(update) What happened at Council meeting of 6/21/16? Budget passes, no surprises.

The Council voted to approve the $2.08 billion Council substitute operating budget 36-0.  The budget, which did not require a tax rate increase, increased spending  $121 million, or 6.1 percent over the current budget.  The capital spending plan, tax levy, and other bills related to the budget were also approved. To watch the presentation of the substitute budget go to timestamp 39:07 in the video.

To access the Council agenda, the council staff analysis and my commentary on the agenda, follow this link.



In other council business:
 BILL NO. BL2016-257  on Second Reading, which  would allow Codes to issue stop-work orders against illegal, non-permitted short-term rentals and increase the ban on an STR permit at such a property to three years, was deferred. 
BILL NO. BL2016-258  on Second Reading passed unanimously without any discussion. This bill sells the old Ben West library to the state teachers union and looks suspicious to me.
BILL NO. BL2016-259   on Second Reading, which requires that the Metropolitan Transit Authority  provide to the Metropolitan Council a comprehensive plan for a system of mass transit no later than December 31, 2016, was approved. There is some discussion but it is not very interesting but if you want to watch it, it starts at time stamp 26:59.
BILL NO. BL2016-238   on Third Reading, which permits some establishments to have unisex bathrooms, is amended and passes.  This is a reasonable bill. Read more about it here. 
BILL NO. BL2016-240 on Third Reading would establish new rules and fees for developers who close streets or sidewalks during construction.. This sounds reasonable but is more complex than it first sounds. It is deferred one meeting. 

For those who want to understand the details of what changes were made to the budget and understand the fees charged to waste haulers and other fee changes, you may want to watch the Budget and Finance. You learn more watching B&F than you do the Council meeting.



Here is The Tennessean's report: Megan Barry’s first budget — including more for arts, schools — OK'd

This is still a work in progress. I have not yet watched all of the B&F meeting. Look for another update.

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