The Memphis Police Union cheapens the value and importance of our law officers these days by positioning itself largely as a special interest group rather than an organization representing dedicated public servants.
New Council member Lee Harris, like many novice members before him, defaulted to political rhetoric about misplaced priorities in the city budget before participating in his first budget process and better understanding how major projects are financed.
It’s as if there should be a financial primer that can be shared with every appointed and elected official in city government before budget hearings begin, and for that matter, also with members of the news media. There seems such a lack of understanding about the general dynamics of city budgeting and the nuances of various funding sources.
It’s probably asking too much to expect of average Memphians, who end up only hearing the words, “city project and costs,” and immediately start complaining about city government without ever hearing the explanations about financing.
Aiming Wide
This week, the police union talked about City of Memphis spending too much on special projects and not enough on law enforcement. That’s a hard concept to wrap your head around, since every cent of property tax revenue is spent on police and fire services – and it’s still about $75 million short. So when, Mr. Harris talks about police and fire being priorities, it’s hard to imagine how they could be higher without shutting down most of city government.
In fact, Councilman Harris said – and we agree with him – that parks should be one of city government’s main priorities along with the predictable police and fire, but the very reason that parks cannot be a higher priority is because better upkeep, maintenance, standardized equipment, and quality facilities have fallen victim as more and more funds have been sucked up by police and fire services over the years.
It’s because of the lack of funds for parks that the Overton Park Conservancy was created, and in the past 20 years, as the budgets for police and fire services climbed, the budget for parks stagnated. And to be completely accurate, the budgets for community centers, libraries, museums, and most quality of life amenities did the same.
Strangely, Councilman Harris suggested that the city’s emphasis on the riverfront is a sign of misplaced priorities, which seemed strange since the riverfront is in his district and if anybody on City Council should verbalize how a languishing, tired riverfront tells the world that we are a declining, dull river city, you would think it would be him.
Bargains
Councilman Harris said City of Memphis has spent too much on the riverfront, and yet, of the total amount spent on the riverfront, about 10% of the total comes from city revenues. The $215 million spent on redeveloping The Pyramid, removing Lone Star Concrete, gaining city control over the Memphis Cook Convention Center, and redeveloping the Pinch Historic District comes from the state’s portion of the sales tax and not on city general fund revenues. If none of these projects had been undertaken, the money could not have been spent on police, fire, or other city services. Instead, the state sales tax revenues would have gone to Nashville to be spent across Tennessee.
We predict Beale Street Landing and the American Queen will be highly successful, and provide the special sense of arrival and place that have been lacking on the riverfront for so long, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see the Council member for downtown at the festivities.
Meanwhile, the union mangles the facts about city financing in a proposed TV ad that would make the national Super PACs proud. Exuding a “me first” attitude and a “what’s in it for me” philosophy, the ad cites as wasteful the Overton Square garage with a price tag of $18 million, disregarding completely that the majority of the funding was spent on a flood detention basin.
The ad mentions things like the American Queen headquarters’ incentives without pointing out that there are revenue streams to pay them back. It criticizes the city’s incentives for Mitsubishi and Electrolux, and there are legitimate concerns to be expressed and debated about them, but that’s not the point of the TV ad. Instead, it acts as if creating thousands of jobs in the wake of the recession is a waste of money, ignoring the fact that the best way to increase city revenues is through the expansion of the Memphis economy.
Sacred Police Cows
We do agree with union officials when they say that City of Memphis has “money management problems” and the wrong priorities. For us, the evidence for those conclusions is the tendency to treat police and fire divisions as if they are sacrosanct and that every proposed change to their budget is a threat to Western civilization.
Here’s the thing: every service of city government – no matter what it is – should be scrutinized in detail and every employee should be justified with specific performance measurements. The resistance to change in MPD is legendary, as shown by the death by ten thousand pin pricks campaign against the current police director and the scorched earth rhetoric aimed at forcing elected officials to cower in the corner rather than ask the tough questions that need to be answered during budget hearings.
But the kicker to the union’s saber-rattling is this: there’s no plan to lay off police officer and firefighters. That’s been taken off the table already, and from where we sit, that’s unfortunate. However, that being the case, it leaves the feeling that the ad is all about manipulating emotions, ignoring the facts, and creating the kind of fear in Memphis that the police – and every city employee – should be working hard to eliminate.
In the real world, the choice isn’t between police cars and Fairgrounds or Pyramid improvements, because if Memphis never spent another dollar on the Fairgrounds or Pyramid or if it never redeveloped the Pinch District or improved the Convention Center, it would not free up any money to spend on public safety because the taxes that fund these projects are not property taxes and legally can’t be spent on anything like policemen’s salaries or new police cars.
