Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, blasted Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s recent response to outrage over skyrocketing property taxes on Lower Broadway, saying the mayor’s remarks “show zero empathy” and amounted to telling a struggling business owner to “just sell his business and walk away.”
The controversy centers on the iconic Lower Broadway establishment Acme Feed and Seed, where owner Tom Morales said his annual property tax bill jumped from roughly $129,000 to nearly $600,000 in a single year following a countywide reappraisal.
Morales told Fox 17 the increase is “punitive” and unsustainable, warning that the dramatic hike could force the longtime downtown staple to close.
After Morales sought a meeting with O’Connell and did not receive a response, the mayor publicly stated that “it’s not up to me whether he is going to keep that business open,” adding that “the market evolves” and that new businesses open as others close.
The mayor’s remarks have since ignited backlash from business owners and state lawmakers.
O’Connell, however, objected to how his initial remarks were portrayed in the Fox 17 article and went on to publish his full statement on Metro’s office website.
In that statement, the mayor said that the Acme Feed and Seed owner “is entertaining offers” but added that “not all of these businesses, based on the model, based on timing of the market, are possible for survival.”
Pappert, during an appearance on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, argued that O’Connell’s longer explanation only worsened the situation politically.
“This is a rare situation where the mayor was quoted, it was very bad for him politically, he puts out the full statement and, in my opinion, it’s 10 or 15 times worse,” Pappert said, concluding that the mayor showed “zero empathy for what seems to be a feature of Nashville’s bad government.”
Pointing to the city’s recent property reevaluation cycle, Pappert explained, “In 2020 or 2021, they did a property tax reevaluation. It was very low because COVID was happening. Four years later, Nashville’s Lower Broadway is the most exciting place in town, and suddenly we have 350-plus percent increases to the property tax rate.”
He added that the mayor “should have, at the very least, expressed some sympathy,” but instead appeared to signal that “the guy will just sell his business and walk away and it’ll all be great.”
Pappert said the situation “does seem that way” when asked whether rising tax assessments were effectively pushing out smaller operators.
While major celebrity-backed establishments may be able to withstand increases, he contrasted those with “a local business owner.”
He suggested, “perhaps Mayor Freddie O’Connell is thinking that it would be best for the city to get the additional income from selling out the locals and bringing in somebody who can absorb such an eye-watering and mind-boggling property tax hike.”
Pappert also questioned the rollout of the reassessments, noting officials “knew that this was coming.” He said warnings were issued months in advance, but stressed, “when the property bills actually hit, it’s too late to do anything.”
“It all strikes me as bad governance,” he added.
Tune in now to The Michael Patrick Leahy Show – your AMERICA FIRST news talk!
– Watch LIVE here on X
– Watch LIVE on Roku
– Listen on Spotify
– Listen on WENO AM760 in Nashville
– Read more at @TheTNStarhttps://t.co/t37dSPwgkp— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) February 19, 2026
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Image “Mayor Freddie O’Connell” by Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
