MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If you remember the movie “Airplane,” you might remember how Lloyd Bridges, dealing with potential disaster, says, “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking.”
2020 has been one of those years.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has been trying to slowly reopen businesses and everyday life after the coronavirus quarantine.
“All the municipal leaders around our county continue to meet,” Mayor Harris says. “We had a very fruitful meeting this morning.”
When it comes to the Shelby County budget, fruitful is NOT the word to describe the Mayor’s meetings with County Commissioners - although a few of them have given his budget plan the raspberry.
The pandemic has cost Shelby County millions of tax dollars. Mayor Harris suggested raising the wheel tax, which resulted in the gift of a raspberry.
If nothing is done, Shelby County might have to lay off 140 employees.
“My number one priority is to make sure there are no layoffs. The budget I submitted to Commissioners had no layoffs. And I also don’t believe that now is the time to cut the benefits, and to balance the budget on the backs of our employees.”
The commissioners will discuss the budget again on Monday.