LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR SHELBY COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS WEEK’S podcast 5-17-14 :
Market News For The Week 5/12/14 through 5-16-14
The Look Back Memphis Trivia Contest
Tom King, Jo Garner, David Lenoir
Questions answered by David Lenoir, Shelby County Trustee
- 1. How will the new school system affect our Shelby County real estate property taxes?
- 2. What are
- 3. As Trustee, your department analyzes economic conditions, business patterns, new construction and population changes. What is your outlook for Shelby County Budget for the next few years? Beyond?
- 4. Last year we came through the property tax reappraisal process where we saw property tax assessment values drop significantly, cutting into the county’s revenue source. One of the responses to the budget shortfall was to raise the real estate property tax rate. What are some alternative sources of revenue or budget cutting solutions do you see for Shelby County that would take some of the pressure off property owners?
- 5. Back in July 2013, our Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe program collected comments and letters from people in Shelby County about their ideas on how to create alternative revenue streams to take some of the pressure off of Shelby County residential and business real estate property owners.
We got letters from people like Trey Heath from the Economic Development Growth Engine EDGE that talked about the importance of the Payment In Lieu of Taxes Program (the PILOT programs) that encourage businesses to locate in Shelby County as opposed to other locations. We had other letters and comments from others like Walker Uhlhorn who was not necessarily for PILOTS but for Free Enterprise.
What are your thoughts about the PILOT program and any other programs you would like to discuss?
- Another letter from our listeners to our leaders was from Mark Ruleman concerning the Roots Program. Mark writes, “Few ideas address as many of Memphis’ needs as Roots Memphis may.
A local effort at a national urban farming revolution that educates, helps unemployed, underemployed, provides food and healthy dietary alternatives while bolstering neighborhoods’strengths possibly ultimately decreasing cities’ expenses to maintain blighted inner city areas.
What are some of your thoughts on The Roots program or our fight on blight?
- 7. Some of your initiatives have stressed the benefits of saving and remaining debt free through your Project H.O.M.E. workshops, Home for the Holidays foreclosure prevention events and the Bank On Memphis collaboration. Please talk a little about these initiatives.
- 8. Please talk a little about your H.O.M.E. project , your Home For The Holidays project and the Bank On Memphis collaboration.
- 9. How would you best describe your responsibilities as Shelby
County Trustee?
Questions answered by Tom King:
1. When is the deadline to file for your property tax appeal this year?
Questions answered by Jo Garner
- 1. What is the maximum income-to-debt ratio allowed when you are qualifying a borrower?
REAL ESTATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Announcements
___________________________________________________________________________
Good morning, Memphis! Good morning across the country on IHEART Radio. You’re on the Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe program. I’m your host, Jo Garner, mortgage professional with Evolve Bank and Trust. Co-hosting today is Tom King, certified Shelby County Real Estate Property Tax Appeal Expert with King and Vaughan Consulting. Great to have you Tom.
(Jo) We want YOU around the coffee table with us. You can drag up a chair by calling (901) 535–WREC (901) 535-9732.
(Jo) Our special guest today is Shelby County Trustee, David Lenoir. This year David Lenoir was awarded the Pinnacle Achievement Award from the National Association of State Treasurers for the proactive financial literacy outreach by the Trustee’s Office here in Memphis, Tennessee. He was asked him to serve with the Delta Leadership Institute by Tennessee Govenor Bill Haslam. David Lenoir has aggressively focused on putting delinquent properties back on the tax rolls and he has some other initiatives he is using to keep Shelby County Tennessee financially strong and a better place to live. David we are so happy you joined us today on the Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe.
(Jo) As our Shelby County Trustee, I know you keep up with economic trends and issues affecting our budget. What do you find are some of the top issues and projects in YOUR office in 2014?
(Jo) Tom King, what are some of the biggest things going on in the market in the appraisal and tax appeal industries?
