Meet Chris Cheng, candidate for Nashville Metro Council At-Large
Editor's note: The Tennessean Editorial Board invited candidates for the 2023 Metro Nashville-Davidson County municipal elections to fill out our questionnaire. They include biographical information and answers to 12 questions on variety of topics from key policy issues to their recommendation for visitors on what to see or do in the city.
Election Guide: Learn about candidates running in the Sept. 14 Metro Council At-Large election
Key dates:
Aug. 15: Voter registration deadline
Aug. 25-Sept. 9: Early voting
Sept. 7: Deadline to request absentee ballot
Sept. 14: Runoff election
Biographical information
Name: Chris Cheng
Which office are you seeking? Metro Council At-Large
Age: 34
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Old Hickory
Education: Harvard University (Master in Public Policy, Master in Business Administration), University of Southern California (BA in International Relations - Global Business), Ezell-Harding Christian School (Antioch, TN)
Job history: Small Business Owner (Hot Sauce Nashville), Army Ranger Veteran (Kuwait, Afghanistan)
Family: My wife and I were born here in Nashville. Our parents and most of our siblings also live in Middle Tennessee.
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Twelve questions for the candidates
Why are you running for this office?
Champion for Small Businesses: I'm running to be the Metro Council’s steadfast advocate for small and local businesses - integral pieces of our city’s unique culture, taste, and charm. My wife and I are farmers market vendors. We own Hot Sauce Nashville, a local hot sauce company. I’m whole-heartedly grateful for our small business community and the enthusiastic support from our local neighborhoods. I want to commit my time and energy to representing and serving small businesses across Davidson County. Whatever the policy or issue, I'd strive to advocate for our local businesses: How would a new policy proposal impact our small business community? How could upcoming development plans best support the local shops, restaurants, and makers?
Community Investments: I'm passionate about supporting our public assets that build neighborhood bonds and strengthen community engagement and relationships: preserving our parks, recreational areas, and beautiful greenways; investing in our libraries, art hubs, farmers markets, and community centers. These spaces help us connect with each other, grow as individuals, and thrive as a society, regardless of age, income, or background.
Infrastructure: I want to advocate for safe and sustainable infrastructure: smooth roads, clean water, reliable utilities, green parks, safe sidewalks, attainable housing, and ubiquitous internet access. If elected, I would partner with local sustainability organizations to guide our county towards building a cleaner environment and strengthening our land and waterways for extreme weather and natural disasters.
What makes you qualified to hold this office and better qualified than your opponent(s)?
I have tremendous energy and enthusiasm for this city. I was born here, educated here, played sports here, and started a local food business here. My friends and family live here. I know the neighborhoods. I work the neighborhood farmers markets. I deliver to doorsteps. I partner with our local restaurants, shops, and small businesses. I LOVE the people here. This is home.
Additionally, I feel motivated and equipped to negotiate the public-private partnerships that will be essential in tackling many of our current and future challenges. I have government leadership experience (as an Army Ranger Officer) and private business experience (as a small business owner). After my military service, I earned Master's Degrees in Public Policy and Business Administration from Harvard University. I'm able and willing to put in the hard work. I’m hungry to serve and use my education and experiences to make everyday life better for the people of Nashville.
If you are elected (or re-elected), what are your top 2 to 3 priorities for your new (or next) term in office?
Champion our small businesses, non-profits, and local entrepreneurs.
Invest in our community building assets: parks, greenways, libraries, art hubs, recreation facilities, farmers markets, and community centers.
Support safe and sustainable infrastructure: smooth roads, clean water, reliable utilities, green parks, safe sidewalks, attainable housing, internet access, waste management.
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What are you hearing most from voters about what they want you to accomplish, if elected?
Bring people together! From addressing housing affordability to transit needs, there’s a growing appetite for more constructive action and less infighting. Collectively, we have so many strengths. Davidson County is bursting with talented and good-hearted people. I resoundingly support investing in the places that help us strengthen community ties and neighborhood trust. By working together, we can take on the challenges our city is facing during this time of growth. Collectively, we’ll be better equipped to tackle future challenges, such as natural disasters or system shocking economic events. I believe that we can do this!
A 2023 Vanderbilt poll showed that most Nashvillians do not agree with the direction of the city. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Directionally, my dream is that we focus on the fundamentals of healthy community building, by investing in places to collaborate, celebrate, and create together - culturally, artistically, entrepreneurially: parks, greenways, libraries, innovation hubs, community centers, recreation facilities, art venues, and farmers markets.
We, the people, make Nashville a special place. If elected, I would support our public assets that strengthen community ties and build neighborhood trust.
