In the not-too-distant future, government in Memphis and Shelby County will look nothing like it does today.
And it will happen with or without consolidation.
It’s a fact lost on so the knee-jerk anti-consolidation folks, particularly when political ambition overrides discussion and analysis. Already, we’ve got newly appointed Shelby County Commissioner John Pellicciotti chasing election and holding meetings with the public to discuss consolidation, but before he even begins, he says that there’s no benefit. And there’s Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas, now seeking election as a county commissioner with his characteristic pandering, but he can’t manage to get tthe facts straight.
It’s all political theater at a time when what our community needs most is a reality check.
Nothing Doing
Doing nothing is not an option, because the trajectories of Memphis and Shelby County only go south faster. And the attitude by these elected officials symbolizes the bunker mentality that deludes the smaller town mayors into believing that their futures aren’t inextricably linked to Memphis itself.
If there is one principle generally accepted by urban policy researchers and conclusively proven, it was stated clearly in Memphis recently by Harvard Kennedy School of Government professor and former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith: “In the short run, a short-term urban loss can be a short-term suburban gain, but a long-term loss can’t be a long term suburban gain.”
So goes the city, so goes the suburbs. Just a couple of weeks ago, the sheriff’s department reported that crime is increasing in the outermost part of Shelby County, and a couple of months ago, Brookings Institution pointed out that poverty is moving into the suburbs.
And if you think these towns can exist in isolation, just consider this: only 26% of the Collierville workforce works in Collierville; only 20 percent of Millington workforce works there; about 21% of Bartlett workers have jobs there; and roughly 26% of Germantown workers work there.
Change Is Gonna Come
Voters outside Memphis who reflexively oppose the merger of Memphis and Shelby County governments haven’t grasped the realities of this brave new world. Today, so little of the conventional wisdom is really wise.
For example, so few people outside Memphis seem to grasp the fact that county government is slowly evaporating. If they did, they might decide they prefer consolidation to the government behemoth that Memphis will become when it’s fully annexed out.
The fixed order will be transformed, and smaller cities will find that their futures are no longer defined by their relationship with Shelby County but with Memphis. Memphis will overshadow and drive the futures of all the other cities in Shelby County as Shelby County government morphs from a major force in our community to a government more like rural counties across Tennessee that deliver little more than schools, jails and justice, and public health.
It was a similar dynamic that led to Nashville’s successful consolidation. Faced with the choice of consolidating governments or being annexed by Nashville, voters outside Nashville opted for the merger. If consolidation passed in Memphis, city government would cease to exist. There would be a new government – a countywide one.
It runs counter to everything the mayors of the municipalities think they know, but at a time in the future, they may look back and realize that they missed their best chance to negotiate what they want most into a new charter for the future.
Fools Rush In
It’s no secret that we think here that consolidation could be the government platform that allows us to shake up our trajectory, reengineer city and county governments, increase productivity and improve services. But we need to see the proposed charter of the Metro Charter Commission before we can say if we’ll vote for it or not, but we’re encourage by decisions made by the Commission so far.
But waiting to see what the charter is doesn’t dissuade some people, particularly Mr. Thomas. He throws out old saws about smaller government (although consolidation will eliminate one whole government) and he raises the specter of school consolidation (although the Charter Commission voted months ago that schools won’t be changed). We are told that he, like others, say that consolidation is the Trojan Horse that will be used to merge schools later. It of course ignores the fact that it’s easier to consolidate schools now and that if they worked with the Charter Commission, they could work for safeguards in the new charter to address their concerns.
Meanwhile, Mr. Pellicciotti says he’s not seen any benefits from consolidation. We suspect he hasn’t been looking.
What about safeguards to protect schools? What about stronger annexation reserve agreements with the towns? What about a countywide Real Time Crime Center? What about a real 9-1-1 system instead of the sham we have now? What about each town having its own legislator on the county council to speak to its specific needs? What about a super-majority vote for tax increases? What about a freeze on tax increases for a specified period of time? What about MLGW board membership for the first time? What about the end of extra-territorial jurisdiction that Memphis has over towns’ annexation areas? What about iron-clad ethics rules? What about better emergency services?
Those are only the ones that come quickly to mind, and all could be within reach if these people spoke to the Charter Commission rather than to their own biases.