At a time when Memphis couldn’t ever get this myopic, anti-Memphis, irrational state legislature to give us anything resembling our fair share of state revenues, we can take the state sales taxes and pay for improvements without spending any city tax money. It’s a largely untold story that the City of Memphis should be crowing about, and instead of the niggly commentary by the police union and politicians, they should be patting city elected officials on the back for investing in new jobs and economic growth without threatening one dime of the fire and police budget.
It’s always good to debate and discuss public investments. As for Overton Square, there was a parking study that showed that a garage would be needed if this former active retail/restaurant hub is to be revived. Once Hattiloo Theatre made the decision to move there and create the closest thing we’ll have to a theater district, an additional floor was needed for the garage (again, shown through a parking study).
I’d hardly characterize Loeb Properties as a multinational corporation or fat cats. They have been the only real estate development company that’s been willing to invest heavily inside the Beltway and without them, Memphis’ tax base would be much, much less. Anyone that knows the payback on an Overton Square type project can tell you that the company could be putting its resources (it’s investing $20 million in Overton Square) in much more profitable projects.
It our opinion, the $6-8 million for the garage is well-worth it to bring economic life to Overton Square so that it will produce more sales tax and property tax so city government’s revenues grow by economic growth rather than tax increases.
How many policemen have to get laid off to keep the libraries open?
Tell me please, why would Loeb Properties invest $20 million dollars in revitalizing the Square when the company could be putting its resources in much more profitable projects? Could it be that they stand to gain the most because they own over a dozen of the properties in the Cooper – Young and Overton Square area and they apparently have forecasted that the payback will be well worth the investment?
I never said that Loeb Properties was a multi-national corporation. I suggested that Loeb is to our local government what a Phillip Morris is to the U.S. government. It’s ok to have a first class theater and entertainment district, but I know that you must be able to protect what you build. It is my opinion that you can’t expect an already short Police force whose salaries are being cut to effectively police the Square while we’re still trying to address crime problems in Cooper Young. And, not to mention, the rest of the city.
Seems like this City can always find a way to accommodate the rich, affluent citizens and communities of Memphis, but the us regular people are always left with the crumbs. And, they want to take some of that. I wonder what big local corporations are not paying or have yet to pay their share of taxes?
Anon-
Overton Square is not in Cooper Young and vice versa. Would you please define who “the regular people” are. Seeing as you are their spokesperson in this discussion, this should be a fairly simple task. Second, would you please inform us how the “regular people” would prefer special funding such as Storm Water Fees, TDZ funds, the hotel-motel tax, TIF funds, the state rebate on sales taxes associated with professional sports, the special car rental tax, etc… be spent?
I was unaware the MPA had conducted its own parking, economic impact, and/or financial viability analysis. Would you please provide the results of said study. Otherwise your “more less-likely” statement is simply uninformed drivel which hardly justifies a proposed advertisement by the MPA. Hopefully this does not characterize all the opinions formed by the MPA. Seeing as studies galore point toward a different outcome, the responsibility is on you (and/or the MPA) to present evidence to the contrary. In fact, seeing as the MPA has said evidence, it should present to not present it to the public would be doing the “regular people” of this city a grave disservice.
Your knowledge regarding the retention basin to be built at Overton Square is completely lacking. Cooper Young is not suffering from repeated severe flood related issues. The primary areas impacted by flooding- as demonstrated in the flood of May ’10- are those areas downstream of Overton Park such as Vollintine Evergreen and Jackson Avenue and it was the residents and businesses of those areas that have been most vocal in driving the implementation of a flood study conducted several years ago by the city. In the case of the Overton Square project, the primary beneficiaries of the storage basin will be confined to the areas downstream of the storage structure (and those who most need it): Vollintine Evergreen, Jackson Ave., New Chelsea, etc… Apparently the people and businesses in these areas are not “regular” enough for you.
When did we start classifying locally owned and operated businesses such as Beauty Shop, Sweet Grass, Café Ole, Celtic Crossing, etc… qualify as “big (not small)” businesses? I am sure that Tiger Bryant would love to hear that Young Avenue Deli has apparently catapulted him to the level of “economic power broker”. Someone should inform Steve and Emily Bishop of Stone Soup and Bam Kaur of Golden India that they are “rich, affluent” citizens of Memphis. Also, since when are the locally owned and operated businesses at the Square such as Memphis Pizza Café, Molly’s La Casita, Boscos, YoLo Yogurt, Golden India, Dabbles Hair Co., Mr. Lincoln’s Costume Shop, Side Street Grill, Playhouse, Maggie’s Pharm, Local and several others representative of multinational corporations? In fact, Lenny’s Sub shop may be the only non-locally owned business that stands to benefit from the Square.
If it’s important to protect what we build and you’re doing such a great job, why do all these private developers and businesses have to hire so much security of their own?
