Weekly Update

Friends,

Since March of this year, COVID-19 has dominated just about every aspect of our lives. It’s all we see on the news or read in the newspapers, and it adds a level of stress to even the simplest of tasks like pumping our gas or going to the grocery store.

It’s frustrating, it’s nerve-racking, and at times may seem like there is no end in sight. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you when this will end. But, what I can tell you is what we’ve been doing for the last several weeks is working.

For the fourth week in-a-row, our positivity rate has dropped. It was 11.4 percent for the week of 8/9 through 8-15. The prior week it was 13.1 percent. We want this number to get back under 10 percent, and we’re on the right path to do it. The number of new daily cases and hospitalizations both continue to decline, and our testing capacity is right where we need it to be. Get tested if you’re feeling sick. The labs are returning results in one to three days. Click here for a list of testing sites.

While I can’t tell you when this will end, I can tell you that by keeping up the tedious work of wearing a mask, regular handwashing, and socially distancing the path to the end will be shorter and will be filled with less sickness and unnecessary deaths.

Thank you for what you’re doing. Keep it up!

Picking up steam: On Wednesday of this week, the EDGE board approved five significant new economic development projects. These projects include three companies expanding in or relocating to Memphis, creating nearly 300 jobs and $161 million in investment for this area; and more investment and opportunities for population growth near the University of Memphis.

Full disclosure—these projects did receive PILOTs. Quick refresher on what that is—in a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) we reduce the property tax we charge for a few years to get projects that would have either gone somewhere else or wouldn't have happened at all. In return, a company commits to create or retain jobs, pay good wages, invest in Memphis, and contract with minority and women-owned firms.

Below is a quick summary of the upcoming projects. As you’re looking through them, note the property taxes they’re paying now, during the PILOT, and post PILOT:

1.) Exel Inc., dba DHL Supply Chain (USA)
Looking to construct of a new campus near the intersection of East Holmes Road and Tchulahoma Road

• 13-Year Jobs PILOT
• 255 New Jobs with an average salary of $37,478
• $85,718,770 Investment
• $21,668,293 in Tax Revenue

Annual Property Taxes
• Current: $103,345
• During PILOT: $673,326
• Post PILOT: $2,142,631

$19,487,911 in Spending with Minority/Women-Owned Businesses

2.) Aesthetic Management Partners
Looking to move its headquarters from California to 9113 Macon Road in unincorporated Shelby County

• 12-Year Jobs PILOT
• 26 New Jobs with an average salary of $120,769
• $2,900,000 Investment
• $1,721,437 in Tax Revenue

Annual Property Taxes
• Current: $27,011
• During PILOT: $11,092
• Post PILOT: $31,763

$39,203 in Spending with Minority/Women-Owned Businesses

3.) RDX, LLC
Looking to build a new facility at 4504 American Way (Former Mall of Memphis Site). This facility would complete the revitalization of the site.

• 6-Year Jobs PILOT
• 15 New Jobs with an average salary of $44,172
• $8,699,485 Investment
• $809,628 in Tax Revenue

Annual Property Taxes
• Current: $32,436
• During PILOT: $94,477
• Post PILOT: $247,437

$1,915,425 in Spending with Minority/Women-Owned Businesses

4.) Poplar Plaza Residential
(Finard Properties, LLC / Panther Residential Management)
3486 Poplar Avenue / 3585 Plaza Avenue
Looking to build residential/retail at the Northwest Corner of Poplar and Highland

• 15-Year Residential PILOT
• $56,485,000 Investment
• $12,735,957 in Tax Revenue

Annual Property Taxes
• Current: $113,335
• During PILOT: $376,489
• Post PILOT: $1,357,850

$11,775,933 in Spending with Minority/Women-Owned Businesses

5.) University Park (Water to Wine, LLC)
Looking to build residential/retail at 3637 Park Avenue

• 11-Year Residential PILOT
• $9,235,000 Investment
• More Than $1.3 Million in Tax Revenue

Annual Property Taxes
• Current: $3,246
• During PILOT: $65,753
• Post PILOT: $253,460

$2,080,555 in Spending with Minority/Women-Owned Businesses

Operation LeGend: Recently, there has been much talk about Operation LeGend and whether we should participate with the federal government in this partnership. As I’ve said in the past, this is a violent crime reduction effort with additional resources being provided to federal, state, and local law enforcement to assist in traditional crime-fighting directed at gang violence, narcotics-related shootings, and illegal firearms.

That’s what it is.

What it is not is an introduction of federal riot police, uniformed personnel, or other federal agents to protect federal property. I’ve said over and over we need more officers to investigate violent crimes and get violent criminals off our streets. Just this past weekend, we had 9 additional murders in our city.

Enough is enough.

Since becoming Mayor, we have partnered with the federal government with on multiple occasions and receive federal dollars in almost every division of city government. This particular type of operation works, and it works well.

At the end of last year and into this year, we participated with federal officials in Operation Relentless Pursuit, which is very similar to Operation LeGend. Below are some of the highlights from this partnership.

      

In addition to the stats above, there are couple items in the full presentation that I would like you to pay special attention to—a $25,000 reward for the arrest of the person(s) who murdered LeQuan Dequez Boyd and Ashlyn Denae’ Luckett and the successful apprehension of the two suspected shooters of six-year-old Aison Golden.

As long as these federal agents are focused on these kind of tasks, we will be supportive of their efforts. If you’re concerned about Operation LeGend, I hope you will take a serious look at the results garnered from Operation Relentless Pursuit. We’re working hard every day to keep Memphians safe and get violent criminals off our streets. This is one more tool to help us do that.

Yours,