Red Herrings
Meanwhile, some people say that consolidation won’t produce even modest savings, and yet, our superficial comparison of city and county budgets shows a minimum of 200 duplicative managerial jobs alone, totaling about $20 million. Meanwhile, Mr. Goldsmith has said that 10-20% reductions in costs are possible, and since he cut $400 million over eight years as mayor of Indianapolis, we take him at his word. Related to this is the retort that Memphis city government should get more efficient and cut costs before anyone even thinks about consolidation. Of course, city government goes away with a vote for a new government, so we’re never really sure about the relevancy of the argument, but more to the point, City of Memphis delivers its services at half the cost of Germantown and Collierville.
The anti-consolidationists show a propensity to throw up a raft of misdirection. They say there is no plan, but that’s what the Charter Commission is writing now, and if there had been a plan earlier, they would of course claimed that it was the product of a secret cabal intent on taking over local government.
They say that the Charter Commission is wrong when it says a new government can cut redtape, and that it can be cut today without consolidation. It’s hard to figure out this contention since Memphis and Shelby County approvals are required by law for everything from tax freezes to zoning to authority bonding to health codes and more.
As for us, we have heard complaints made by the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce for years about how the dual governments’ redtape discourages new businesses and acts as a barrier for new jobs. As Mayor Wharton explains it, when he was in China and was confronted with a business opportunity, he could negotiate an agreement but he had to add that he couldn’t say yes until he got the o.k. from the county mayor too.
Pointed Problems
Opponents say that we need to bring new faces into government, but it’s hard to understand how maintain the status quo is supposed to produce it. In other cities that consolidated, the change has brought in a new generation of leaders, and with smaller districts, more people can afford campaigns.
If there is a symbol of our governmental dysfunction, it’s The Pyramid. If negotiations with Bass Pro Shops weren’t difficult enough, dual approvals by Memphis and Shelby County Government made it absolutely impossible. Finally, after losing years, Shelby County deeded The Pyramid to City of Memphis to expedite the process.
And yet, city government still can’t make the ultimate decision. That’s because when the agreement for redevelopment of The Pyramid is reached, city government still has to get county government’s approval if its cost is to be paid without using property taxes.
“What about stronger annexation reserve agreements with the towns?”
Stronger than what? A map adoped and sign off on by all mayors at the time isn’t ‘strong’ enough? Nobody’s gonna ‘poach’ and annexation by memphis is an economic hemmorhoid they aren’t pursuing any time soon.
“What about a countywide Real Time Crime Center?”
RTCC is already working with local govt, and the State Fusion Center data is being disseminated across borders.
“What about a real 9-1-1 system instead of the sham we have now?”
Where’s the sham? The fact that there is no GREAT BIG building where all dispatcher in the County huddle together in one room?
Really reaching for a Consolidation nail to hang yer fedora on here again, ain’t ye?
I agree with Interested Observer. Why would need a consolidated gov’t (CG) for the list you presented?
Do we need a CG to safeguard schools? Can’t do that now?
A supermajority for a tax increase? Can’t do that now?
We just passed term limits for the city so now we can be assured of new blood in the future … Don’t need a CG for that.
Even you have written about the “shrinking cities movement” and de-annexation … You can’t call for a “shrinking city” and consolidation at the same time.
Now if you were to tell me that a CG would eliminate car inspections and the city school system, I MIGHT be tempted …
I think the main point- before getting lost in all the little details mentioned above- is that all but a very small portion of Shelby County will eventually be annexed by one municipality or another. If one is just hoping that one of the suburban towns “get’s them first” it would ignore the agreed upon annexation reserve that was approved by all local governing bodies and the state. This essentially paved the way for future annexations and sets the stage for an annexation process that is virtually impossible to halt. One would be challenging not only the ability of the local municipality to annex, but the legality of the annexation plan which was created for all of Tennessee’s urban areas.
That said, I continue to be baffled as to why anyone would ignore the one chance they have to alter the existing system in a way that would benefit them where it concerns how they are governed in the future. Maybe a disproportional segment of the population is of the age that they are gambling that annexation will not occur before they die. Perhaps it is composed of a group of citizens who have no issue in moving from home to home every 5-7 years and thus are more than willing to simply “jump ship” if the status quo changes. I could also see where a significant number of local political leaders would be adverse to such changes. Anything that might upset current district lines or council representation might threaten their only viable means of supporting themselves.
While there are those who are against consolidation who continue to repeat the same mantra about how it will not help, I have yet to hear from the same individuals a way to reform a dual government system that is obviously unable to address the current threats to this community. Simply saying no, without offering solutions or constructive conversation in no way helps- in fact it defines a knee jerk reaction.
A few questions re consolidation…
1) Will there be an economic benefit? If yes, what will that benefit be (in exact dollar figures) and how will that benefit be realized (in precise terms)?
