Mayor Briley has decided to ‘put a pause’ on his parking proposal.
The Briley proposal would have privatized parking, netting the city $325 million for Nashville over a 30-year contract. Of the $325 million, the plan also included a $30 million upfront payment that would have helped to fill a projected $38 million budget shortfall next year.
In a statement, the mayor said: “Nashville is a leader in everything from affordable housing to philanthropy to health care. There is no reason why we should not at least be on par with our peer cities when it comes to technologies like on-street parking modernization. It’s smart city management.
“Better yet, the proposal before the Metro Council would modernize our system while generating much-needed revenue for transit-related projects—all without ceding Metro’s control or selling anything.
“That said, it is clear to me that residents still have questions about the merits of this proposal. Residents need more time, and it is unfair to the public and to Council to rush this process. Worse yet, others are using misinformation to further confuse and scare people. It’s politics at its worst.
“For these reasons, I am hitting the pause button on this proposal. I have asked the sponsors of the ordinance to defer it until we can have a more comprehensive discussion. We have time to keep talking, and we should take it. Let’s get past the noise of the election season and allow everyone to get their questions answered.”
Cities like Chicago and Indianapolis have regretted entering into parking privatization deals after projections turned out to be off, while some cities like Cincinnati considered privatization and opted to pass.
Briley had received criticism from his opponents running against him for mayor, including Rep. John Ray Clemmons.
“Copying failed policies from Chicago is not the way to run our city,” said Clemmons. “Signing on the dotted line to outsource the only affordable parking options in this town would be a raw deal for Nashville residents. We cannot allow this mayor to create a private parking monopoly, take pennies on the dollar for expected parking revenue, and hinder our city’s urban planning options for three decades.
“We need a 21st-century transportation infrastructure system that works for all of our residents. Any such parking privatization proposal would not only allow a private company to control vital parts of our roadways, but it could also effectively limit our ability to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, enact short-term traffic solutions, protect our environment, and build a forward-thinking mass transit system.”
Rob Maroney, the vice president of government services for LAZ Parking, the company that was to take over for the city said in a statement: “Over the past decade, many American cities have modernized on-street parking in their urban cores with app-based technology that helps citizens access more affordable, convenient short-term parking. Deployment of smart technology enhances mobility, relieves congestion and provides a big benefit to residents and businesses within dense commercial districts.”