(Jo) The big news in the mortgage market is “How ‘Bout Those Mortgage Rates?” Mortgage rates dipped down more this week to the lowest they have been since July 2013. 30YR FIXED – 4.125% FHA/VA – 3.75-4.0% 15 YEAR FIXED – 3.25-3.375% 5 YEAR ARMS – 3.0-3.50% depending on the lender.
The other big news is the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Arguments have ensued about the fact that, right now, with the extra guaranty fees and other fees, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have paid back about all of the bailout money and could continue to be profitable. But efforts are still being made to dismantle them and replace them with private funders due to the short amount of capital cushion in case of another major recission. The idea is to shift the risk to private funders, but are we giving up an income producing machine?
Obviously with rates being the lowest they have been since July 2013, if you have not refinanced your primary residence, second home or investment property, let’s try to do it now. If your stumbling block in the past was that your value was too low on your home, call me and we can do some preliminary research to see what the values are doing in YOUR neighborhood. If you are short on funds to close, my assistant Susan Belew and I can probably find a way to help you get in for the least amount of money. Call us directly off the air at (901) 482 0354 or catch us on the blog www.mortgageloansblog.com Our call us ON the air at (901) 535-WREC
—If you have been procrastinating when it comes to buying a home or even building your rental home portfolio. NOW might be a great time to get it done. (you might even make your comment about Memphis MSA being such a desirable place to live)
(Jo) We were just saying that mortgage rates this week dipped down to the lowest they have been since July 2013. If you’re out trying to buy a house, how does the rate dip affect your buying power? Here’s an eye opener—earlier this year the rate had gotten up to 4.625% roughly on a 30 yr fixed rate loan. Let’s assume you have a gross income of $3,000 per month with a few other monthly debts including a car note and you need to keep your house note under 36% of your income so that, with the other debt, your total debt does not exceed your comfort level of 45 percent. Let’s also assume that the house you want has property taxes of $276/mo and homeowners insurance of $90 per month. With a 30 year rate of around 4.625%, you would be able to afford a loan amount of about $136,000. With today’s lower rate of about 4.125%, you could afford a loan on the same house of about $141K thousand.
(Jo) Since Shelby County is where I call home, I would like to see our community prosper as I am sure many of our listeners would too. We’re seeing some significant changes with our school systems, the tax rate changes and so much more. David, as our Shelby County Trustee what are some of your initiatives to create income and lower our government debt? <David Lenoir launches topic>
2ND SEGMENT 9:18 AM It’s time for the Look Back Memphis Trivia Contest brought to you by notable Memphis historian Jimmy Ogle. Jimmy Ogle gives free walking tours in Downtown Memphis during the Spring and Autumn. For information about Jimmy Ogle and his schedule for the historic walking tours, go to jimmyogle.com. Our Look Back Memphis Trivia Contest SPONSOR is Marlene Foster of ADT Security Services—the number one security system. Give Marlene a call at 901 232-6277. She will take good care of you Marlene is giving away a $25 gift card to the first person who calls with the correct answer to our Trivia Contest. If you know the answer, call us on the air at (901) 535 WREC. (901) 535 9732.
Here’s our trivia question :
Question: Memphis after World War 2 began to sprawl eastward past Overton Park and I became one of the most popular residential areas to live in “East Memphis” just past Highland Street. What is my name?
(Answer is High Point Terrace)
Hint: At the time I was begun, the eastern Memphis City Limits extended only to Goodlett Street.
Hint: I was considered the “highest” ground (elevation wise) in Memphis at the time.
Hint: Poplar Plaza Shopping Center and Galloway Golf Course are two of my neighbors
Last Hint: Many of my streets are named for children (like Charleswood, Johnwood, Kenwood and Philwood)!
