Nashville transit ballot measure overwhelmingly defeated

NASHVILLE — Voters overwhelmingly rejected a plan to pay for a $5.4 billion mass transit system that called for a new light rail system, expanded bus routes, and the building of a downtown underground tunnel, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Voters were being asked to increase taxes to pay for a 26 mile new light rail system on five major corridors, upgrades to the city bus system, and the tunnel downtown. An increase in sales tax, along with a hike in hotel, business, and rental car taxes would have paid for the system, but while the capital costs of the project was $5.4 billion, the total cost was about $9 billion with added debt and maintenance costs. For the full story, click here.