I don’t think there are 12 Loeb Properties in Cooper Young, but even if it is, thank God for them. They’re the only developer investing big money in Memphis, and that big money creates taxes that pay police salaries. I guess you’d rather that we don’t spend money to make more jobs so that we could just run the taxes up higher and higher. Would you rather not have the couple of million dollars in new taxes that Overton Square will generate? And the payback for the garage is four years at most – a bargain.
I say, let MPA run their ad and get a “Pants on fire” rating.
Urbanut,
You know very well who the regular people are. That’s just how “simple” the task is. No, I’m no one’s spokesperson, but I can see how it would appear that I am for this conversation. Nor do I speak for the MPA, but I’m certainly a member. Since it appears that you’re the spokesperson for SCM, was it not they who said,
“It’s as if there should be a financial primer that can be shared with every appointed and elected official in city government before budget hearings begin, and for that matter, also with members of the news media. There seems such a lack of understanding about the general dynamics of city budgeting and the nuances of various funding sources.
It’s probably asking too much to expect of average Memphians, who end up only hearing the words, “city project and costs,” and immediately start complaining about city government without ever hearing the explanations about financing.”
According to SCM, we’re too ignorant to decide how Storm Water Fees, Tourism Development Zone funds, the Hotel-motel Tax, Tax Increment Financing funds, etc. . . should be spent. Sounds like “you-all” are the smartest guys in the room to make these decisions. You should know that more and more people are paying attention to leadership, and we live in an age where information and facts are accessible at the speed of light.
There’s no need for the MPA to conduct its own parking, economic impact, and/or financial viability analysis. They simply drew attention to what they saw as evidence of a problem that SCM agreed the City of Memphis has – “money management problems” and the wrong priorities. They never questioned the “need” for the City improvements cited in the ad. They only questioned what city leaders see as “priority”.
To say that my knowledge regarding the retention basin to be built at Overton Square is “completely lacking” is to suggest that I can’t avail myself to available information (which was made public) on the project and be informed. Really? You said “Cooper Young is not suffering from repeated severe flood related issues”. Now thats a statement I’d call uninformed drivel. According to Tetra Tech’s February 28, 2011 Lick Creek Drainage Recommendations Report, some of the areas in the basin affected by flooding in recent years are Tunis Cove, Edgewood Cove, 700 block of South Cooper, 2000 block of Higbee Avenue, 200 block of York, and 2000 block of Vinton Avenue. Are these not areas in “Cooper Young”?
The residents of the area of Cooper Young have been just as vocal on the flooding issue. According to a Micro Memphis report by Nicole Blum —Midtown residents say they’ve had enough. June Hurt, President of the Cooper-Young Community Association said, “the problem of flooding runs through all of Midtown. We want the city to take care of us and we want to keep our money in Midtown.”
I wish you wouldn’t accuse me of saying or suggesting what I did not. Don’t put words in my mouth. I’m not part of your “we” who now classify “locally owned and operated businesses such as Beauty Shop, Sweet Grass, Café Ole, Celtic Crossing, etc… qualify as “big (not small)” businesses. Nor did I say that they were “economic power broker.” You said it. Own it. The issue to which I’m speaking is the fact that our city leaders can come up with better solutions to protect city workers as they always do for special interests.
Hey Frank, businesses have always hired their own security. Even when police is doing a great job. They just understand that police can’t be everywhere all the time, and a proactive business community is essential to helping make a safe community. I entered this conversation with these words,
“Normally I’d just sit back, watch and listen to our local government as they continue to speak and act just like our federal government. Why? Because, most of them actively engage in hiding certain economic truths that leave the citizenry ill-equipped to make the proper demands on it’s elected officials to effectively deal with monetary and budget issues. Some of them know the truth, but are afraid to speak it lest they lose too much. Further, the mendacious spin doctors of politics and media are ever quick to make anyone who would unearth those truths look incompetent or unqualified to speak to these issues.”
. . . and it still holds true.
Why avoid answering those very direct and simple questions? I would not have asked if I was aware of the answer. Once again, please enlighten us who the “regular” people are.
You also side stepped the issue of how Storm Water Fees, Tourism Development Zone funds, the Hotel-motel Tax, Tax Increment Financing funds, etc. . . should be employed. Your posts to date illustrate that you do indeed believe you and the MPA are capable of making that decision seeing as you claim to know what is not proper use and/or the proper priorities for said funding sources. So please, once again, enlighten us.
As for flooding in Cooper Young:
Tunis Cove, Edgewood Cove, the 2000 block of Higbee and the 2000 block of Vinton are NOT in Cooper Young. Cooper Young forms the headwaters for the Lick Creek basin and around 40% of the neighborhood is entirely outside of the watershed.