Answer: High Point Terrace
Back Story:
Last Week: James Lee House. The 8,100-square-foot home was constructed by William Harsson in 1848. From 1862 to 1926, the Lee Line worked the ports of the Mississippi River from Friar’s Point, Mississippi to Paducah, Kentucky. James lee, Jr., a Princeton University-educate riverboat captain, dvice-president of First National Bank, and of the Taxing District of Memphis in the aftermath of the yellow fever epidemic, was also a lawyer that gave up the practice in 1877 to manage the 32 vessels of the Lee Line steamers. Jose Velaquez, local developer and former director of Latino Memphis, has invested $2.1 million to restore the 165-year old mansion,
Jimmy Ogle gives free walking tours in Downtown Memphis during the Spring and Autumn.
Go to jimmyogle.com for the 2014 Spring season schedule and locations:
Shelby County Courthouse: Third Thursday each month at 12:00 noon
Memphis & Arkansas Bridge Walk: Sundays (March 30, April 13, May 18) at 2:00 p.m. at Crump Park
TUESDAY TOURS: Tuesdays from April 1 to June 10 at 11:45 a.m. for about four blocks from a different
street corner each week
Questions answered by David Lenoir, Shelby County Trustee
- 10. How will the new school system affect our Shelby County real estate property taxes?
- 11. What are
- 12. As Trustee, your department analyzes economic conditions, business patterns, new construction and population changes. What is your outlook for Shelby County Budget for the next few years? Beyond?
- 13. Last year we came through the property tax reappraisal process where we saw property tax assessment values drop significantly, cutting into the county’s revenue source. One of the responses to the budget shortfall was to raise the real estate property tax rate. What are some alternative sources of revenue or budget cutting solutions do you see for Shelby County that would take some of the pressure off property owners?
14.Back in July 2013, our Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe program collected comments and letters from people in Shelby County about their ideas on how to create alternative revenue streams to take some of the pressure off of Shelby County residential and business real estate property owners.
We got letters from people like Trey Heath from the Economic Development Growth Engine EDGE that talked about the importance of the Payment In Lieu of Taxes Program (the PILOT programs) that encourage businesses to locate in Shelby County as opposed to other locations. We had other letters and comments from others like Walker Uhlhorn who was not necessarily for PILOTS but for Free Enterprise.
What are your thoughts about the PILOT program and any other programs you would like to discuss?
- Another letter from our listeners to our leaders was from Mark Ruleman concerning the Roots Program. Mark writes, “Few ideas address as many of Memphis’ needs as Roots Memphis may.
A local effort at a national urban farming revolution that educates, helps unemployed, underemployed, provides food and healthy dietary alternatives while bolstering neighborhoods’strengths possibly ultimately decreasing cities’ expenses to maintain blighted inner city areas.
What are some of your thoughts on The Roots program or our fight on blight?
- 16. Some of your initiatives have stressed the benefits of saving and remaining debt free through your Project H.O.M.E. workshops, Home for the Holidays foreclosure prevention events and the Bank On Memphis collaboration. Please talk a little about these initiatives.
- 17. Please talk a little about your H.O.M.E. project , your Home For The Holidays project and the Bank On Memphis collaboration.
- 18. How would you best describe your responsibilities as Shelby
County Trustee?
Questions answered by Tom King:
1. When is the deadline to file for your property tax appeal this year?
Questions answered by Jo Garner
- 2. What do you recommend your clients do first when they have a question about the amount in their escrow account or the amount being added to their monthly payment for taxes and insurance?
- 3. What is the maximum income-to-debt ratio allowed when you are qualifying a borrower?
No maximum since Evolve deals directly with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and therefore is not encumbered with a lot of extra restrictions called overlays. If we get an Approve status on the underwriting software and the information and the file verifies the information is true, then we should be able to close the loan. On some FHA loans we have been able to get the loan approved with income-to-debt ratios up to 55%.
