Shane Burkett has been endorsed by The Tennessean newspaper as the right candidate for the residents of Metro’s District 12, making it the fifth endorsement for the candidate.

Burkett, who is facing incumbent Jim Gotto, has also received endorsements from Democracy for America-Nashville, the Service Employee International Union, the Tennessee Equality Project Political Action Committee and Out & About Newspaper.

In announcing the endorsement of Burkett and 23 other candidates, The Tennessean said it “believes these candidates can do the best job representing their individual districts, as well as taking care of matters and issues that affect all of Davidson County.”

The endorsement went on to say “that includes working together in an orderly manner to accomplish the business that will make Nashville a greater city for those who live and work here, as well as for those who may come to do business and visit.”

Gotto, who has served District 12 for the past four years, came under fire in 2005 when he proposed a “$4,000 Plexiglas or tempered glass wall” that would have been placed between the public and Metro Council members. The $4,000 shield would have been placed on top of a three-foot wall that currently separates the audience from the council.

The wall was never placed, with Councilwoman Diane Neighbors, chair of the council’s Budget and Finance Committee saying , ''everybody had some concerns about putting the council inside a bubble.”

Gotto has used some $48,000 that he’s gotten in the last year in “infrastructure funds” (the council created a $1.95 million discretionary fund that members could use to pay for infrastructure improvements in their districts, nonprofit agency grants or other needs the council has not yet defined) towards non-profits that are located outside his district. 

In April 2007 Gotto joined forces with other council members and gave $51,750 to Ladies' Hermitage Association for repairs to Visitors Center (Eric Crafton, Rip Ryman, Jim Gotto, Ronnie Greer). In May 2007 Gotto also gave $10,000 Nashville Inner City Ministry, Inc. Neither of the two non-profits are located in Gotto’s District 12 – The Hermitage for instance is in District 11.

Gotto also proposed legislation this past year that would penalize business owners and landlords for employing or leasing to illegal immigrants. Those two bills that contravene state immigration laws were done with hopes of lobbying Tennessee's General Assembly to change its laws.

In media accounts after the bills were filed, Gotto acknowledged that his bills if passed could not be enforced – “but said he hoped the measures would still spark dialogue and put public pressure on the state legislature [to change their laws].”

Burkett said he was pleased to receive the endorsement from The Tennessean.

“The Tennessean has been reporting on Jim Gotto’s activity for the last four years, and it speaks volumes for Gotto to not receive the endorsement from The Tennessean,” Burkett said. “I’m very pleased to receive this endorsement.”