2) Aside from one ‘giving his/her word’, how would county residents be assured that their school system will not merge with the city’s school system? Will this supermajority clause apply to school consolidation?
3) Will representation in the legislative body be proportionate? If Memphis proper makes up 2/3 of the county’s population, will it also make up 2/3 of that body? If yes, is 2/3 a supermajority for the purposes of making major changes — such as forcing school consolidation?
Just a few simple, basic questions from an interested observer. Thanks in advance.
Interested Observer:
The current annexation reserve agreements expire in a few years. And what if people could vote on whether they are to be annexed or not by urban services district or a town? Sounds like more democracy to us. And you’re just wrong about annexation by Memphis, we predict that if this vote fails, Memphis will embark on annexation again. Just as Nashville did way back when it failed there.
There is no “real” Realtime Crime Center here. Communications isn’t the same as having a countywide data and mapping system. Sheriff’s deputies tell us this is needed.
We don’t have a 9-1-1 system, and it’s not about a building at all. In fact, the building that’s mostly designed is entirely wrong. The current system isn’t a system at all, as former Mayor Chandler learned when he died because of it.
Your turn.
Urbanut: Thanks for saying it better than we did.
Anonymous:
1)Corporate CEOS, Chamber of Commerce, and government economic development officials say there will be an economic benefit, and that their after-action reports show that the dual redtape and bureaucracy is a serious deterrent to economic expansion. We take them at their word since they see it firsthand.
2) It would be easier to consolidate schools now. Anytime that Memphis as 23 of 26 votes (City Council and County Commission), people outside Memphis are hard-pressed to prevent it. The charter commission, we are told, is talking about a super-majority to merge systems, or to only merge them if the elected boards of each agree.
3) U.S. Supreme Court rules that all legislative bodies must be proportionate in a case that originated in Memphis. The Charter Commission would have to define the super majority, and we’d hazard a guess that representatives representing the area outside Shelby County would form alliances with representatives from East Memphis and Poplar Corridor to have influence over tax rates, schools, etc.
Thanks for the questions.
I am neither for or against this deal yet but I have yet to hear a convincing list of problems that we have that can only be solved by consolidation, as opposed to, say, leadership. For all your Nashvilles (which has been helped at least to some degree by favorable treatment from the legislature) and your Indys, I give you Atlanta. Atlanta. Fulton County. Decatur. Dekalb County. Gwinnett, Cobb, and on and on and on. Lots of political subdivisions, lots of young workers, business, bike trails, parks, etc. They didn’t get there by consolidation. They got there by good leadership, creating a business friendly and liveable environment. No comparison to another city is perfect, but the simple fact is that an area does not need to be consolidated to succeed. It needs good leaders. Now, maybe the argument is that we are so far behind we need to do something drastic, and that’s fine, and SCM has I think made that argument. But the cost saving rationale is questionable, and would hardly be a sufficient sole argument for consolidation even if it were rock solid, IMO. But most of all, it would be helpful if the pro consolidation folks would stop demonizing the other side and essentially calling them idiots. That won’t win many converts. Last, do we really want folks like Chris Thomas in charge of the entire bloody metro area? I’m only half kidding with that one.
SCM says: “Corporate CEOS, Chamber of Commerce, and government economic development officials say there will be an economic benefit, and that their after-action reports show that the dual redtape and bureaucracy is a serious deterrent to economic expansion. We take them at their word since they see it firsthand.”
My next question to SCM — Aren’t these the same folks who tell us we can’t live without those PILOT benefits you often decry?
Thanks.
(This is Anon 7:35 and 4:23.) By the way, I’m leaning more and more toward consolidation because I figure there will be some kind of economic benefit and because it appears that the county’s other municipal governments will be able to retain some degree of home rule. What I’m bothered by, though, is that consolidation is being sold on very, very vague terms — and the problems that are presented repeatedly by the most pro-consolidation among us do not appear to be problems that absolutely require consolidation in order to fix.
Crime centers and 911 centers can be built and can operate efficiently in non-consolidated cities. It happens all the time all over the country. Economic development can occur in non-consolidated cities, too. Those problems alone do not seem to demand consolidation. They seem, rather, to demand competent professionals in positions of authority. Most suburbanites have seen Memphis’ track record in placing professionals in positions of authority — and it ain’t good. I figure they wonder why they’d want to put their little slices of heaven in that same boat.
Question:
Does anyone know if this vote/process has to be scrutinized through the Department of Justice Preclearance system? I have worked with Business Improvement Districts that were voted on in Mississippi that fell under the civil-rights overview to be created. Didn’t know if Tennessee was subject to this election/referendum oversight?
