Council meeting of Dec. 17th with commentary, analysis, and time stamp notation.

Council partially legalizes transportation competition!

This Council meeting is chaired by Councilman Chris Harmon, President pro tem of the Council.

To follow along with the agenda, the staff analysis and my analysis and commentary follow this link.

The proposed rule change which would have changed rule 47 of the council's rules of procedure and was sponsored by Councilman Robert Duvall is withdrawn without explanation. Rule 47 concerns use of the Council chamber and the placing of items on Council member's desk. The staff analysis did not explain this proposed rule change, so I don't know what that was all about. It was withdrawn without explanation.

All of those bills on the consent agenda pass without any being pulled.

The following bills were not on the consent agenda:

• RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-904 provides compensation for special judges presiding in Davidson County General Sessions Court. Ronnie Stein is the sponsor and explains the bill. Council member Duvall takes to the floor and expresses a concern. (See time stamp 0:16:04) The bill passes 34-0 with no abstentions. Six members are absent. 
• RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-931 appropriates over $9 million to various departments. Charlie Tygard takes to the floor with a concern. Good for Charlie! He is one of the few financial watchdogs in the Council. (see time stamp 0:20:22)

All bills on first reading pass without objection, as is customary.

Bills on Second Reading:

• BILL NO. BL2013-580 sponsored by Charlie Tygard, which would establish the policy that storm water fee bills showing a zero balance or a credit would not have to be billed, which would save the city a lot of money, is deferred indefinitely. To see the explanation go to 0:23:34. 
•   BILL NO. BL2013-603 by Councilman Mitchell which would regulate small outdoor music events on commercial property is deferred one meeting. To see the explanation of the bill see 0:25:00. 
• BILL NO. BL2013-605 which would change the minimum fee that vehicles for hire are allowed to charge passes. To see the discussion go to 0:28:30. (This bill was also discussed at length in Budget and Finance Committee. To see that discussion follow this link and go to time stamp 0:43:54.)
  
  This is a great development! Hopefully it ends an embarrassing chapter in Nashville's history. I would be more pleased it this bill established no minimum. A minimum is designed to not help consumers, but to protect providers of a service. I also would be more pleased if this bill removed the other onerous regulation of black sedans. This is however, a big step in the right direction. To learn a lot more about this issue, see my previous post on this issue by following this link.
  
  It is unbelievable that this bills passed all committees of the council unanimously. It is surprising that a bill which imposed a minimum fees in 2010 passed unanimously and now a bill to lower the minimum so low that it will essentially have no effect also passes unanimously. Our Council apparently has no one with core values and they all bend with whichever way the wind blows. I am disappointed that no one took to the floor and made a principled argument in favor of free enterprise. The bill passes on a voice vote.

On Third Reading a couple bills concerning LED signs are discussed. I am not terrible interested in this topic so if it interest you, see 0:57:07 for the discussion. There is a particular concern as to whether or not the bill would apply to churches in certain zoned districts.

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