Eric Crafton is a member of the Metropolitan Council

Metropolitan Council (Davidson County)

The Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-county government of Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County.The Council has 40 members, 35 of which are district council representatives, and five of which are council members at-large. If a member resigns or dies before...

 of Nashville and Davidson County

Davidson County, Tennessee

Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...

, representing the 22nd district.

Education and career

Eric Crafton is the Vice Chair of the Convention and Tourism Committee. He is also a member of the Parks, Library, Recreation, and Entertainment Facility Committee; the Planning, Zoning, and Historical Committee; and the Public Works Committee. He has served on the Metro Council from 1995 to 1999, and since 2003.

Eric Crafton graduated from Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...

 in 1989, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree in Math/Economics. In 1994, he graduated from Keio University

Keio University

,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...

 in Tokyo, Japan, having studied Japanese

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

 and Political Economy. He served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 for four-and-a-half years and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

. He has been bestowed with the Navy Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon

Combat Action Ribbon

The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...

, and the National Defense Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...

. He earned the Navy Achievement Medal for saving his ship, the USS Mobile Bay

USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)

USS Mobile Bay is a Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the naval Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War in 1864. She is currently on deployment to the Persian Gulf, providing support for the John C...

, from hitting a mine during Desert Storm. He works as a general contractor and as a realtor; he has been building homes since 1996. Additionally, he has authored a book titled Backspin. Hackers, Hustlers and the Fat Man.

Proposals

When interviewed by The Tennessean on the most important issues facing the 22nd district, Councilman Crafton said that it was important to ensure the redevelopment of the Bellevue mall, and that there should be a new library built in Bellevue. Eric Crafton proposed the ill-fated English First bill, also known as the English Only Amendment, which would have made English the official language of the Metro government. It passed 23-14, but it was vetoed by Mayor Bill Purcell. He also proposed to reduce the public's speaking time in front of the Metro Council during the public meetings it holds for zoning changes. Councilman Eric Crafton wrote a resolution declaring that Metro supports the use of the words "Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

" and "Merry Christmas", instead of terms such as "Happy Holidays", "Winter Festival", or the like when referring to Metro Government entities or activities traditionally associated with Christmas.

Votes

Eric Crafton voted against canceling zoning in Percy Priest Lake

Percy Priest Lake

J. Percy Priest Lake is a reservoir in north central Tennessee. It is formed by J. Percy Priest Dam, located between miles six and seven of the Stones River. The dam is located about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville and impounds a lake 42 miles long...

, for Sylvan Park historic zoning, for a Westin Hotel on Lower Broadway, for Lower Broadway historic zoning, and for rezoning Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel and convention center located in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company...

. On the third reading, he voted against the proposal for a new ballpark for the Nashville Sounds

Nashville Sounds

The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...

, which included provisions for hotels, condos, shops and other businesses on the land adjacent to the stadium.