Anon-
Not to pick on the specific example you gave, but I think Atlanta can also offer some compelling reasons for consolidation when you look at some of the issues they have faced over the past decade. A central and recurring issue is their lack of coordinated public transit in a city that is grossly over-dependent on the car for a metropolitan area of its size (both in terms of geographic and population proportions). The very fractured nature of the city and its immediate surrounding governments has turned into near deadlock on the issue. Suburb “A” in Cherokee County may want and be willing to support an extension of MARTA, however the county as a whole wants nothing to do with it, thus service cannot be extended. It’s been a stumbling block to the regions mobility and the fact that any coordination is occurring in respect to mass transit and transportation planning in general actually required intervention by the state. In another case, there was the issue regarding the need for a sewage treatment plant that became quite a hot topic. I wish I could cite the exact nature and dates of the event (maybe someone here remembers) but it essentially boiled down to the city’s need for a new treatment facility and it’s financial inability to pay for it. While the Memphis area enjoys a relatively stable level of cooperation among numerous municipalities in this regard, in Atlanta the walls built between the various counties, cities and districts made it an almost toxic environment that threatened Atlanta’s growth and prosperity.
All that to say, I am also in the undecided camp seeing as no official document has been produced from which I can base an opinion. However, I do see where there are advantages where consolidation is concerned.
I also realize there have been numerous individuals that have cited the relatively small number of consolidated governments nationally. However, if they take a closer look, they will see that there are numerous municipalities that simply side-stepped the issue via annexation. Phoenix, Oklahoma City and numerous other western cities basically bypassed the need for a stronger metro-level type of government by annexing huge tracks of vacant land surrounding their urban areas. Oklahoma City has over 620 square miles within its city limits- roughly twice the size of Memphis- and includes not only the core county, but extends into 3 adjacent counties. Phoenix has 517 square mile within it municipal boundaries, which is roughly 200 square miles larger than the 302 square miles that define Memphis. These cities, and others such as Dallas, San Antonio and Kansas City, have made proactive annexation of undeveloped areas a component of their municipal management for several reasons. Two very important ones that top the list are annexation in this manner gives the central city control over any development that occurs within that area including service levels and timing of approval. Secondly, it has a positive impact on the city’s bond ratings.
Well a few comments re your Atlanta comments. First, I was not aware that proponents of consolidation were openly suggesting that one reason to do it would be so that county resident opposition to things like MARTA could be suppressed by the city voters. At least someone is being honest now.
Second, the sewage issue was a city issue and was dealt as such. It is irrlevant to this discussion, unless you can explain how it is relevant.
Third, my point, the one you did not address, is that consolidation is not a necessary precondition to a having a successful city. Atlanta, by almost any measure, is a successful city. It is not consolidated. You may not like where MARTA stops, and every city has issues. But the fact is the leadership of that city made decisions years ago that led to its current success, decisions which had nothing to do with the form of government the city or region used. We dont necessarily need consolidation. We absolutely need good leaders. And you dont need the former to get the latter.
Smart City,
I appreciate you working to bring consolidation to the forefront as an issue. I would ask that before you begin your political theatrics that you take a few minutes to get informed of the facts.
In addressing your general comments, I have not said that there are not benefits to consolidation but I have said that I don’t see the benefit to the voters of District 4. It would certainly be a benefit to the citizens of Memphis to disperse the $1.1 Billion dollars in debt across all the people of Shelby County, just as it would be a benefit for me if you’d agree to pay half my mortgage. Of course, you paying my mortgage wouldn’t be of much benefit to you, but as long as there is a benefit for someone you’re for it. Right?
Furthermore, unless I’m terribly mistaken, my role as County Commissioner calls for me to represent the people of District 4. Part of that responsibility includes informing them about consolidation and giving them the opportunity to share their opinions and concerns. You are welcome to come to any of the Town Hall meetings that I have scheduled over the next two weeks and offer your perspective, but I highly recommend that you make sure you have the facts straight first.
Interdependance
You are completely accurate with your comments on the importance of Memphis to the suburbs, and the region as a whole. You do however fail to make a case for how consolidation will address the woes that are plaguing Memphis. Do you really believe that consolidation will address the issue of crime? How about children dropping out of high school? Infant mortality? Declining neighborhoods? Poverty? Race Relations? Corrupt politicians? (OK, we could add to the charter that convicted felons can’t receive government appointments or hold elected office.) Our answers to these challenges will define the legacy of Memphis that we leave for our children, not how the government is structured. The entire region has a vested interest in coming up with creative solutions that address these and many more issues. Working towards these solutions would be a much better use of time than the side show of “Consolidation” as a magical panacea to all our woes.
