Nashville mayor proposes 13 percent increase in spending for schools

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell at Thursday’s State of Metro address (Photo by Freddie O’Connell)

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell unveiled his spending plan Thursday, including a significant increase in education spending. If approved by the Metro Council, education will make up more than 37 percent of the total Metro budget.

“Education is this budget’s biggest investment, and it should be,” said O’Connell.

While unveiling the plan at his State of Metro Address, O’Connell pushed back on recent demonstrations by conservative organizations that have opposed the proposed tax increase that will fund schools and other priorities. O’Connell’s proposed $3.8 billion budget includes a combined property tax rate of 2.814 that’s lower than the current 3.254, though residents would pay more because property values have risen by an average of 45 percent.

“I refuse to tell our students we have to sacrifice their safety or that we have to pull nurses out of schools. I refuse to tell them they shouldn’t be safe in the classroom,” said O’Connell. “So our recommended budget includes a historic increase for schools. This increase to support education and services for our students, a 13 percent increase over last year, demonstrates our dedication to serving our growing community and their families.”

The mayor’s plan would grow services for children with disabilities, English language learners, textbook funding, and safety and security measures.

It would additionally dedicate $64.5 million to continue programs that were previously funded by federal pandemic funds including college and career readiness support, mental health support, Community Achieves, the scholars portfolio, and safety ambassadors.

“Our recommended budget fundamentally continues what works and invests what we need most just like we did for Metro Schools last year when we extended good pandemic-era programs making a difference.  But that bridge was built to keep us from going over a cliff for just a year and now we’re strengthening and funding these programs to continue beyond,” said O’Connell. “These programs have made a unique difference in the lives of students and their families.”

The mayor’s budget additionally includes investing $15 million to ensure there’s a nurse in every school next fall and the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) will add 23 new School Resource Officers.

Conservative groups oppose spending plan

Demonstrators outside the library (Photo by Americans for Prosperity Tennessee)

While O’Connell was giving his address at the downtown library, a coalition of conservative groups including the Nashville GOP, Americans for Prosperity Tennessee, and the Nashville Tea Party held a demonstration outside to oppose the mayor’s spending plan. Those groups argue that raising property taxes will make it more challenging for families to afford to live in Nashville.

“The "State of Metro" isn’t aspirational—it’s desperate spin. A 15% budget hike, rising property taxes, and bloated spending while families get priced out of their neighborhoods. O’Connell’s vision of “forward momentum” is code for taxing residents into the ground while rewarding activist nonprofits and transit consultants. Metro isn’t investing in us—it’s extracting from us. We need accountability, not applause lines,” wrote the Nashville GOP Chapter on X.

The last property tax increase in Nashville was in 2020, when rates rose by 34 percent. Metro Council will set the final tax rate later this year.