Affordable housing, employee pay and youth safety: Nashvillians push to be included in a revised city budget

Nashville’s Metro Council is one step closer to finalizing the city budget.

After Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell released his spending proposal earlier this month, the responsibility fell to the council to begin drafting an alternative. Specifically, that task goes to Councilmember Delishia Porterfield, the council’s budget chair (although other members may also propose alternatives).

Before moving forward, the council heard from residents about items they would like to see prioritized. This year, the loudest calls involved affordable housing, youth safety and increased pay for Metro employees.

Many of these items — particularly employee pay — are top of mind for Porterfield.

“Cost of living in Nashville is very expensive, and our city’s been run by working people, and people deserv