Committee adopts Porterfield budget substitute with several targeted amendments; cuts proposed to multiple departments

The Metro Nashville Council Budget & Finance Committee voted to approve Chair Sharon Porterfield’s substitute fiscal-year 2026 budget ordinance (BL 2025-833) with a set of committee amendments after an extended discussion that produced both additions and cuts across departments.

Key votes and outcome: The committee approved the chair substitute as amended by a recorded committee vote of 7 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 not voting. The final motion was presented and discussed in the committee meeting; the committee debated a sequence of amendments before taking the final vote.

Major changes in the chair substitute described on the record included: - An additional 1% across-the-board pay increase to match the civil service recommendation, bringing certain pay-plan increases in line with civil service guidance (the chair said the extra 1% cost was roughly $8.2 million). - Program and small-grant allocations added in the substitute included roughly $200,000 for social services food expansion (of which $175,000 was described as direct to social services and $25,000 to a Southeast Nashville branch emergency food program); $75,000 for juvenile court court-appointed special advocates (CASA); $60,000 for a city museum study; $25,000 for Sister Cities programming targeted at students; $150,000 for the Nashville AfterZone Alliance (NAZA); $88,000 to support Shelby Golf Course staffing; $250,000 for maternal health/doula programming via the Health Department’s Strong Baby initiative; $75,000 to Oasis Center emergency youth shelters; and $100,000 to explore public–private approaches to housing partnerships.

Amendments that passed during committee consideration (selected): - Amendment (Councilmember Risa Sepulveda) adding $50,000 to the MC3 pre-apprenticeship program passed (8 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 not voting). The sponsor described MC3’s application and placement outcomes and said program continuity is at risk if federal funds lapse. - Amendment (Councilmember Gadd) to provide $112,400 to MMPD for a domestic-violence detective (funding to be drawn from the self-insured liability fund) passed (9 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 not voting). Finance and MMPD both cautioned that the self-insured fund is depleted relative to actuarial targets and that the full-year cost to MNPD would be higher than the appropriation. - Amendment (Councilmember Toombs) to provide $25,000 to Neighbor to Neighbor from judgments & losses passed (8 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 not voting). The organization’s new executive director and board chair addressed prior deliverable concerns and pledged improved reporting. - Two late-file amendments were approved: a $20,000 appropriation to Pet Community Center for spay/neuter services (late-file, moved by Councilmember Styles; recorded as 6 in favor, 0 opposed, 4 not voting) and a late-file $87,000 allocation (split between self-insured liability and judgments & losses) to expand the Safe Bar program (motion by Councilmember Evan Siegel; recorded as 5 in favor, 0 opposed, 4 not voting).

Amendments that failed or were withdrawn included several proposed transfers from MNPD to neighborhood and community programs (a $75,000 transfer to Neighbor to Neighbor failed 2–6–2), a proposed $15,000 transfer supporting the Tennessee Justice Center (failed 1–7–3), and other larger transfers from public-safety budgets that the police department and finance warned would require eliminating sworn positions.

Department impacts noted on the record: MNPS representatives warned the committee that larger reductions would threaten a 3% cost-of-living increase, summer programming and high-impact tutoring, and could force cuts to instructional materials and school safety investments. The Metro Fire Department warned that cuts would reduce ambulance availability and building-inspection capacity. MMPD said a $4.2 million reduction to their proposed budget equaled roughly 31 sworn FTEs and could delay opening the Ninth Precinct; Deputy Chief Chris Gilder said the department’s budgets are mostly salary and that reductions would require eliminating positions.

Committee and fiscal context: Finance staff repeatedly cautioned that drawing from the self-insured liability fund and judgments & losses will reduce reserves that are held for actuarial liabilities; Mary Jo Wiggins of finance reported the self-insured liability fund balance was about $11.4 million as of June 10 and said further depletion was not ideal. Administration officials warned that cuts to the budget sustainability reserves could affect the city’s bond ratings and lead to higher borrowing costs in future years.

What happens next: The substitute budget, as amended in committee, moves forward in the council process. Because the committee adopted the substitute with amendments, the revised ordinance will be before the full council for third reading and final passage according to the council calendar.