All the Money in Shelby County
The Tennessee comptroller rejected Shelby County’s budget for the first time due to what he claimed were unmet requirements. This means Shelby County cannot access bonds or take on debt in fiscal year 2026, but major projects, like new schools and the Regional One rebuild, should stay on track.
In this update, we show you what public funding we have locally and where it comes from. We also highlight what Memphis and Shelby County officials can focus on in budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year to support children and families.
I watched a six-hour Shelby County Commission meeting so you wouldn't have to
In an (at times) explosive six-hour long Shelby County Commission meeting, Commissioners tackled several big ticket items.
Featured topics included funding for certain staff positions under District Attorney Steve Mulroy, removing a New Chicago brownfield site from consideration for the construction of a new jail, the state of the Shelby County Ethics Commission, and rescheduling future elections for Memphis-Shelby County School board members.
Big Week of MSCS News | Weekly Policy Update
Routine testing in Memphis-Shelby County schools uncovered lead levels above state standards in 24 district schools, mostly in kitchen sinks. Additionally, auditors from a national accounting firm arrived in Memphis last week for a state-funded audit of MSCS spanning back to 2021.
Also covered in this update: A new MSCS committee to discuss facility maintenance, news on former Superintendent Marie Feagins’ lawsuit, and the county commission’s resolution to move school board elections.
xAI, Head Start, and How to Read the Law | Weekly Policy Update
Porter-Leath has been awarded federal funding to expand its Head Start services for Shelby County and will serve an additional 2,920 children ages 3-5 years old in partnership with First 8 Memphis and dozens of local providers. Porter-Leath is now enrolling children at over 30 locations and hiring staff to serve children and families.
xAI, the company at the center of several news stories related to air pollution in South Memphis, is donating millions to facility upgrades to be used in four high schools in xAI’s surrounding area.
Also in this edition: learn how we review upcoming legislation!
School Board Elections Might Look Different | Weekly Policy Update
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners has voted to advance a resolution to change Memphis-Shelby County school board elections to align with those of the Shelby County Commission. This would put all nine MSCS board seats on the November 2026 ballot and truncate the terms of those elected in 2024.
The change is expected to increase voter turnout in school board elections. In the previous August 2024 election, only 13% of registered voters cast a ballot. Memphis school board elections have had turnout as high as 39% in 1980, but 13% in 2024 is a near-all-time low, edged out only by the 12.2% turnout in 2004.