MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Shelby County Commissioner wants property owners to fork over more money to help build two new Memphis-Shelby County schools.
Shelby County District 12 Commissioner Erika Sugarmon is proposing a temporary one year, 30 cent property tax increase for the construction of two new schools, Frayser and Cordova East High Schools.
Sugarmon said the new schools are needed by MSCS because the district has been mandated by the state to return Germantown Elementary, Middle, and High Schools to Germantown.
- Here's a breakdown of the proposal:
25 cents would go towards the new school constructions.
Five cents would be directed towards reducing bond debt, allowing the county to secure new bond debt for Regional One - if the state contributes its share of $350 million.
Homeowners in Shelby County with property valued at $100,000 would pay $75 more for that one year under the proposal.
"Increasing the property tax by 30 cents for one year is a necessary step to ensure that we can build the new schools required by the state mandate,” said Sugarmon. “This temporary increase will not only allow us to meet our obligations but also ensure that we can continue to provide essential services without burdening our long-term financial health."
Sugarmon is also proposing a $5,500 salary increase for employees earning less than $35,000 per year. She also wants to scale back the pay increases for those earning over $150,000, with those high earners receiving a $2,500 increase.