REAL ESTATE TIP OF THE WEEK: (Tom King has about 1.5 min to share a practical money/time saving tip related to real estate) David Lenoir can also offer a tip if there is time. The tip needs to be covered in about a minute or minute and a half
Jo’s announcements:
- Talk Shoppe offers free networking and education to anyone interested in real estate or business. This Wednesday Arnold Dormer, seasoned real estate investor will be presenting “The Advantages of Home Warranties” by Christy Stokes of First American Home Shield Wednesday 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at our NEW location at the YMCA corporate office 6373 Quail Hollow Rd Memphis at Massey Rd and Quail Hollow. For more information about Talk Shoppe go to www.TalkShoppe.BIZ
- Summer Camp at the YMCA is designed to reduce summer learning loss, get your children actively having fun, learning new skills and most importantly…encouraging them to DREAM BIG! Register today for your child’s spot at YMCA summer camp by going to www.ymcamemphis.org
- Tom King, certified Shelby County Real Estate Property Tax Appeal Expert will be with us next Saturday. Catch us on the Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe every Saturday 9A to 10A on News Radio AM 600, IHEART radio or catch this podcast and our others on www.MortgageLoansBlog.com
Transition Music: “Where’s The Walrus” by Alan Parsons Project; “Gold Bug” by Alan Parsons Project; “Pipeline” by the Ventures
For the Look Back Memphis Trivia Contest- “Memphis” by Johnny Rivers
ABOUT DAVID LENOIR, SHELBY COUNTY TRUSTEE
David C. Lenoir is a lifelong Memphian who had a successful 20-year career in the financial services industry before being elected Shelby County Trustee in 2010. During his almost four years in office Mr. Lenoir has focused on improved operational efficiency, proactive collection of delinquent taxes, and aggressive efforts to stabilize the tax base. As the county’s banker, Mr. Lenoir has aggressively focused on putting delinquent properties back on the tax rolls, thus increasing tax collections. He has strived to provide taxpayers with financial tools and financial access. Initiatives have stressed the benefits of saving and remaining debt free through his Project H.O.M.E. workshops, Home for the Holidays foreclosure prevention events and the Bank On Memphis collaboration. In 2011, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam asked Mr. Lenoir to serve with the Delta Leadership Institute to help address problems specific to the Delta Region with solutions that incorporate community and collaboration. Institute teams work together to provide the energy and initiative to transform our area and to improve the quality of life for our friends and neighbors. In 2012, he turned his attention to local needs and joined the board of director of RISE, a Memphis-based nonprofit focused on providing financial literacy curriculum geared to low-income workers and teens. In 2012 his accomplishments were recognized when he was named Trustee of the Year for West Tennessee by the Tennessee County Trustee Association. In 2014 the Trustee accepted the Pinnacle Achievement Award from the National Association of State Treasurers for the proactive financial literacy outreach by the Trustee’s Office. Mr. Lenoir is a graduate of the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy where he received his B.S. in accounting and worked in the financial services industry in Memphis before seeking public office. In his free time, he enjoys hunting and fishing with his two boys and is an avid reader and amateur apiarist (beekeeper) and gardener. Mr. Lenoir and his wife Shannon live on a small family farm in east Shelby County
ABOUT TOM KING:
Tom King, certified Shelby County property tax appeal expert with King & Vaughan Consulting, is also a 35-year veteran appraiser in the Memphis area. taxappealexpert@gmail.com and www.golowertax.com
Jo Garner’s Bio (901) 482 0354 www.MortgageLoansBlog.com
Jo Garner is a mortgage officer with extensive knowledge in tailoring mortgages to her customers who are refinancing or purchasing homes all over the country. She offers conventional, FHA, VA or other loan programs for refinancing and purchases.
Jo can help you look at rent vs buy, when it makes sense to refinance, how to get the best deal on your home purchase financing.
Jo Garner has been in the real estate/financing business for 25 years in Memphis, TN. She got her start in Portland, Maine where she first began her real estate career. She received her real estate education from the University of Southern Maine and was personally mentored in San Diego, California by Robert G. Allen, author of Nothing Down, Creating Wealth and The Challenge.