At a community meeting the following was discussed: the flooding in the 200 block of York and the 700 block of Cooper were considered minor (not severe) and directly related to facility disrepair, maintenance and improper disposal of yard waste. In addition it was noted that the flooding reported was related to the May 1-2 2010 (1000 year) heavy rain event which exceeds the design capacity as required by standard best practices. A box culvert has been recommended at York and Cooper in part to replace failing infrastructure and a detention basin at Peabody Elementary was installed to reduce stormwater entry from impacting areas north of CY. In fact, the report showed that once the city completed projects that were already in process before the study took place (including simply repairing aging infrastructure), virtually all of CY would be well protected from a 100 year rainfall event. Once again, Cooper Young is not suffering from repeated severe flood related issues as noted in the reports excess volume analysis.
No words were placed anywhere. They were all based entirely on your comments. You claim that projects such as Overton Square are for the represent meddling by “big (not small)” business, that the project at Overton Square represents the city’s bending to the will of “economic powerbrokers” while also introducing your contempt for multi-national corporations. I merely pointed out the fallacy of such statements seeing as the project will greatly benefit not only home owners and small businesses downstream of the project, but will benefit the many businesses in and around Overton Square- all but a few of which are both small and locally owned.
I can see this dialogue is going nowhere. Seeing as the MPA does not believe it needs facts or evidence to back up its claims they will continue to “suggest” that certain projects are being given an inappropriate priority based on nothing more than their opinion. This wishy-washy “well we didn’t exactly say that” is once again polluting the dialogue. It is direct evidence that the MPA wishes to make incendiary comments and propose half-truths without actually feeling the need to support them any facts or direct evidence (interesting considering they are in a profession that relies heavily on “hard” evidence). That is the main point of the initial post. If a comment reads “well, we are not saying it is a waste but we are not saying it is not a waste”, then you aren’t really saying anything at all, now are you? The MPA would do well to stop playing the issue like a politician in their mangling of phrases and non-committal comments and stick to positions that are supported by the whole truth. I would expect an organization like the MPA to be extremely familiar with the standard operating phrase “the whole truth and nothing but the truth”.
You’re right. Tunis Cove, Edgewood Cove, the 2000 block of Higbee and the 2000 block of Vinton are about “1000ft.” north the “official” Cooper Young boarder street of Central Avenue. Wow that’s a long way. Maybe they shouldn’t have been mentioned it the report. I concede those streets to your point. But, the 200 block of York and the 700 block of Cooper are officially in Cooper Young.
Yes, a box culvert was recommended at York and Cooper in part to replace failing infrastructure and a detention basin at Peabody Elementary was installed to reduce stormwater entry from impacting areas north of Cooper Young. But, didn’t the report also state that additional detention projects were necessary? We’ll see for sure when we get a good rain.
I too can see this dialogue is going nowhere.
. . . and it still holds true.
Anonymous: You say, “According to SCM, we’re too ignorant to decide how Storm Water Fees, Tourism Development Zone funds, the Hotel-motel Tax, Tax Increment Financing funds, etc. . . should be spent.”
Man, it’s hard for you to stay on point. We didn’t say that. Our comment was that because government is a seventh level interest to most people living in a soundbite world, the distortions of the police union are “catchy” while the truth takes longer than 15 seconds to explain. The coupling of our modern short attention span and the seventh level attention to government result in shorthand that hears city project and the cost and immediately defaults to complaining about misplaced priorities and too much taxes.
Big time cities can walk and chew gun at the same time. It has to invest in economic growth, invest in neighborhoods, stimulate jobs, protect the public, etc. It’s a balance. And there is a legitimate discussion to be had about whether city services and workers are unbalanced. We may decide that we need hundreds more police officer, or we may decide that we can do without 30 of them and keep open the libraries.
It’s an honest discussion about priorities and it’s long overdue, and the attempts the police union to drown it out before it can begin in the end could result in less revenues to pay their salaries and make layoffs almost inevitable.
If the only thing that the police union is willing to consider is no layoffs, no budget cuts and tax increases, it’s already lost the debate with the public. There is a balance to be found.
Also, you seem to make our point when you say, “The issue to which I’m speaking is the fact that our city leaders can come up with better solutions to protect city workers as they always do for special interests.” As we pointed out, the police union’s approach to budget hearings in effect makes it yet another special interest, and it seems to us that the special treatment that you decry is exactly what you are wanting most.
Thanks for writing. We appreciate the robust discussion.
As one of those businesses that have to hire security guards, let me make it clear: I do it because my interaction with the police department in the past left me with little confidence in its ability.
Thank you SCM. You’ve won me as a regular reader. Frank, sorry to hear that you didn’t get the service you deserve. I guess you can find a bad employee everywhere, but they are surely the “minority”. I can assure you that if I or any of the “majority” of Memphis Police Officers ever interact with you, you’ll get the professional police services that every citizen deserves.
Anon-
I might disagree with you stance on the issue, but I do want you to know that I have the upmost respect for the MPD and their continued battle to curb crime in this city.