AC Worton for Mayor

AC Worton for Mayor

 
Editorial: Recruiting tool needs review PDF Print E-mail
Written by STAFF   
Monday, 02 February 2009 06:33
It's not the only tool for attracting businesses, but the PILOT program could benefit from scrutiny. The Commercial Appeal By Staff Reports Tuesday, December 23, 2008  

Shelby County's economic development team makes a persuasive case for less restrictive rules for industries that seek tax breaks.

And it has an effective advocate for a more liberal approach when Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton speaks out on the issue.

Wharton says a "retooling" is sorely needed in the local PILOT (payments-in-lieu-of-taxes) program, which permits property taxes to be frozen for a specific period of time to help the company develop or renovate property and expand its work force.

The fact is, however, that there are more effective arrows in Shelby County's quiver when it tries to bag new employers, to borrow the metaphor adopted by Wharton to describe this important and worthwhile endeavor.

There's no question that the residency rule -- 75 percent of a property tax freeze recipient's employers must live in Shelby County for the duration of the PILOT term -- is baffling to employers, unmanageable and without merit.

Requiring companies to deed their property to a government agency in order to qualify for a PILOT also seems like an unnecessary bureaucratic hassle.

And from a variety of reports, it appears that a change in the culture at agencies like the Industrial Development Board, where companies apply for tax incentives, would be useful.

A less adversarial, more professional atmosphere would probably make some of the requirements seem less onerous.

From all accounts, company officials who want to move to Greater Memphis or expand their operations here find less paperwork and a more accommodating atmosphere in DeSoto or Crittenden County. But a significant downturn in the number of PILOTs issued in Shelby County began long before many of the new, more restrictive rules were put into place.

The trend could more credibly be attributed to bigger problems, such as the growing fear of crime in Memphis and an undereducated work force.

A review of the rules governing PILOTs would be timely and productive, though. The growing list of the unemployed has made the stakes higher among communities competing for a diminishing number of companies that are in a position to move or expand.

Shelby County should do whatever is reasonable, without creating sweatshops or sacrificing its commitment to education, public safety and other essential services, to become the competitor that it once was in the economic development game.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 August 2009 05:32 )
 
Wharton: Don’t Divert Stimulus Money From County PDF Print E-mail
Written by STAFF   
Monday, 02 February 2009 05:59
Memphis Daily News
By Bill Dries
January 22, 2009

 

Almost as important as the amount of money city and county leaders hope to get from the new presidential administration is how the money reaches Shelby County.

The money is from President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus proposal. Memphis and Shelby County government, as well as all six of Shelby County’s suburban municipalities, are putting together wish lists of projects that could qualify for the funding.

The goal is to put more of Shelby County’s estimated 30,000 unemployed citizens to work. The emphasis is on projects that are “shovel ready” – that is, all preliminary planning and design work is completed and construction or renovation is the next step.

On the day that Obama took the oath of office, Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton Jr. told a business group meeting near the University of Memphis that he hopes the stimulus funding isn’t all routed through state government.

“We are specifically requesting our (congressional) delegation to not send all of our money through the state,” Wharton told the quarterly luncheon meeting of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). “Our concern is that the state not be allowed to take the stimulus money and spread it around the state to places that do not have the will that we have.”

Wharton was talking about the state’s rural counties.

City slickers, country mice

He and other local elected leaders as well as leaders of the state’s largest cities say the rural counties enjoy an advantage – particularly in the state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) funding formula – at the expense of the urban school systems.

Shelby County government is the major local funder of the Memphis and Shelby County public school systems. Most of the county’s $1.7 billion in bond debt is the result of school construction projects.

“You’ve got the poor counties that say they are poor that will never raise taxes for their schools. They sit around and they poor mouth. And they sue the state. And then we have to be robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Wharton told the group of 60 people at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis.

“They’re not poor in wealth. They’re poor in political will. I don’t want these stimulus funds pulled off in Nashville and shot off to these places that don’t have the political will to do what they should do. That’s our concern.”

Show me the money

 

The combined Shelby County request for federal funding, including the city of Memphis, will rank requests by their importance.

Wharton said funding for the Regional Medical Center at Memphis is his top priority. He also said completing the section of Tenn. 385 through Collierville is high on the list.

“That’s past shovel ready. We’ve got the right of way and everything,” he told the group.

On his coming budget proposals for the fiscal year that begins July 1, Wharton said he does not plan to propose a county property tax hike, but might as a “last resort.” He added that more cuts in county government’s work force are likely to avoid a tax hike.

In other wide-ranging remarks at the luncheon, Wharton also said he would urge state legislators to look at the Tennessee Constitution and legal system to do more to hold those charged with state firearms offenses in jail pending trial.

