Friday, June 25, 2010
Government Council, Commission Meet Over Consolidation
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 11:42 AM
The Metro Charter Commission, enacted by a joint City Council/County Commission vote to create a new charter for a combined government, presented 14 recommendations to those two bodies yesterday at the U of M.
The recommendations included separate school systems; adopting the annexation reserve areas of the suburban cities; mayors and legislators limited to two four-year terms; non-partisan elections; an appointed chief of police to head up public safety and an elected sheriff to be over the jails; an annual five-year strategic plan from the mayor's office; a countywide network of parks; an office of general counsel that would streamline and stem legal controversy; a three-year property-tax freeze under the new government; three taxing districts (urban, general, and special); and, among others, one IT system for all of the various branches of government, including judicial and the constitutional offices such as the sheriff.
Still pending is how the legislative districts would be drawn under the new government.
"This is not personal; this is structural," said charter commission chair Julie Ellis. "Our two-government structure impedes collaboration and cooperation. ... We have found there is a tremendous opportunity to operate more efficiently."
As evidence, Ellis also cited Shelby County's loss of population and income ($1.9 billion, to be exact) over the past decade. About 2,500 local households moved to Nashville alone.
"We should be competing with these other communities, but we're competing with each other," Ellis said.
As if to prove her point, council woman Barbara Swearengen Ware asked why unincorporated Shelby County has to approve the consolidation measure for it to go through because "it will not affect those municipalities. .. I think it is wrong for them to vote. You don't try to run someone else's house if you don't live there.
In response, County Commissioner Wyatt Bunker said, "I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say this is not going to affect the residents of Shelby County until I came to this meeting. How many ways is this going to affect the residents of Shelby County and the suburbs? I just heard a minute ago that we're going to have to share in the burden of funding the parks. ... Is Memphis going to contribute to Collierville parks?"
But the big issue for many of the elected officials seemed to be the proposed three-year tax freeze.
"The tax freeze means property taxes can't increase for three years," said city council member Jim Strickland, also a representative of the metro charter commission. "If they want to decrease it, they can."
In her summary, Ellis said some of the "new" things that would come out of the new government would be stricter ethical standards, alignment of government services, a focus on small businesses, and an inspector general to prevent fraud.
On a side note, MATA was not under the transportation division in the proposed charter, but one of several metro agencies that would be autonomous. Funding for the transportation service, however, would still fall to those citizens living in the urban taxing district of the new government.
County Commissioner Mike Carpenter asked if MATA wouldn't be better served as a regional service, paid for by the general taxing district.
"You and I agree," Ellis said. "We left it in the urban taxing district because of pushback by citizens outside of Memphis who do not want to pay for it."
The metro charter commission currently has three public meetings scheduled: July 8th at the Botanic Gardens; July 15th at Southwind High; and July 22nd at the Ed Rice Community Center.
Comments (11)
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Aside from this being an apparent exercise in futility, I knew I could count on Barbara Too Many Last Names to chime in with the comment of the week. How can someone so stupid remain in office for so long?
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I felt that the crowd was tough on the charter commission's presentation in light of both bodies authorizing the consolidation charter in the first place. This was suppose to be a home game for Julie and team. It won't get easier on the road, especially in the away games in the county. RebuildMemphis.org will have their work cut out starting 11 August.
http://memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Arti…
Is there a way to recall a council member? Can we get one started for Ms. Dolt? Oops.. I guess that should be Holt. My bad.
BSH also wanted to know if the consolidated government would spend anymore money on dogs?
I thought Julie Ellis was superb and there was no question asked of her and the Charter Commission that hadn't already been thoroughly considered and researched. It was never a home game for the Charter Commission but it hit a home run nonetheless. Most interesting is the similarities between Barbara Swearingen Ware and Wyatt Bunker. It's all about maintaining the status quo because the current dysfunction and division give them power.
In Memphis and Shelby County, we've tried functional consolidation, we've tried intergovernmental agreements, we've tried shared revenues, etc., and taxes are still climbing and costs are still going up. Those who say everything ought to be left the same have no rights to talk about costly, duplicative government ever again if inventing a totally new government is voted down.
Thw worst part of this is many people, including elected officials, already have their minds made up. They are afraid to listen because something actually might make sense. We elect these officials to have open minds and make the tough decisions we can't. Most of these 'officials' have nothing more in mind than holding on to their own seats by voting the way a few of their deep pocketed, loud mouth constituents tell them. It's as sad as it's ever been.
Was anyone else there that got to see Tom Guleff make an ass of himself and his cause (Save Shelby County)? Terry Roland also attempted to bring an unfounded argument to the Metro Charter Commission regarding economic development and failed miserably. I have high hopes that Memphis and the region are becoming ready for some positive change but until idiotic suburbanists can come to terms with the fact that areas outside the city should pay for the burden they impose on the urban core that are their livelihood it's gonna be a tough road towards progress.
TheDude38104, since this is your first post, you could have used your real name.
If there is a guarantee built in that no current county or city employee will lose their job, how will consolidation result in any significant savings?
@Jack: My understanding is that savings in personnel would come over time. As people leave or retire, they won't be replaced.
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