Image Credit: clarksvilletn.gov & canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts was elected to the 2024-25 Board of Directors of the Tennessee Municipal League (TML), during the League’s annual business meeting recently held in Knoxville.
According to its website, “The Tennessee Municipal League (TML) is a voluntary association established by the cities and towns of the state for mutual assistance and improvement. The League’s primary function is to work with the Tennessee General Assembly on behalf of city governments, promoting legislation helpful to cities and opposing legislation harmful to cities.”
However, there is a question as to whether Pitts will be an effective advocate in that capacity when we take a look at his record as Mayor.
According to recent reports, Pitts pushed what some might consider a pork-filled city budget that increased property taxes.
The Clarksville City Council approved its 2024-2025 budget which includes a pay increase for city employees as well as a property tax increase for residents.
The new budget, went into effect on July 1, includes expenses totaling over $884 million. Some of those expenses include work on the Spring Creek Parkway, storm sewer system, Performing Arts Center, and the Mason Rudolph Legacy Park. Also included is a 5% raise in pay for city employees.
According to Clarksville’s Democrat Mayor Joe Pitts, the pay increase will allow the city to “remain competitive and on pace with broader market trends.”
However, funding that pay increase, along with other city projects, means Clarksville residents will find themselves forking out even more in property taxes for the upcoming fiscal year.
In addition to higher taxes, Pitts also welcomed Pride to Clarksville, and issued a proclamation officially declaring June 29th as Pride Day in Clarksville at the festival.
Funding for Tennessee Municipal League comes from the cities and towns themselves, and according to the league’s financial statements, “The Tennessee Municipal League (TML or League) is a voluntary, cooperative organization established by the cities and towns of the State for mutual assistance and improvement. In return for membership fees paid by members, the League’s primary function is to lobby the Tennessee General Assembly on behalf of city governments.”
This basically means the League is a group of taxpayer-funded lobbyists.
Recent reports indicate that Tennesseans do not want local governments to use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists, and a new Beacon Center poll makes it clear that taxpayers are against the practice.
Only 5% of likely voters support the practice, with 72% of the 1,200 who responded to the poll saying they were against it and 24% saying they are unsure.
“Ultimately, a lot of people don’t know that this happens in the state,” said Beacon Center Vice President of Communications and Outreach Mark Cunningham. “When you look at this number, it was shocking that only 5% believe that’s something that they should be able to use tax dollars to do.”
The question is not only will TML be effective in their efforts, but what kind of policies will they push, and is it anything Tennessee taxpayers want their dollars to be paying for.
About the Author: Kelly Jackson is an escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers, she has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member. An outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty, Kelly also has a YouTube channel @Tennessee_Truth_Teller and is planning on expanding out to other channels soon. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
3 Responses
Thanks Kelly.
The Clarksville Mayor sounds like a Lib.
I know Gay people and none of them are Drag Queens.
I honestly don’t understand why the LGBTQ “Pride” groups want Drag Queens to be how they’re identified. It would be like hetero people being identified with Strippers. I’ve heard conservative Gay people talk about it and they think it’s a bad idea.
Is it any surprise that TML has gone WOKE? Remember, Blue cities in Red Counties.
This piece of WOKE garbage Mayor need to go Next election. TN. does not want this Trash he and others are pushing.