NASHVILLE, Tenn. (OSBORNE) -- A Nashville School Board member says she wants to place a school tax increase referendum on the August 2 general election ballot.
Board Member Christiane Buggs says she has no idea how her fellow board members will react.
“We all know that we need more funding for our students. So, I would hope that they would support it, but I also know that there are so many different things that are affecting our city right now that I don’t know where they stand.”
The move comes after the Nashville City Council voted earlier this week to provide city schools with $5 million in additional funding for the budget year that begins July 1.
Buggs notes Nashville schools needed at least $22 million just to break even. She says without additional funding there will be no raises for Metro teachers, and 30 central office positions will be eliminated, among other cuts.
Councilman Dave Rosenberg heads the Metro City Council Education Committee. He says there’s, “no debate that our schools are grossly underfunded.” But the councilman also says Nashville residents have what he calls “a lack of faith” in the Metro Council and the Metro School Board.
“They want to see that we’re looking out for their best interests, spending their money responsibly, and we need to make whatever changes are necessary to increase that confidence.”
Councilwoman Buggs says to get a tax increase question on the August ballot, the Metro School Board would have to approve the referendum at its next meeting Tuesday night.
The full interviews with Chrstiane Buggs and Dave Rosenberg are included below.