Everyone in the region has a moral obligation to PERSONALLY get involved in addressing the issues that are holding Memphis back. Many of us do this through volunteer work. I help champion charter schools to give the next generation better opportunities. I serve on the board of an organization that is helping teach expectant mothers how to take care of themselves prior to birth, and their babies once they arrive in an effort to address the horrific epidemic of babies not having the chance to grow up. I do these things because our community needs them and I feel a call to help the least of these.
Is The Grass Greener?
Your desire to “shake up” our trajectory indicates that you don’t feel like Memphis is heading in the right direction. Do you honestly believe that it is a good idea to roll the dice on the future of our community? Mismanagement has lead to a number of the problems we are currently facing, but it could be worse. Look at Detroit. Housing prices have collapsed to the point that the average home price in 2008 was less than $20,000. They are actively looking at razing large sections of housing and deannexing them. We could end up in a situation where we wish we had the devil we know back. The deannexation concept is something Memphis should consider particularly in light of the proposed charter amendment to allow citizens to deannex their communities through the ballot box.
Benefits?
The questions that you pose regarding the benefits are worth addressing. Schools, as I’m sure you know, are “off the table” per the only significant vote that the Charter Commission has made to date. The plan to address the $50 million that the City Council and MCS have been arguing about is still up in the air since Consolidation won’t impact the schools. Annexation? The suburban communities have indicated to me that they are happy with the current arrangement. A county wide RTC is a good idea, although the Sheriff’s department already does data driven policing efforts, which is the main thrust of the RTC. You make a great point about improving 9-1-1 services, but fail to understand that in many of the suburban communities, the 9-1-1 operator also helps monitor the jails. Moving to a regional 9-1-1 center would increase the cost burden on citizens in these areas. This kind of creative approach to providing government services has enabled the suburban communities to keep their tax rates low, while providing quality service to citizens. Whether the redistribution of legislators would be good or bad is still in question. Is it better to have 6 of the 13 representatives on the County Commission representing some part of the county outside the Memphis city limits or 7 or 8 out of 33? I think a super majority requirement to raise taxes is a great idea. No need to wait for consolidation, let’s pass that law right now. Freezing taxes? This is also a wonderful idea, which is why I will vote against any tax increases, but putting it in the charter is simply political showmanship. I’ll also grant you that our Ethics legislation needs to be tighter. I’ve been dismayed by some of the things I’ve seen in the two months I’ve been on the Commission. You point to better emergency services as yet another benefit, the problem is the outlying communities all seem happy with the services they are receiving. I haven’t had anyone in Bartlett (or any other area) call me and complain that the police, fire, or ambulatory services were subpar.
It is obvious that each of those “benefits” came “quickly to mind” because they aren’t particularly well thought out. They fail to account for the intricacies of each issue and how it will impact those people that I represent.
The Real Red Herring
I believe that the real Red Herring is the supposed cost savings that will be achieved through consolidation. Mayor Wharton is reported to have said that there isn’t a “shoebox worth of savings” to be had with consolidations. No wonder everyone just talks about the “efficiencies” of a merged government. The first issue here is that the political culture in Memphis and Shelby County is extremely hesitant to cut government jobs. While your analysis shows that 200 managerial jobs could be cut, my brief experience as a Commissioner leads me to believe that they won’t be cut, and worse, that more will be added “on a temporary basis” to see us through the “transition period.” Furthermore, there will be a requirement to equalize salaries across the city and county employees. Using rough math let’s do a little exercise. The new government would have 13,000 employees, minus your 200 cut managerial jobs for a total of 12,800. The average pay is around $55,000. If there is a 5% difference that makes for a net payroll cost increase of $32 million.
I’m just going to brush over your claim that Memphis delivers services at half the cost of the suburbs because the tax rates of each community tell a very different story. If you need further validation of the efficiencies in the suburbs, compare the cost of vector control before and after the take over by the Health department, which I recognize is a County agency.
Pointing at the Wrong Problems
Fresh faces are getting involved in politics. You may not recognize them right away, but there are a number of us and we are making a difference. Mark White was recently elected to the Legislature, where he brings years of business experience to the table. Jim Strickland and Kemp Conrad are both serving admirably on the City Council in their first elected positions. Edith Moore and I are both adding new perspectives to the County Commission, neither having served in office before. The introduction of term limits will go a long way towards making sure we have new faces and ideas getting involved in our legislative process.
