The Metro Council in Nashville, in a marathon meeting on Tuesday night, voted to raise property taxes by 34 percent.
That was two percent higher than the recommendation by Mayor John Cooper.
The owner of a $300,000 home will pay about $775 more in taxes.
Metro employees were granted a one percent pay increase.
The police budget stayed intact, and money was included to pay 48 police recruits.
Mayor Cooper said afterward, "The crisis budget approved tonight stabilizes Metro’s finances and maintains essential services. The large tax increase is something I would not have considered were we not facing Nashville’s greatest financial challenge. I thank @mendesbob (Council member Bob Mendes who presented an alternative budget) and Council for their leadership."
Justin Owen, CEO of the watchdog Beacon Center, said, "The Nashville City Council should be utterly ashamed about last night's vote to raise property taxes. They had a chance to rebuff the mayor's egregious tax hike proposal and stand with middle-class taxpayers, business owners who have been shut down by the government, and everyone in between. They had a chance to enact much-needed systemic reforms that could begin to right the city's fiscal ship. Instead, they took the cowardly way out and raised taxes by 34%, an even greater amount than that proposed by the mayor, filling in the gaps with pork and special interest favors. Last night may very well be the turning point in Nashville's growth and the day Nashville went from 'It' city to 'It was' city.
"Years of gross fiscal mismanagement resulted in this situation. Instead of working to fix the mistakes of the past and chart a better path forward, 32 Council members took the easy way out and voted to pass the buck to Nashvillians. Last night is just another indication that many Council members want to see us become another San Francisco or Seattle. The question is, do the voters?"