Memphis City Council Attempted Comment Not Heard – 06/19/18

Chairman Boyd, yesterday in County Commission Madam Chair Shafer indicated she was ready to go for the Joint EDGE Committee and is waiting on you to call the meeting. Currently, a legislative leadership opportunity that rarely exists awaits you.

As we speak, like the alcoholic screaming for but not asking for help, that is exactly what the confused local economic development bureaucracy is doing in seeking your legislative hand in crafting and curating local economic development planning and policy.

Chairman Boyd they do not know what economic development is; they think economic development is tax incentives

Here is why your intervention is needed. They are considering a company that is already secured with an 8 year PILOT term that has grown store locations by 70% since 2016 for a $650,000 increase of their already existing PILOT. An awesome company that does not need taxpayer help.

At this point, I am just trying to get vital systems in the City to work like the press reporting that the EDGE accounting for retention PILOTs is bogus and this Joint Council / Commission meeting called for THIS County Commission; not the next. Vitality displaces stagnancy.

In the Joint Committee meeting I would hope individual heads of the Chamber would go on record like Brian Stephens, Phillip Spinosa and Phil Trenary to discuss their ideas for economic development among other items.

As far as EDGE goes, suspend the rules now and end their abatement authority.  The EDGE ordinance is weak and did not have oversight provisions or Board term limitations. You have 7 EDGE board members that have been on the Board for 7 years. They need to resign now or rotate off. The EDGE Board should not be like a Supreme Court life appointment

Chairman Boyd please seize this once in a lifetime legislative leadership opportunity to represent the public voice and better chart economic planning and development for years to come. Thank you