On moving back to West Tennessee in 1987, she went into business buying and selling discounted owner-financed notes secured on real estate. In 1990 Jo went to work for a residential mortgage company and has been a mortgage loan officer for over 20 years. Her goal is to offer excellent, affordable service to her customers, tailoring the loan programs to the specific needs of her clients.
In addition to her work in the mortgage field, Jo Garner is the primary sponsor and founder of Talk Shoppe in Memphis. She hosts the Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe program on News Radio AM 600 WREC in Memphis and on IHEART radio 9A to 10A CST every Saturday.
For real estate financing solutions, plug into the Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe program. You can find mortgage rates, FHA Streamline refinance with no out-of-pocket costs, refinancing options, home purchase loan programs, answers and real estate, money-saving tips and more.
(For reference only ) LETTER TO OUR LEADERS SENT FROM THE REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE FROM OUR LISTENERS TO MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL, SHELBY COUNTY COMMISSION, MAYOR A. C. WHARTON AND MAYOR MARK LUTTRELL.
Memphis: A Letter to Our Leaders
Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe is doing a special radio show this Saturday, July 20th 2013. We will be discussing possible solutions to covering our revenue deficit in Shelby County without raising the tax rate on homeowners to cover the shortfall. We are asking our listeners to comment on their ideas for solutions to covering the revenue deficit. Do we raise revenue from various other sources, lower the budget, raise taxes on businesses and homeowners? What is the answer? We then plan to send all the responses over the next week to both Mayors offices, the board of commissioners, and the City Council. Thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to your responses. Sincerely, Jo Garner – Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe
Listen to the ‘Memphis – A Letter to Our Leaders’ Podcast here.
Read the ‘Memphis – A Letter to Our Leaders’ Blog Post here.
7 Comments
It is important for homeowners and business owners to realize the later effects of a tax rate increase. Even though values are lower for this reassessment, real estate has been appreciating over the last 12 months. When we are reassessed again with possibly much higher values, the higher tax rate could be a budget buster.
What combinations can we use to raise more revenue from various sources and lower the budget?
Find ways to create more revenue using our Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes program that will generate more dollars-to-abatements. Find ways to combine some of our tax-payer funded government programs into one agency or find ways to combine a few government funded salary positions into one salaried position to achieve a lower budget without cutting needed services like firemen and policemen. Jo Garner
- Mary
Hello, To create more revenue? My point of view is: 1- what are Memphians good at? 2- what are our assets?
1 and 2 answers. Memphis, we are a very Diverse Community and we are the best at Hospitality.
We had one of the greatest International Airport, Hotels, Casinos, Shopping Malls and the best Airlines in USA and they really need more use.
We have a multicultural office, Business Ass. and tourism office. Elvis Presley, loved for many.
So being said that and thinking about creating revenue and jobs.
Will be making connections in between Memphis and different Countries, make complete value packs with airfare included, making connections with travel companies and Countries like Spain, Germany, France, ect … and have those complete packs well market. I know for a fact that many Countries in Europe love Elvis P. and all said before, they are the ones vacations more in the world and for sure they have a good point of view of Memphis.
- Walker Uhlhorn
If we want to save taxpayer dollars, the local government should look at what they are giving to welfare. We have more than 5000 non profits in Memphis getting between 5 and 6 Billion dollars a year. If we put someone over each category of services and coordinated and combined programs, the savings would be huge.
I honestly believe that we have not taken time to really look at the PILOT program.
In the past, when communities wanted to entice a business to relocate, officials and maybe the Chamber of Commerce would meet with the business and tell them about the schools, parks, police and fire protection, the work force, etc and maybe take them to dinner.
Now government bids on enticing or bribing businesses to move in or stay
Bad points
Not Free Enterprise, the government should not assist any businesses.
Hurts local banks, that should be making these loans. If it is a good viable business, the banks would like the business and would help make a good business decision on whether the business is a good investment.
