Opinion: Black North Nashville residents feel ignored. Why would we vote for transit plan?

A growing city is not without pains. I think everyone understand that.What we do not understand – here in Bordeaux and around this city – is why the Metro government continues to advocate for policies that seem designed to make things worse.On Nov. 5, voters will have an option to vote for or against an increase in sales tax to be appliedcountywide to fund a transit system that might benefit the central city one day.That sales tax proposal is inextricably linked to something called “transit-oriented housing” andzoning reform. Please Google “zoning reform and transit” and see what you get if you don’tbelieve me.Federal transportation grants that the mayor seeks to secure via a dedicated funding stream,favor more development in the already over developed parts of Nashville.The development of Nashville the last decade or so has eroded our historically Blackneighborhoods and community institutions, forced up property taxes and accelerated a cultural change we will regret.Black Nashvillians’ needs have often been sacrificed for ‘latest new things’In the last several years, our group, Fighting for the Soul of Nashville sought to highlight this growth at any cost whether that means more traffic congestion or cultural degradation.While a few well-connected developers many benefit from...