Democrats unveil 2025 agenda to ‘rebuild Tennessee’s middle class’

Policies aim to cut costs, boost income for working families

NASHVILLE — Democratic lawmakers announced this week a state legislative agenda to cut costs for working families and rebuild Tennessee’s middle class. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) and Senate Democratic Caucus Chairwoman Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) say these policy changes are needed to improve the economic wellbeing of working families and position Tennessee for long-term prosperity.

The Democratic Party’s 2025 legislative agenda, called the Pledge to Rebuild Tennessee’s Middle Class, prioritizes measures that cut costs for families, boost wages and invest in fundamental public services, such as public schools, healthcare and transportation — while also championing the rights and wellbeing of working Tennesseans.

“At the heart of this plan is the idea that every working family deserves access to the tools they need to build a good life,” said Rep. Clemmons. “Tennessee’s economy needs to be rebuilt from the middle out and bottom up — not from the top down. The Republican Party’s obsession with tax breaks for the rich has hollowed out the middle class and created an affordability crisis for too many families. It’s time to reverse that trend.”

Sen. Lamar emphasized the Democratic Party’s commitment to real solutions for economic challenges, contrasting it with Republican policies that prioritize wealthy interests.

“Under Republican control, billionaires and CEOs get the gold mine, while working Tennesseans get the shaft,” Lamar said. “We are here to change that. This platform is about making sure that families across Tennessee can thrive with good jobs, good schools and affordable healthcare. Democrats are the party with the backbone to defend working families and rebuild the middle class.”

The eight-point agenda reflects the Democratic Party’s belief that state government should focus on the fundamentals families care about: good roads, good schools, good jobs, and affordable healthcare. The “Pledge to Rebuild Tennessee’s Middle Class” agenda includes:

• Repeal Tennessee’s Sales Tax on Groceries. Tennessee is one of the few states that still taxes groceries.
• Health Coverage for All Working Families. Expanding Medicaid would ensure every working family has access to health coverage, strengthen rural hospitals and create 43,000 jobs.
• Raise the Minimum Wage. The minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, which is inadequate for rent, healthcare and the cost of living in every county in the state.
• Universal Preschool for Four-Year-Olds. Converting the state’s voluntary pre-K program to universal access for four-year-olds would reduce preschool costs for families and boost income for parents who re-enter the workforce.
• School Meals for Every Student. Making school meals free to all students ensures all kids are fed and ready to learn. It also reduces school meal costs for public school parents.
• Strengthen Workers’ Rights. Democrats will work to reverse anti-worker laws that have harmed workers, cut unemployment benefits and restricted labor unions.
• Reduce Traffic Congestion. After 14 years of Republicans underfunding transportation, new investments in highways and regional mass transit are needed desperately to prepare for future growth.
• Keep Communities Safe & Prevent Gun Violence. Investing in shared economic prosperity is one of the most effective tools the state government has to reduce crime and gun violence.

The platform, Democrats say, is a direct response to growing frustration that Tennessee lags behind other states in economic wellbeing, healthcare, public safety and transportation infrastructure.

“We are seeing families forced to take on multiple jobs just to make ends meet, parents struggling to afford healthcare and groceries, and public schools being shortchanged by the legislature,” Rep. Clemmons said. “It’s time to turn things around. This agenda is about cutting costs, raising incomes, and giving every Tennessean a fair shot at the American Dream.”

Democratic lawmakers have been showcasing their “middle class” platform this week during a “Cost Cutting Caravan” tour of counties where families are feeling the pinch of high prices and stagnant wages.

“Democrats understand that Tennessee’s success depends on building a strong middle class,” Sen. Lamar said. “This is our mission: to create an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.”

The Pledge to Rebuild Tennessee’s Middle Class will serve as the legislative framework for the 2025 session, as Democratic lawmakers push for policies that uplift working families and build a brighter future for all Tennesseans.