What could $10 Billion do?: Weekly Policy Update
In early June, Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright sponsored a nonbinding resolution requesting that the federal government designate Memphis and Shelby County as a “priority community” when considering federal funding allocations for localities.
Wright’s resolution follows the logic of decades of research on the causes and effects of crime: Violence is high in places with persistent poverty due to a lack of opportunity, creating a cycle of poverty and crime that persists through generations.
You can read more about it in the Justice & Safety portion of the More For Memphis strategic plan.
Budget Season: Weekly Policy Update
Budget season for Memphis and Shelby County has entered full swing! Mayor Paul Young presented his proposed budget to the Memphis City Council for fiscal year 2026 in April, while Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Interim Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Rod Richmond presented their respective budgets to the Shelby County Commission last week.
Pre-K for All: Weekly Policy Update
Great news: Momentum continues as First 8 Memphis shepherds a “Pre-K for All” joint ordinance through the Memphis City Council and Shelby County Board of Commissioners. This week, the county unanimously passed the ordinance on its third and final reading, leaving just one reading by the city council before the ordinance is fully adopted. This is a historic moment that builds on a long community effort to provide a high-quality early education to every child in Shelby County.
[Photo courtesy of Circles of Success]