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Will community oversight board create a $10 million tax hike?

Posted at 9:58 PM, Oct 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-19 23:26:31-04

It's an ad you may have already seen on TV, that some are calling deceptive.

The ad is produced by a group opposed to a community oversight board in Nashville that would oversee Metro Police.

The ad pushes what it says the board would cost taxpayers, saying over $10 million over the next five years.

The group pushing for the community oversight board says the ad is misleading.

The amendment does not say taxes would increase $10 million over five years if the board is in place.

But, it does say the Board would have to submit a budget of at least $1.5 million each year to Metro Council, and the Community Oversight Nashville website does show a proposed budget of $1.8 million a year.

But nothing says taxes would have to increase to pay for it -- that money could come from budget reductions in other Metro departments instead.

But a spokesperson for the committee behind the ad says it's reasonable to believe a tax hike will be needed to pay for the oversight board, because of major expenses the city's recently made, like the bonds for the proposed MLS stadium, and the city's capital improvement plan, while reneging on promised raises for city employees.

In the 30 second ad that the group opposed to the community oversight board is airing, it actually makes no mention of the words "police," or "community oversight."