MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris presented his fiscal year 2023 budget of $1.6 billion to the county commission Wednesday, in which he promises a property tax cut for residents, offset by an increase in vehicle registration fees.
The mayor said the property tax cut would be a one-cent decrease, from $3.39 to $3.38 per $100 of assessed value. While there is a cut, Harris said the money would be made up with a $50 hike on vehicle registration fees.
He said the budget would allow for many items to be addressed, including a new minimum living wage for county employees of $17.31 per hour.
Harris said the budget allocates just over $1 million from the general fund for a new violence prevention program, to help the county combat “a devastating crime wave.”
The mayor said the budget also provides for $427.4 million for the county’s seven municipal school systems, which he tweeted was “the highest level of funding for schools likely in Shelby County’s history.”
Harris also proposed $350 million over five years for rebuilding Regional One Health. He said if approved, it would be the first step in a three-phase process to get resources from the state and form a permanent partnership with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC).
“Our budget proposal delivers landmark investments to improve healthcare access, schools, and increase public safety. We also keep a balanced budget, tighten our belt, and propose a property tax cut for our residents,” the mayor tweeted. “We look forward to working with County Commissioners over the next several weeks to pass a budget that is courageous, invests in our next generation, and delivers on the promises we have made to our community.”