I appreciate you using the Pyramid as an example of governmental dysfunction. It may even be the poster child. The problem is that the symbiotic relationship between the city and county isn’t what the hold up has been. The leaders at the time made a decision, jointly and without too much difficulty, that Bass Pro was who Memphis and Shelby County should go to the dance with while brushing aside all other suitors. Bass Pro on the other hand hasn’t been quite as excited about going to the dance with us. I could be mistaken, but I don’t get the feeling that Bass Pro is waiting around on consolidation to finally pull the trigger on outfitting the Pyramid as an outdoorsman’s paradise.
The Charter Commission may come up with a charter that I can get behind whole heartedly, but will remain extremely skeptical until I see the final document. I will continue to be a part of the process by talking with the people I represent and bringing their concerns back to the Commission for their consideration. Mayor Goldsworthy and some of her peers have already presented an extensive list of concerns ranging from how existing intergovernmental agreements will be addressed to dealing with making sure that adequate safeguards are in place for future services that municipalities want to provide to their citizens.
I look forward to Shelby County having a healthy debate on the issues surrounding consolidation over the next 8 months. I plan to make sure that those of us who are doubtful on consolidation’s benefits concerns are heard.
Sincerely,
John Pellicciotti
County Commissioner, District 4
johnpellicciotti@yahoo.com
Wow- did not realize I was suddenly representing the consolidation movement here or that you would read some kind of deeper meaning into my comments “At least someone is being honest now”. One could just as easily reverse the comment and ask should a few rural residents in “the county” be able to control an issue that would benefit the vast majority of the citizenry. Let’s just take a deep breath. My comments had nothing to do with suppression but with cooperation and planning regarding issues that are much bigger than any one municipality in the area. MARTA is an example of how something that would have enormous benefits for an entire region can be essentially neutered by a small minority of people and special interests.
The sewage treatment example is a very relevant point and I would ask you to re-read my original post. In Memphis, there is cooperation in regards to sewage treatment which in turn allows for commerce and industry to be built on a large scale in the city and elsewhere while protecting our environment for everyone. This cooperation has allowed for the construction of facilities on a scale that might not be possible without said cooperation. In Atlanta, there was little cooperation on the issue. Without the sewage treatment plant, continued economic growth was placed in jeopardy as well as running the risk of environmental degradation not only for residents within the city limits, but everyone living downstream. It shows a lack of awareness or respect of the fact that the economic prosperity of the Atlanta region is a shared future, not one that can or should be carried by only one municipality. Simply put, having a very fractured municipal landscape has prevented Atlanta from achieving some very basic goals, as admitted by local politicians time and again, such as a more thoroughly developed transit system to relieve chronic congestion (and thus increased waste- lost productivity), a coordinated plan for balanced growth and tackling environmental issues such as water supply, wastewater treatment and poor air quality standards. Hopefully that clears it up for you.
Atlanta may be a successful city on several fronts, I am not debating that point. However, most will admit it has unfulfilled potential due to certain issues that could be resolved through greater cooperation or through a more unified government such as transit, economic development and basic planning direction and goals. I never said we absolutely needed consolidation, but I did point to where it could yield positive results in the topics I mentioned. Hopefully that clears it up for you.
No- you don’t need a consolidated government to elect good leaders. However, I would much prefer one set of good leaders with a unified vision and goal for the community over 10 separate good leaders all going in different directions and at times undermining each other’s progress (both intentionally and unintentionally).
Commissioner:
Thanks for the post, and just for the record, the person who wrote that post voted for you and is one of your constituents.
What makes you think the debt of Memphis is spread across all of Shelby County? That’s not done in other communities so we haven’t heard the Charter commission say one word about doing that.
How do you inform your constituents about something that’s not even written yet? Why don’t you ask them what they’d like in a new government charter and deliver that to the Charter Commission? Without that, this feels like old style politics to us when we need new leaders like you to bring some new ideas and new attitudes to the table.
We’ve said for five years that the trajectory of Memphis AND Shelby County is going the wrong way, so we do agree on that. But you offer up opinions about how things can’t change, how this or that will happen, but they didn’t happen in other cities that merged governments. This sort of woe is us, but don’t change anything thinking is a tragic condition in our county, and we look at the trends for our county and we say: How’s the present system working for you?
Mayor Wharton says he never said there won’t be a shoebox of savings. He said it shouldn’t be sold on savings, because there are so many other issues more important – like seamless crime-fighting, for instance. And your constituent here says the 9-1-1 system is a joke and the towns know it.
