. Tomorrow's Daily comes with it.
Like what we do? Forward us to a friend.
Comments
Bards join the discussion. Everyone can read it.