“Murder’s cheap in this town,” the former Shelby County public defender and criminal defense attorney said as he spoke of the local crime problem. He also questioned whether a firearms possession charge should always be a misdemeanor instead of a felony.

Asked about his announced bid for Memphis mayor in 2011, Wharton said he has received no assurance that five-term mayor Willie Herenton won’t seek a sixth term in city elections that year.

“My hunch is he won’t,” Wharton said. “I have no earthly idea. … I know what I’m going to do.”

Wharton again denied that his formation of a campaign finance committee for the race in November was an indication of any kind of political plan by him and Herenton.
Last Updated ( Monday, 02 February 2009 06:01 )
 
Local governments prepare for stimulus funds PDF Print E-mail
Written by STAFF   
Monday, 02 February 2009 05:42

Leaders creating regional plan, with projects ready to go

The Commercial Appeal
By Amos Maki
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
 

When details of a planned federal economic stimulus package are unveiled shortly after President-elect Barack Obama is sworn into office, Memphis and Shelby County leaders say they will be ready with a host of projects tied to strategic growth initiatives.

In an area where consolidation is sometimes considered a four-letter word, Memphis and Shelby County governments -- even suburban cities in the county -- are cooperating to create a regional roadmap for the stimulus funds.

For one thing, they all agree that as much money as possible should be sent directly to local governments. The mayors of Memphis, Shelby County, Germantown, Lakeland, Bartlett and Arlington signed a letter to the Shelby County legislative delegation asking for funds to come directly to local areas.

"Funds spent by counties and municipalities will have the greatest and fastest impact that, in turn, will benefit states and regions," said the letter sent just before Christmas. "As a result, urgent need, local projects could be quickly funded to energize the local communities without state requirements added on top of regulations of the various economic stimulus funding agencies."

Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton echoed those comments Monday during a discussion at the Brookings Institution in Washington, and to emphasize how to maximize the stimulus dollars through planning and regional collaboration.

"While we, like many other communities, will willingly submit a list of 'shovel-ready' projects for consideration, we will also give priority to those projects that meet our overall strategy goals of economic self-sufficiency, job development and training, technology-based solutions and a sustainable community," said Wharton.

City Housing and Community Development director Robert Lipscomb, the point man for most major city redevelopment projects who is helping prepare the stimulus request, said collaboration and focusing on strategic economic growth initiatives has been crucial.

"We want to submit a list of projects where there is consensus, so we are all working on this together," said Lipscomb. "I don't think we'll just be submitting pork-barrel projects."

Dexter Muller, senior vice president for community development at the Memphis Regional Chamber, said his organization was developing, at Lipscomb's request, criteria to judge the projects.

"You want it based on how many jobs get created, what kind of leverage you get with it and whether the private sector could put in some money," said Muller. "That, in conjunction with input from the county and the city's strategic initiatives, means there will be some cohesion to the process."

Obama has said his stimulus plan would be the largest public works program since the creation of the interstate system in the 1950s.

He said the program would focus first on "shovel-ready" projects. While not divulging many details, Obama has said it would focus on rebuilding roads, making buildings more energy efficient and modernizing schools, among others.

Kevin Kane, president of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he hopes projects that could boost the convention and hospitality industries in the short and long term will be included on the list, not just major infrastructure projects.

"I would certainly advocate that at some point consideration be given to job-generating projects," said Kane. "If we're looking at a stimulus to jump-start the economy and get people working again, I think tourism and hospitality should warrant consideration.

"Once the bridge is built, there are no more jobs, that's it," he said. "I'm all for things like that, but I'm really for anything that generates and maintains employment."

Need a stimulus?

City and County leaders are preparing a list of projects that could be funded through a planned federal economic stimulus package.

There are few details but city Housing and Community Development director Robert Lipscomb said the list could be made available later this week.

City and county leaders said they are thinking strategically when developing the stimulus list.

The city and county are partners in Memphis Fast Forward, a four-part economic growth strategy. For an idea of industries that might benefit from a stimulus plan, the city and county are targeting four key sectors: logistics, music/film, biosciences and tourism.

Dexter Muller of the Memphis Regional Chamber said one of the items that could be on the list is funds to improve Elvis Presley Boulevard near Graceland in Whitehaven. CKX, Inc, the parent company of Elvis Presley Enterprises, is planning a major revamping of Graceland, one of the city's top tourist sites.

"Elvis Presley Boulevard would not only help the Graceland project, it would help all of Whitehaven and the airport area," Muller said.
Last Updated ( Monday, 16 March 2009 00:37 )
 
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