Also, we’ve had three people compute the cost of government, and if you truly believe that it’s as simple as pointing to the tax rate to make your case about the towns versus Memphis, we only point out that as long as county government has subsidized the small towns, it’s a wonder they have a tax rate at all. Your response about the cost of services sounds more like a talking point than factual.
We don’t think Memphis compares to Detroit, but even if you want to make that analogy, we’d point out that because no one tried to take a regional approach to its problems, those same problems are now showing up in the suburbs, just as they are here.
We could go on and on, but we commend the town mayors for answering the Charter Commission’s questions and sending in their own. From what we’ve seen, the Charter Commission is listening and acting on them. The lesson: it’s better to get into the process than simply try to exploit it for your political gain.
Thanks again for your comment. We’ll let your constituent answer next time.
How does the burbs manage to hire all these right-wing, fear-mongering idealogues. And after saying he hasn’t said there are no benefits to consolidation, he offers us a diatribe starved for facts.
He says he only giving his constituents a chance to give their opinions and then he calls consolidation a sideshow. I think he’d qualify as an expert witness on being a sideshow because that’s what he’s doing with his “public hearings.”
Yes, he does represent District 4 like he says, but is there no sense of a greater commitment – to the future of our whole county. Commissioner, you are not an island and neither is your district.
If SCM’s facts are wrong, why doesn’t he point out one and give his proof. He can’t do it. His political ego and his personal ambition are showing.
Commissioner:
We meant to suggest that you should get the facts about The Pyramid. There were no other serious suitors – meaning, money. And city, county and Bass Pro have said the dual bureaucracies have caused years of delay.
More to the point, the Chamber of Commerce and economic development officials of city and county have said that the dual redtape and bureaucracies drive off business and cost us jobs and investment. That’s not our opinion. That’s the opinion of the people who actually do this work every day.
Thanks again for your taking the time to provide you point of view.
Why should he get those facts right? He didn’t get any of the others.
These townies are just like Herenton – it’s all about keeping their power and saying whatever it takes to get elected.
While I don’t wish to get into an argument, particularly over the Internet, I certainly don’t mind having a polite conversation. One of my favorite quotes is “If you and I think exactly alike, then one of us is irrelevant”, so I find debate to be a healthy and vital part of how our government should work.
Answering Smart City Memphis’s comments-
Thank you for voting for me (whichever SMC you are.) I appreciate it and work hard to make informed, reasonable decisions. It doesn’t mean that I will always agree with you or that I won’t make mistakes, but it does mean that I will be thoughtful and rational in my decision making process.
My concern about the debt may be unfounded once the final document is written, but if no one brings it up it probably won’t be addressed. As you know, consolidated city/county governments are typically broken up into two taxing areas. The first is urban and the second is general services. In the urban area you get added services like that green garbage can, parks, and various other amenities that are traditionally provided by cities. General services are things that everyone in the county would use including police, fire, and health services. It has yet to be defined if the City debt will be serviced through the urban or the general services taxing district. My opinion is that it will probably be split so that part of it goes into each district. As I said, this may not be true, but proponents of consolidation bear the burden of proof that it will be a good deal for everyone, not just people in the city.
My intention with the town hall meetings is to first explain to the people living in my district how the process works, then solicit their feedback, and finally offer my thoughts on it. Through this process, they will gain the tools to get involved if they so choose. Had you been in attendance at one of the meetings, then you would realize that while I am openly skeptical of consolidation, I have no problem with a discussion about it. I do wish we would have had the discussion prior to launching the Charter Commission, but that is a story for another time.
As for how the present system is working for me, I can’t complain. Most of my constituents are also fairly happy with the way their various local governments are performing. I haven’t heard of any major uprising against the mayors and aldermen of Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Lakeland, Arlington or Millington. Ok, there was a small uprising in Millington when Mayor Hodges agreed to be a part of the Charter Commission, but I think that has died down once he explained that it is better to be part of the process than outside watching other people decide your fate. I do recognize that Memphis has a number of opportunities for improvement, and I am working on those both personally and politically. On the political front I am exploring ideas on how we can address blight, encourage redevelopment inside the city limits, and spur economic development throughout the region.
I won’t argue over what May or Wharton did or didn’t say, but if a consolidated government is really going to be significantly better at fighting crime, please show me the data supporting that conclusion. Explain to me how they will accomplish it. I find it odd that I get accused of being “starved for facts”, yet I am suppose to take it on faith that crime will magically be reduced, spending will miraculously decrease, and that efficiencies will sprout from the ground if only we had consolidation. As for the 9-1-1 system, I will confess that I am not an expert on it. I do know that there is $28 million in the bank waiting to be spent on emergency services. If someone wants to make a case for how it benefits everyone involved to move to a consolidated 9-1-1 system, I will certainly listen and support it if the case is strong enough, but once again the burden of proof falls to those advocating change.
