NASHVILLE, Tenn.- A Metro Council member has offered up a proposal that all Metro government employees must live within Davidson County.
If the proposal becomes the law it could mean a big change for thousands of people who look at working for metro Nashville as a great opportunity.
For 23 years James "Doc" Shelton has been a teacher, coach and friend to thousands of students a Martin Luther King Magnet High School. Doc lives outside of the Davidson County line and a new proposal by Metro Council Member at large Charlie Tygard could mean that Doc would no longer be able to work at his school.
Tygard is looking to bring back an old law that was repealed in 1994 stating a person who works for Metro Nashville must live within Davidson County.
The big question is what happens to 40% of the current 24,000 metro employees
"Existing employees who live outside of the county would be grandfathered in. They would not be required to move back into the county," said Tygard.
Tygard says the main reason behind the proposal is Mayor Karl Dean's budget. It asks for a 53 - cents property tax hike.
"If you're expecting the tax payers of the county to foot the bill for your raise, it seems only prudent to me that you be a resident of this county," Tygard explained.
According Tygard's early research in most city departments majority of employees do live in Davidson County. The one department that stands out to him is the Nashville Fire Department where he says 55 percent of employees lives outside the county.
