Officials ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Senate Bill 3703, House Bill 3473
MEMPHIS — After learning of two proposed bills to limit Memphis’ ability to grow and authority to annex its reserve areas, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. and Memphis City Council Chair Bill Morrison issued a joint statement:
Mayor Wharton
On the evening when Governor Bill Haslam prepares to give his State of the State, we find ourselves deeply troubled by several state proposals that would stifle Memphis’ ability to grow.
Based on the 1998 growth plan agreement, which cemented the growth areas of all the municipalities in Shelby County and was approved by the state legislature, the City of Memphis has already begun investing resources in this east Shelby County area, including an $80 million sewer project and other basic services such as fire protection.
These proposals, put forth without even a courtesy call to local government, single out the City of Memphis at a time when other municipalities have recently used the same 1998 agreement – without argument or interference – to annex their reserve areas. It’s a move that smacks of racism, classism, and schoolyard bullying.
Last year, we saw these same legislators try to leapfrog over the will of our citizens to surrender the charter of Memphis City Schools and to establish a unified Shelby County school system.
This is a continued all-out assault on Memphis and its right to govern itself. We are calling upon all of our local leaders – whether they be leaders in politics, business, or the philanthropic arena – and the residents of Memphis to let their state representatives know that this will not stand.
If need be, we will meet this challenge in court.
