Metro Councilmember At-Large Jim Shulman candidate for Vice Mayor of Nashville
A profile of candidates Metro Councilmember At-Large Jim Shulman candidate for Vice Mayor of Nashville and Councilman Scott Davis, candidate for Tennessee State House District 54.
Jim Shulman
Vice Mayor
http://www.shulmanfornashville.com/
Jim Shulman has what it takes to build consensus in the Council to meet our challenges head-on. He’s lived in Nashville for more than 40 years, and he’s been a leader in both public service and small business throughout his career.
Jim is a former Chief of Staff for the Speaker of the Tennessee House, and he has experience in running a successful small business. He has served his community as President of the Board of Directors for Safe Haven Family Shelter, Renewal House and Outlook Nashville.
Working on behalf of seniors, Jim is currently the Executive Director of the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. He studied business and political science before going on to earn his degree at Vanderbilt School of Law.
Jim met his wife Lori at Vanderbilt, and they raised their two daughters, here in Nashville.
Issues
Meeting our budget challenges
Jim has years of experience on the council, and he’s served as Chair of the Budget Committee. He can bring good ideas to solve our budget challenges, and he knows how to fund our city’s obligations without raising taxes. He will stick to the basics of running a city – schools, roads and public safety – the things that really matter to Nashville families.
Improving public education
Jim believes strongly in public education and will ensure that we fully fund our schools. He will support teachers, expand access to early childhood education and fund English Language Learner programs. With a reputation for building consensus, Jim can bridge the divide between the Metro Council and Board of Education. He will put funding for schools before tax breaks for business.
Addressing housing and the cost of living
Jim stands firm that everyone who wants to live in Nashville should be able to afford to live in Nashville. Our city has had unprecedented growth, and it’s time that it benefit everyone. He will fight for dedicated funding for affordable housing, work to recruit the jobs that pay fair wages, and apply good thinking and new ideas to reduce the cost of living for all Nashvillians.
Endorsements
Bob Mendes, Councilman At-Large
“Nashville’s next Vice Mayor should have the knowledge, compassion, and experience to make tough decisions and lead the Council forward. Jim Shulman has remarkable experience and a steady hand. We need that now. He cares about the people of this city more than anyone I know, and I’m proud to support him.”
Tanaka Vercher, Metro Council Budget &
Finance Committee chair
“Nashville needs thoughtful, steady leadership from an experienced Vice Mayor who can bring the Metro Council together. Jim is a trusted voice who brings good thinking to every debate. He is always focused on finding common sense solutions and promoting good ideas to improve our community.”
Mina Johnson, District 23 Councilwoman
“Our city has had a lot of changes this year, but our reputation as an open, welcoming city has never been in doubt. Jim has a solid reputation as a progressive voice who stands up for all of Nashville. We need a Vice Mayor who will include all voices in the conversation.”
District 54 candidate Scott Davis
Scott Davis
State House 54
http://scottdavisfortennessee.com
Scott works in his family business, the Pride Publishing Group, which publishes black community newspapers in every major media market in Tennessee.
Scott is Kellie’s husband and MaKayla’s dad. MaKayla is in high school, so he’s also a world champion teenage boy intimidator.
Scott is a graduate of Metro Public schools. He earned a BS in Political Science at Bethune-Cookman University where he became a brother in Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Scott has an MBA from Strayer University.
Scott is the son of Annie and Dr. Larry Davis, who was one of the first black men to graduate from Harvard Medical School. He has three brothers.
Scott was on Jermaine Dupri’s street team in college. They email.
Scott is the councilmember for the 5th district, and chair of the minority caucus. Since Scott has been on council, he’s helped bring over 1000 jobs to his neighborhood. He’s helped bring over 500 units of affordable housing and 15 million dollars worth of new sidewalks to his district. He brought a financial literacy center to his district, to help break cycles of poverty.
Scott is the leading advocate for banning the box and ending employment discrimination. He sponsored the legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession in Nashville. He’s brought resources to make it easier to vote in East Nashville, getting more hours for early voting in more locations. He’s helped over 50 people regain their right to vote after paying their debts to society.
Scott has passed legislation to redevelop over 150 acres of blighted property in his district. He has consistently been the biggest advocate for neighborhood development on the council, and the average property value in his district has gone up 63% since he’s been elected. He’s also made the planning process easier, leading initiatives to adapt metro planning standards to accelerate growth and making it harder for industries that pollute to build in black neighborhoods.
Scott is never bored.
Issues
Housing and Urban Growth
As councilman for the 5th district, Scott has been a champion of urban redevelopment and increased density in East Nashville. He’s helped redevelop over 125 parcels, adding over 500 units of affordable housing, and increasing the average property value of his district by over 60%.
Scott will champion legislation that promotes homeownership and ease of access to capital for minority business owners and residents. He will work with his community to make sure that every state program that facilitates growth is well publicized, accessible to the community, and promotes equitable progress for all.
Transit
Scott supports the development of an “all of the above” mass transit solution for Davidson County. More buses, light rail, and streetcars will all be necessary to ensure our future growth that provides opportunities for mobility across all social lines.
Local Control
Scott will fight the legislature over their expanding influence in Nashville. The Metro government and its elected officials are responsible to their constituents and responsible for the future of our city. On transit, on short-term rentals, on the criminalization of marijuana – the legislature has overridden the will of the people of Nashville. Scott will never let that stand.
Expanding Ballot Access
As a member of the Metro Council, Scott has led the fight to expand voting rights and ballot access. He’s helped over 50 people regain their right to vote after felony convictions. He’s expanded the number of polling places in East Nashville and gotten more days of early voting across the county.
Scott believes that the right to vote, especially in black communities, is under attack. As a legislator, he’ll fight voter ID laws, voter intimidation, burdensome registration processes, and any other threat to universal ballot access so that every voter has a right to hold government accountable.
Ed Reform
Scott believes that education should be a community effort, and that public schools should offer an opportunity to all of our students. Scott will fight for increased funding for vocational education, promote intervention in Achievement District schools, and support teacher training and pay so that education can be a career of community service.
Jobs
Scott believes that good jobs are the backbone of a strong community. He is proud that projects he’s helped to create over 1,000 jobs in East Nashville. Scott will support legislation that creates living wage jobs, guarantees labor protections and reduces discrimination in hiring practices.
LGBT
Everybody deserves the equal protection of and access to the law. Scott will fight discrimination in all of its forms. As a councilman, he was endorsed by Out and About and the Tennessee Equality Project.
Women’s Issues
Scott believes that the state has an obligation to rectify the economic disadvantages women face. In employment discrimination, in additional healthcare costs, and childcare costs women face an undue burden, and Scott will support legislation that supports women and strengthens our families.
Scott believes in a woman’s right to choose and access to comprehensive family planning services and contraception.
