Metro Council Budget and Finance Committee Chair Delishia Porterfield Files Fiscal Year 2026 Substitute Budget

Today, Metro Council Budget and Finance Committee Chair Delishia Porterfield filed her Substitute Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2026.

"I would like to thank Mayor O'Connell for proposing a strong budget focused on community and service improvements. It provided a solid foundation for the substitute budget," said Chair Porterfield.

Chair Porterfield's Substitute Budget builds upon the Mayor's recommended budget and reflects weeks of intensive departmental reviews, community engagement, and collaboration among Council Members. "My goal throughout this process has been to craft a fiscally responsible, yet equitable budget that truly serves Nashville," said Chair Porterfield. "We've listened to our residents, community organizations, and Metro departments to ensure that this budget reflects both our city's immediate needs and long-term goals. I'm also proud that we were able to achieve these investments without cutting funding to Metro departments and agencies-ensuring that essential services and operations remain intact for the people of Nashville."

Key Highlights of the Substitute Budget

The Substitute Budget prioritizes:

• Increasing employee pay, including an additional $8.2 million for a 1% Across-the-Board (ATB) increase for Metro employees, bringing the total ATB to 2%.
• Investments in youth and safety, including continued funding for the Office of Youth Safety, as well as additional funding for NAZA and the Oasis Center
• Critical support services, including emergency food assistance, maternal health programs, and youth shelters.
• Maintaining full support for Metro departments and agencies, preventing any service reductions.

Jessica Stewart, President of SEIU Local 205, shared her support: "We've approached this process in good faith, with a shared goal: ensuring fair and sustainable compensation for the employees. Thank you, Chair Porterfield, for restoring alignment with civil service recommendations, which are a meaningful step forward for employees."

Select Funded Items Include

• $8,200,000 to increase ATB (Cost of Living Adjustment) by 1%, totaling 2% for Metro employees.
• $175,000 to expand food assistance programming through Social Services.
• $25,000 to fund The Branch via Social Services for emergency food programming.
• $75,000 to support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) through Juvenile Court.
• $60,000 to support a Museum Study.
• $25,000 for Sister Cities programs.
• $150,000 to fund Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA) juvenile services via the Public Library.
• $88,000 appropriated to the Parks Department to support Shelby Golf Course employees.
• $250,000 to support maternal health and doula programming via the Health Department's Strong Babies initiative.
• $75,000 for the Oasis Center's emergency youth shelters via the Office of Homeless Services.
• $100,000 to explore additional public-private housing partnerships.

The budget also includes support for:

• Development of a Community-Driven Safety Plan under the Health Department.
• Funding flexibility to allow the Office of Youth Safety to access unused funds from the current fiscal year.

Community Input and Transparency

Chair Porterfield emphasized that this budget reflects the top priorities raised during public hearings. "Residents asked us to prioritize youth violence prevention through the Varsity Spending Plan, ensure fair compensation for Metro employees in line with Civil Service Commission recommendations, and expand our tools to increase affordable housing," she said.

Acknowledgements

Chair Porterfield extends her gratitude to Mayor O'Connell, Finance Director Jenneen Reed, Budget Officer Aaron Pratt and their team for their collaboration and dedication. She also acknowledges the Council Office staff, Director Margaret Darby, and Vice Chair Kyonzté Toombs for their tireless work and leadership throughout the budget process.

The Metro Council will consider Chair Porterfield's Substitute Budget at the June 17 Council Meeting. A full copy of the Fiscal Year 2026 Substitute Budget Ordinance is available on the Metro Government Legislative Information Center.

The Metropolitan Council is the legislative authority of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, the nation's first, fully consolidated city-county government, established in 1963. The Vice Mayor serves as the president of the Council, which is comprised of 35 district members and five members serving at-large.