Hurts neighborhoods when businesses are relocated. In many instances, the neighborhood and the property values of those businesses left behind, decline
It is not fair for the government to help one business and not help their competitor.
For a business, this is just a windfall profit that would go to stockholders and to bonuses, from the taxpayers.
The government can dictates other terms or wages that the company must pay to sub contractors. This hurts competitive bidding.
It opens the possibility of the government getting favors, such as the hiring of their political friends.
There is no way that you can truly financially demonstrate that a PILOT makes money. It is a no brainer when compared with a company that moves in, builds or rents a building, makes a loan from a bank and hires employees.
If a community can’t attract a business to remain or move to their city without paying them, the government has failed in it’s duties to the residents.
- Trey Heath, Economic Development Growth-Engine
Answers to questions regarding the Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes program (PILOT)in Shelby County TN
1) Can you give us the formula tbat is used to calculate the frozen and asessed amount in the PILOT PROGRAM? and is this a standard formula?
The formula to calculate an EDGE PILOT is a standard formula that uses capital investment, jobs, salaries, location of the project among other categories to determine the PILOT term.
EDGE has received national recognition for being “the most transparent economic development agency in the country” this year. For a full break down on how each PILOT is calculated and to get details of every PILOT EDGE approves, go to our website, growth-engine.org.
2) In doing research, we came upon an article about CCRFC Pilot program’s formula that included an additional
25% from county home owners that went to the schools? Can you explain this and talk a little bit about the difference?
I assume by CCRFC you are referring to the Center City Revenue Finance Corporation. This is a different PILOT program that Downtown Memphis Commission runs. I can’t speak to their program. All EDGE approved PILOTs can only receive a maximum abatement of 90% City and 75% County taxes for the term of the PILOT (maximum term is 15 years). Not all PILOT recipients receive the maximum abatement. The taxes that are paid during the PILOT, like they are after the PILOT, are administered by the City and County governments respectively.
3) Is renewal of the process automatic or is it dependent upon an improvement-enhancement to their business?
And what is the time fram of the renewal?
PILOTs are not renewed by any means. There are a very few companies that receive multiple PILOTs over the span of many years, but these typically are for new projects and new investment. For example, FedEx received a PILOT last year, but that was only for their NEW Flight Simulator Training facility that they were looking to put at many different locations across the country.
4) How many different PILOT PROGRAMS are there in Shelby County? EDGE, Center City Revenue Finance Corporation and the Health and ED Board. Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown and Millington also all grant PILOTs for their respective municipalities.
5) There are many concerned home owners in the city and county who feel that the program should be
streamlined in time and scope to benefit the city better in this economic climate. Have those sentiments reached your office? And what are your thoughts about that? Also, is there an avenue where those sentiments and other ideas to generate revenue, can be collected and considered?
EDGE PILOT projects provide a substantial amount of revenue and benefit to Memphis and Shelby County. Since EDGE was created, EDGE projects have created $1.1 billion in new capital investment, created/retained 6,524 jobs and generated $476 million in new tax revenue for Memphis and Shelby County.
EDGE PILOT projects are designed to provide the minimal amount of public incentive possible to attract or retain business in Shelby County. Every project goes through an analysis to ensure the benefit of the new investment and jobs surpasses the amount of tax benefit provided.
Companies that receive a PILOT are required to pay a competitive wage, provide benefits, commit to spending at least 25% of their new capital investment with minority and locally-owned businesses and submit to EDGE’s compliance program.
The EDGE diversity program alone has provided a substantial economic impact to both minority and locally owned businesses.
The International Paper and Nike projects alone account for almost $200 million in commitments to locally and minority-owned firms in Memphis and Shelby County.
7) How much weight does the PILOT PROGRAM carry in the presentation to potential business that the city want to relocate here? And can you give a general view what is offered) of the presentation?
I can’t speak to the presentation however the PILOT program is the main, local tool used to recruit and retain business in Memphis and Shelby County and is similar to many other programs found in most major cities.
