Mayor John Cooper’s budget has completely excluded the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. With this news, more concerns regarding the leadership of Ralph Schulz, the president and CEO of the chamber, continue to surface. It is disconcerting that Schulz receives an exorbitant annual salary of $530,704, despite declining membership numbers and downsizing of the chamber’s office space. It certainly raises questions regarding the proportionality of his pay in relation to the chamber’s performance and the value he delivers to Nashville.
The Metro Council recently voted to approve the budget, which notably omits any funding for the Nashville Area Chamber and highlights the strained relationship between Schulz and Mayor Cooper. Just six years ago, the city’s budget for the chamber was $375,000. In May 2020, the mayor cut the chamber’s budget roughly in half to $175,000. As reported by Tennessee Lookout in March: “The council has cut a yearly grant it gives chambers by nearly 75%. In 2022 the council gave the Nashville chamber $76,300.” If we delve a little deeper into the news of the past few years, we see why the funds have been withheld.
Last year, both the Nashville Business Journal and The Tennessean reported that the chamber’s support for legislation that could have granted the mayor control over the Metro Nashville Public Schools board led to significant backlash — from the school board, the Metro Council and Mayor Cooper himself. The council even voted to approve a resolution that the chamber made efforts to “subvert democracy.”
Then, as reported by the Nashville Scene in May: “During the three-month session, the Tennessee General Assembly passed bills cutting the Metro Council in half, abolishing Nashville’s police oversight board, restricting funds related to the Music City Center, taking over seats on Nashville’s airport and sports board.” The Nashville Post noted that “some local officials have chafed at the chamber’s absence from some of the debates.” The criticism was rounded out when an anonymous source in the mayor’s office told the NBJ, “The feeling was there would not be the political appetite to give any money to the chamber, given the chamber’s open advocacy for some of the anti-Nashville legislation.”
As if that isn’t enough, it now seems Schulz is snubbing the mayor’s office, saying the chamber will be handling economic development efforts for Davidson County voluntarily, mirroring “the way we operate in the region.” Despite Nashville’s consistent funding, the chamber has for years been voluntarily extending economic development support to seemingly every county in the area except our own, free of charge. Is it any wonder the mayor decided to eliminate the chamber’s budget? Why shouldn’t Nashville be getting the same “free” treatment and results as contiguous counties? I remember writing not long ago that 46 companies had been recruited to our region by the chamber, but not one of them landed in Davidson County.
Sadly, there’s more.
A recent survey conducted by Nashville’s Power Poll revealed a divided perspective on the chamber’s performance. Approximately 50 percent of respondents expressed concern, describing the chamber’s performance as “fair” or “poor.” Regarding the decision by Mayor Cooper and the Metro Council to defund the chamber, 40 percent of those polled support the decision, while slightly more disagree. However, a poll that I conducted back in 2022, which was reported on by the NBJ, showed that 71 percent agreed with cutting the chamber’s budget. The poll further showed that 59 percent were not satisfied with the overall representation of Nashville businesses. In other words, the chamber is not considered an ally. The Power Poll gave the chamber a grade of C+.
The exclusion of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce from the city’s budget is not surprising given the circumstances. Schulz has faced criticism for everything from his strained relationship with the mayor and declining membership numbers to the appearance of quietly working in accordance with those who are going after Nashville’s leaders. And according to the aforementioned polls, his leadership has been far less than adequate.
Nashville deserves a chamber leader who is experienced, committed and collaborative, prioritizing the chamber’s mission and working effectively with city officials. In my book, the ideal candidate would have a strong track record in economic development, partnership building and advocacy, while demonstrating transparent leadership and aligning the chamber’s goals with Nashville’s best interests. Someone who would focus on reestablishing credibility for the chamber and making a positive impact for Nashville businesses would certainly be a plus. It is time for change, accountability and a renewed focus on Nashville’s future. Wouldn’t you agree?
Bill Freeman
Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post, and The News.
