Meet Fran Bush, candidate for Nashville mayor
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.
More: Learn about all the candidates running in the Aug. 3 Nashville mayoral election | Editorial
Key dates:
July 5: Voter registration deadline
July 14-29: Early voting
July 27: Deadline to request absentee ballot
Aug. 3: Election
Sept. 14: Runoff election
Biographical Information
Name: Fran Bush
Which office are you seeking? Mayor
Age: 49
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Antioch
Education: Bachelor & Graduate Degree in Healthcare Administration & Planning from The Tennessee State University
Job history: Owner of three childcare facilities
Family: 25 years of marriage to DeWayne Bush, mother of five sons, Desmond, Dylan, David, Daniel and Dalton Bush and I am a grandma of an 8-month-old grandson Malachi.
Twelve questions for the candidates
Why are you running for this office?
I am driven by a genuine desire to serve the public and make a positive impact on society. My passion, proven leadership for helping others, I can make a difference. I want to establish bridging our neighborhoods by establishing the needs of a community that will address neighbor concerns, having a plan to address affordable housing, homelessness crime and safety, improving our education system by providing additional support, infrastructure on traffic calming, aligning what Nashvillians want to see improved and have a resolution. My goal of bringing about change and improving the functioning of government by working across party aisles and establish a working relationship between local and state by being a voice for their community, address local issues, and advocate for the needs of the constituents.
What makes you qualified to hold this office and better qualified than your opponents?
My track record from being on the Metropolitan Nashville School Board for four years gave me the experience to help lead a school district where parents and educators trusted my leadership while I was the only school board member who advocated to get our students back in the classroom during an unprecedented time during COVID-19. No other mayoral candidate stood with parents and supported the cause which resulted in students suffered severe academic loss along with mental health. Nashvillians want a leader who will not buckle when there is a crisis but a leader like myself who will run into the fire and put it out and not run away from it. I have experience in working with budgets and holding leadership accountable to ensure fiscal responsibility. When it comes to infrastructure, I voted in favor in the capital improvement budget for new schools and school renovations.
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If you are elected, what are your top 2 to 3 priorities for your first term in office?
Education (makes up 40% of metro's budget)
Affordable Housing
Crime and safety
What are you hearing most from voters about what they want you to accomplish, if elected?
Voters and constituents want me to resolve and address the tumble weeds that continues to roll through our city regarding affordable housing, crime and prevention among our young people between the ages of 14 and 26 years old, making sure our men and woman in uniform get the support they need to serve and protect our city, work with nonprofit organizations and support their causes improving better outcomes to support our schools with more after school programs and fix our homeless population.
A 2023 Vanderbilt poll showed that most Nashvillians do not agree with the direction of the city. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree, most of the issues that have been addressed by Nashvillians have not been a priority. Under my leadership as your next Mayor of Nashville, I will bring fresh innovative ideas and solutions to the table while having a plan, I will execute them and progress will be made.
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What is your assessment of the performance of the Mayor and Metro Council over the last four years?
Mayor Cooper has done what he felt were best practices under his leadership and administration. We can all agree there is a lot more work to be done. Metro Council has had a great track record on passing resolutions and budgets that have greatly impacted our city in big ways and have overturned legislation that could have harmed Metro government. If elected as your next mayor, my goal is to build relationships with Metro Council so that we can ensure our metro government will move in the right direction for Nashvillians who live here and for those who work here.
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?
If elected as your next mayor, I would Implement policies to incentivize the construction and preservation of affordable housing units. This can include offering tax breaks or grants to developers who build affordable housing, streamlining the approval process for affordable housing projects, and encouraging partnerships between the public and private sectors to create more affordable housing options. Evaluate and revise inclusionary zoning regulations to allow for increased density and mixed-use developments. Allocate resources to create supportive housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. This includes providing wraparound services such as counseling, healthcare, and job training to help individuals stabilize their lives and transition to permanent housing.
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?
If elected as your next mayor, I would establish open lines of communication with lawmakers and seek to build positive relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Engage in dialogue to express concerns, clarify misconceptions, and discuss the potential impact of legislative actions on the city. Educate residents about the issues at stake, encourage civic engagement, and mobilize public support to exert pressure on lawmakers to reconsider their positions. Consult with legal experts to assess the viability of legal recourse and determine the best course of action. Develop long-term plans to enhance the city's financial stability and reduce reliance on state funding. Diversify revenue sources, improve budget management practices, and explore innovative financing models to strengthen the city's financial resilience.
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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.
Supporters of such plans may argue that the renovation of the East Bank could provide several benefits, including potential job creation, increased tourism, improved public amenities, and a boost to the local economy. They may also highlight the potential for increased revenue generation and the positive impact on the overall quality of life for residents. On the other hand, some individuals or groups may have concerns or reservations about the specific details of the plan, such as its financial implications, potential environmental impacts, displacement of existing communities, or the prioritization of resources in relation to other pressing needs in the city. Mayor Cooper's plans to renovate the East Bank and the associated Titans deal would depend on various factors, including effective implementation, community engagement, transparency, and ongoing evaluation of the outcomes. Public opinion and feedback from residents, businesses, and other stakeholders play an important role in shaping and refining such plans to ensure they align with the community's needs and aspirations.
What else do you want voters to know about you that will help them make an informed decision on Election Day?
I am a Nashvillian who understands the priorities of our city. Nashvillians want a mayor like me who can relate to them and what the next mayor can do for them. I want to restore the trust of the people and establish a relationship that will create a long-lasting relationship so that people who live and work here have ownership and have a voice of what happens in our city. I am not a millionaire but as a working-class individual who grew up in North Nashville who went to all Nashville Public Schools, went to college, a wife, a mother of five sons, a grandma, an HOA president, community leader who serve on committees for community events, an entrepreneur and your former MNPS former school board member who is very compassionate about supporting our education system. I must work hard just like most Nashvillians, I am just like you. I would ask, when you go to the polls, vote Fran Bush, she is like us, and she understands urgency and gets the work done for our families and our city.
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?
I would recommend visit our delicious food districts
Visit our museums and Broadway
Visit Opryland Hotel
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 local election: Fran Bush, candidate for mayor