What is your assessment of the performance of the Mayor and Metro Council over the last four years?
I have immense respect for those that committed their time and energy to serving our city through the tornado, pandemic, and the other important challenges over the past four years.
I’ve learned from their decisions and experiences, and I plan to bring new energy and a fresh perspective to the Metro Council, as a small business owner, Veteran, Asian American, and farmers market vendor.
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Affordable/attainable housing has been named by citizens again and again (NashvilleNext, polling, etc.) as a top concern. What should the city do to address this crisis?
As a community, we want a city where we can afford to safely live, work, learn, and play. I’ve been speaking with folks from all across the county (friends, family, neighbors, strangers, academic leaders, and housing experts) about how we can address our housing challenges. Here is what I’ve learned so far: Increasing housing supply is critical, especially along our main traffic corridors. And, building different housing options is paramount as well, including not only single family and mixed use developments but also more doubles, quads, and other multi-family units. For aiding homelessness, transitional housing is another tool very much worth exploring. I’ve met with non-profit leaders in the local veteran community and learned that they’ve found success with transitional housing programs for assisting our veteran homeless population.
The Tennessee General Assembly has gutted Metro Nashville's governance model and finances. What is your position on this and how should the city address the relationship with lawmakers?
As we look forward as a local government, my hope is that we repair this relationship, expending more energy on leveraging our strengths to build a better city and state. My hope is that we elect thoughtful, empathetic leaders capable of communicating and negotiating constructively with others.
As an Army Officer, I led and worked with hundreds of courageous folks, representing a wide array of backgrounds, cultures, opinions, and experiences. We had many differences, but we shared a mutual commitment to making our unit successful. Our different perspectives made us sharper and stronger, collectively and individually.
The challenges facing our city and state are by no means small. We need to work together and move with a collective sense of urgency to address the problems facing our communities. We need to prepare our first responders for the next tornado, flood, or natural disaster. And, we need to invest in sustainable infrastructure to affordably live and safely navigate our growing city and county.
Are you supportive of Mayor Cooper's plans to renovate the East Bank now that the Titans deal has been approved? Elaborate on your position.
For both the stadium and East Bank development, my ambition is that we prioritize long-lasting, sustainable infrastructure that supports the nearby communities. If elected, I’d work to negotiate opportunities for our small and local businesses, prioritize safe transportation and walkability, and preserve green spaces for community recreation and celebration along the East Bank. If we're going to do this, let's do it right by taking care of our people and building something that lasts for generations.
What else do you want voters to know about you that will help them make an informed decision on Election Day
Passionate about our Parks: With Nashville’s growing population density, our green spaces are more valuable than ever. Studies show that our parks and green spaces help fight pollution by improving air quality and reducing noise pollution. Green spaces provide cool, shaded zones that help manage temperatures during the hot summer months. Moreover, our parks are crucial spaces for recreation, exercise, and social engagements, allowing for community building and mental rejuvenation.
I grew up near Cane Ridge Park in Antioch. When my wife and I were teenagers, we’d go play tennis and toss footballs and frisbees at the park. Later, my wife and I were able to launch our hot sauce business at the local farmers markets, several of which are hosted at public parks, such as the 12 South Farmers Market and the Richland Park Farmers Market.
I want to serve on the Metro Council to preserve our city’s green spaces and invest in keeping them sustainable and beautiful for future generations.
Love for our Libraries: I’m a tremendous fan of our library system. One of my favorite places to go growing up was the Southeast Branch Library in Antioch. When preparing for college admissions, the libraries helped me access expensive test prep books and software. When starting our local hot sauce business, my wife and I checked out dozens of books on peppers, fermentation, pickling, and canning. Our libraries connect patrons with adult education classes, employment resources, citizenship clinics, language classes, and digital technology courses. The libraries provide beautiful spaces to showcase our local artists and even offer free passes to local attractions, such as the Country Music Hall of Fame!
The Nashville Public Library system has provided invaluable resources to me, and I want to serve on the Metro Council to ensure that future generations enjoy those same resources.
A "fun" question: When visitors ask you, "What should I do in Nashville?" what are the top 2 or 3 things or places you recommend?
Visit our local farmers markets! They offer such wonderful opportunities to taste the city, meet good folks, and engage with our local growers and makers.
Visit our local parks and experience the natural beauty and wildlife of Middle Tennessee.
Will you commit to being civil in how you present yourself and the way you interact with opponents and others? (Our definition of civility is being a good, active, honest and respectable citizen)Yes
Call Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville election: Chris Cheng for Metro Council At-Large