8) What are the pros and cons of this program, in its present state, for the City (in terms of revenue)? The pros are clear in that PILOT projects provide much needed jobs to our community while generating significant new tax revenue. It’s important to understand that not only are PILOT projects generating significantly more new revenue than is being abated, PILOTs are limited over a term. This means when the term has expired, those companies go back to paying full taxes on on all their assets. Take for example Nike which located to a long vacant industrial area in North Memphis. Not only will the City and County earn significantly more tax revenue on the property during the PILOT term because the once vacant land is now developed, but once the PILOT expires and Nike begins paying full taxes, our community will go on to earn millions in new property tax revenue because the PILOT drastically increased the value of the property.
Or take the Mitsubishi project for example. Just look at how this project will positively impact revenue in Memphis and Shelby County:
**Project Profile**
Capital Investment $197,071,224
Direct New Jobs 281
Indirect Jobs 498
Average Wage $49,790
Total Wages $42,138,519
**Economic Impact**
Property taxes prior to project
$43,525
Property Taxes with PILOT
$701,942
***Net Gain Annually Now***
*** $658,417***
Property Taxes After PILOT
$3,823,883
Total Economic Impact $361,445,081
**Largest minority contract every issued by the city, approximately $9.0 million, for sewer line relocation for the Mistubishi site.
**The ongoing annual spending by the company will likely be millions with local businesses for supplies, materials and services.
Few ideas address as many of Memphis’ needs as Roots Memphis may.
A local effort at a national urban famring revolution that educates, helps unemployed, underemployed, provides food and healthy dietary alternativse while boistering neighborhoods’strengths possibly ultimately decreasing cities’ expenses to maintain blighted inner city areas.
Memphis’ unique position with large tracts of land available for this alternative use (irony that we’re just returning to our agricultural roots!) but check out this article from the American Bar Association on Detroit’s ills and urban farming!
http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/plowing_over_can_urban_farming_save_detroit_and_other_declining_cities_will/
Memphis City Schools could benefit from this effort as well provided “cheaper” local produce too!!
http://www.rootsmemphis.org is their web site
check out these resources on urban farming too
http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2012/01/top-10-urban-farming-books.html
- Carol Murray
I think the solution starts with asking the right questions. The tax base is the people and the people are moving out. Why are people moving? The responses I hear to that question are one, taxes are too high, and two, the schools aren’t good enough. So the answer is lower the taxes and improve our schools, but how?
The first step in lowering taxes would be to balance the budget. We DO NOT need to cut services like the police, fire, garbage pick-up, etc. Cutting those services would just cause more people to move away. I admit that I really have no idea what the budget looks like, but when MY pay gets cut (and it has been cut three times in the last eight years), I have to continue to balance my budget. I do this by cutting out the not so necessary items. So, instead of cutting police, fire, etc., cut the middle management (Council Members who’ve promised things to these people – suck it up, apologize for your inability to keep your promise and do what’s right for the city/county and get rid of them!) and cut all city/county government employee, salaries plus your own, back to what the average citizen is making. You can’t do that, you say!? Look at Phil Bredesen, when he was governor, he didn’t even take a salary for a number of years. Look at Sharon Goldsworthy, Germantown mayor, who, I believe, only makes about 10K per year. MANY of the “perks” could also be cut. The Memphis City Council members voted themselves free lunches! I could go on, but you get the idea.
We also need to take a serious look at ways to improve our schools. Throwing money at them is NOT the answer. The county has been spending less per capita than the city, and yet overall has had better schools. I believe that the Charter schools are part of the solution. They have done well here. Another thing that I think would give a big boon to public education (and I know many disagree) would be a school voucher program (SVP). An SVP would empower the poor allowing them to truly choose where their children go to school. So, what really happens if we do this? The lousy schools either improve and improve quickly, or they are closed, while the good schools improve even more to gain more students. Soon, ALL the schools are good schools.