Weekly Update

Friends,

As you may have heard, I shared with City Council this past Tuesday our legislative agenda items for the 2023 State Legislative Session. Our agenda (as is typical) is broken into two sections—public safety legislative asks and one-time funding requests.

Public Safety Legislative Agenda

Pass the Single Article Tax bill and earmark the dollars for Public Safety: The Single Article Tax Legislation, which has been spearheaded by the Tennessee Municipal League, would not raise the tax, but would shift a small percentage of the state’s share to cities. Our goal would be to have the new money that comes in earmarked for public safety so that we can continue to enhance our efforts to retain and recruit police officers and firefighters.

Reckless Driving and the Move Over Law: Reckless driving has become more problematic in our city (and the nation for that matter), and it contributes to citizens feeling unsafe. We are proposing that if you are caught using your car recklessly on the streets of Memphis, your car should be impounded upon arrest and destroyed upon conviction.

Recently, we have also experienced an increase in accidents resulting from people not pulling over for first responders – police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and garbage trucks. By increasing the fines and/or stiffening the sentencing for ignoring the Move Over Law, citizens will know we mean business when we say pull over and get out of the way.

Sexual Assault Test Kits: We appreciate Governor Lee, Lt. Gov McNally, and Speaker Sexton adding funding and staffing to our crime labs to help speed up the processing of sexual assault test kits and all other DNA evidence. It is also important to put clear guidelines in place for how long the processing is to take place and when the kit can be sent to a private lab that would have more capacity.

Aggravated Assault: Last year’s "Truth in Sentencing" bill was a major step towards making sure that the people who are committing violent crimes remain in prison for their full sentences. Aggravated assault needs to be added to the list of crimes that are serious enough to mandate prison time and be ineligible for probation.

One-time funding request (or the “big ask” as we call it)

To add further value to our economy and the quality of life in our community, we, along with our partners—Memphis Grizzlies, University of Memphis, Memphis Redbirds, and Memphis 901 FC—are proposing to create a world-class sports tourism destination.

To accomplish that, we are requesting one-time funding of $350 million in cash included in Governor Lee’s FY2024 budget. The State’s portion is part of a very exciting $684 million dollar project that will renovate FedExForum, Simmons Bank Liberty stadium,

and AutoZone Park, plus construction of a brand-new soccer stadium for Memphis 901FC.

Local funding facts: Continues existing, non-general fund revenues, like: Facility generated sales tax, Visitor Revenues (hotel motel tax), and a Rental Car Tax.

Why it matters to Memphis, Shelby County, and State of Tennessee:

• Keeps the Memphis Grizzlies (contract expires 2029), Memphis Redbirds, and Memphis 901FC
• Better positions University of Memphis for conference realignment
• Increases jobs, sales tax revenue, and economic activity in Tennessee (i.e., concerts, corporate events, festivals, professional sports)

One-time impact from capital investment: $1.3 Billion in economic impact

15-year total impact from operations and construction: $21.1 Billion in economic impact

15-year total revenue to state from sales tax collection: $539 Million in sales tax revenue back to the State of Tennessee

Annual Economic Impact per facility after Construction:

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium: $182 Million

Memphis 901FC Stadium: $86 Million

AutoZone Park: $120 Million

FedExForum: $679 Million

This is something our team has been working on for some time now, and I am excited to finally be able to share this publicly. Over the next several months, we will be working diligently with the Governor’s office, the state legislature, and our local partners to make this happen. As we move through the next legislative session, I will be sure to keep you informed.

Enjoy your weekend!

Yours,