NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — At a time when the city of Nashville has raised property taxes by 26%, it is also spending nearly a quarter of a million dollars annually on private lobbyists.
A new report by the Beacon Center of Tennessee shows that cities across the state are using taxpayer money to hire lobbyists—rather than relying on their own staff to communicate with lawmakers just blocks away.
The mayor’s office, located only a short walk from the Tennessee State Capitol, contracts outside lobbyists to represent Nashville’s interests in the legislature. Metro Council members do the same…