SHELBY COUNTY, Tennessee — A flurry of numbers being thrown around in Memphis and Shelby County these days can only mean one thing: this is budget season. Both Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris released their fiscal 2022 budget proposals in recent days – with one common denominator – no property tax increase. Even Shelby County Schools got into the act with a ‘Reimagine 901’ plan to build new schools and close others over the next 10 years.
Without getting too much into the numbers, Mayor Harris’ budget plan totals $1.4 billion – while Strickland’s operating budget totals $716 million – with an additional $89 million for capital spending. Both mayors are also including modest salary increases for city and county employees. The fact that no property tax increases are included in either budget is significant – but definitely not surprising. Both mayors recognize that the coronavirus pandemic crippled the local economy – not to mention that it claimed hundreds of lives. Strickland and Harris know that now is not the time to saddle city and county residents with higher property taxes.
So now, the city council and county commission will get their hands on the respective plans and you bet there will be additional changes. But, for the moment, both budgets – along with the school district’s long range plans – appear to be prudent and doable. Time will tell if they are adopted as is.
And that’s my point of view. I’m Otis Sanford, for Local 24 News.