You and I both know that any cost of government analysis on what Memphis and Shelby County will look like after consolidation is guess work at best and more likely just creative writing. If you review the academic research, I think you’ll find that savings are far from certain and that frequently consolidation has lead to a higher cost of government. If you’d like to come to a presentation on it, I believe there is one coming up in the next couple of months, drop me an e-mail and I’ll let you know the details when I get them. I assume you are referencing the policing services the county provides Lakeland (which doesn’t have a property tax now that you mention it) and Arlington receive from the Sheriff’s Department. Given that 55 crimes were committed between those two municipalities during February and 20 of those were thefts from motor vehicles, I just don’t see the meat to the county heavily subsidizing them. Are you also implying that Bartlett or Collierville are being subsidized? If you have data to back that up, please share it with me, I’d like to know it.
On the Pyramid, I know of at least one other serious suitor that was run off. I’m not sure if you saw the plans for the Aquarium, but they were well thought out, and based on the group of backers; they wouldn’t have had issues raising the money if they didn’t have it already.
Our approach to Economic Development has improved dramatically over the past several years, but I agree it could still use further improvements. I have heard the argument for the region being more nimble in how we respond to potential corporate citizens, but question whether companies of significant size are really making decisions on where to relocate to over the course of a couple of weeks. I have reached out to the Chamber of Commerce for their suggestions on how we can improve the process, and would gladly take any recommendations you might have into consideration.
With regard to Anonymous’s comments-
Consolidation is a sideshow that has us talking about what the structure of government should look like instead of how to address the issues of public safety, education, and infrastructure in our communities. The problem is that consolidation has the potential to have an extensive negative impact on my constituent’s lives and therefore I have an obligation to address it instead of dealing with what I consider the real problems in the county.
It is my responsibility to first represent District 4 (hence the term representative) then to represent Shelby County as a whole. There will be times when the good to Shelby County may out weight the impact on District 4, but in this instance, I think that neither Shelby County, nor District 4 will benefit from consolidation.
If you’d like to have a further discussion without name calling, then I would ask that you present an argument for debate instead of off the cuff hyperbole.
My apologies for being so long winded.
Commissioner Pellicciotti,
Admittedly this is a hypothetical and thus may have no place here. What happens if you as a leader are confronted with a situation where the choice is between representing your constituents opinions and best interests and the best interests of the entire community (in this case all of Shelby County including those within existing municipal boundaries)? We all know, and I am sure you are very aware, that these interests do not always align. Would you support the community as a whole or your district? Please don’t read this as being antagonistic, I’m just trying to get a feel for the playing field here.
Urbanut:
Thanks for your comments, which, as usual, were interesting and on point. We’ll post something in the next few days about the biggest difference between Memphis and its peer metros. When you drive outside
Here’s the most important quote that we’ve seen on consolidation in months.
From today’s Commercial Appeal in article about Fred Smith:
He said he sensed a “growing sentiment” that city-county consolidation makes sense “provided the school system is exempt from it. That’s the one area that would be irreconcilable.”
Commissioner:
Thank you for your additional comments. Based on the length of our posts, we never tell anyone else they’re long-winded. We appreciate your taking the time to reply in such detail.
We agree to disagree. We think the research is clear, and the only person brought in by the town mayors from MTAS wasn’t an expert at all. He merely regurgitated a lot of reports, but there was no original research, so if you’re relying on that as a source of information, we hope you’ll take it with a grain of salt and also talk with people like Stephen Goldsmith who have saved the hundreds of millions of dollars and can tell you how it improved the war on crime.
At any rate, we think you deserve the chance to express your position without us constantly replying tit for tat, so we leave it at that.
Thanks again for your comments, and we hope you’ll continue to visit the blog.
After reading Commission Pellicciotti’s lengthy posts, little wonder our local governments seldom get us anywhere. Too busy talking as the facts escape them.
Urbanut,
It is my job to always represent the people of the District. The challenge comes in balancing the long and the short term interests of the District. Having a healthy vibrant City of Memphis is key to the long term interests of the suburban communities and so sometimes the long term interests of District 4 may require short term sacrifices.
Thanks,
John
Thank you Commissioner. That is the type of attitude and vision that I hope is employed by all of our leaders and citizens during this process.
I also hope we have leaders that are brave enough and are willing to be burned at the stake within their own districts for making the decision that will benefit the entire community over the long term.