Voters’ rejection of Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed sales tax increase on Tuesday, Nov. 4, marked the most recent of speed bumps to her agenda.
The proposal lost by a wide margin, being turned down by more than 60% of voters. This major public rebuke of Kincannon’s flagship fiscal initiative highlights the increasing friction between the mayor, the city council and voters.
In May, Kincannon began touting the proposed half cent tax increase, money which would’ve primarily been spent on infrastructure improvements, affordable housing and city maintenance. Kincannon faced scrutiny from Knoxville republican officials, who advocated instead for cutting government spending and waste…