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.
What is the "Memphis Safe Task Force”?
According to Governor Bill Lee, the “Memphis Safe Task Force” will consist of federal agents from the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); U.S. Marshals Service; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and the National Guard in addition to local law enforcement.
In this edition of the Weekly Policy Update, we gather information currently available on the influx of federal agents to Memphis. We also highlight several prevention-focused efforts, such as after-school programming and workforce pathways, that can sustainably reduce crime in the long run.
Who, What, Why is a School Board Member?
Last week, the Shelby County Commission took a final vote on the resolution to align MSCS board elections with those of the county commission. All nine school board seats will be on the ballot in 2026 with all 13 county commission seats.
In this update, we discuss the duties of school board members and what kind of expertise future candidates can bring to the table.
230,000 Futures in the Making
The future is advancing quickly and our systems are failing to keep up. The unemployment rate for recent college graduates averaged 5.3%, while their underemployment rate remains over 41%.
Together with the StriveTogether Network and our new statewide collaboration—Cradle to Career TN—we are working to invest in students, improve their academic outcomes by improving their lives, and prepare them for the future.
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.