Political Roundup: The general election campaign shift
The May county primary results are certified and the Democratic and Republican nominees who advanced to the August ballot are now seeking to appeal to a larger group of voters in that election.
Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
There are 3905 articles by Bill Dries :
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May 2022
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Elections -
Behind The Headlines Luttrell calls for an end to ‘insular’ county primaries
Former county mayor Mark Luttrell’s comments come as Memphis City Council members are weighing two referendum ordinances proposed for the August ballot for city voters.
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Elections Bully pulpit or big table: Choice in the race for County Mayor
Worth Morgan, the Republican nominee for Shelby County Mayor talks about the terrain of the 2022 county general election and what the defeat of Ken Moody in the primaries means for the general election.
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Shelby County County Commission has proposal to match city dedicated funding for MATA
Shelby County Commission will consider a proposal by Edmund Ford Jr. that will match Memphis' dedicated funding for MATA, the public transportation service that provides bus service throughout the city.
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Elections City Council final vote scheduled on expanding term limits
The Tuesday, May 24, council agenda also includes the second of three votes on a companion ballot question that would allow partisan primaries in city elections.
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Shelby County MATA ‘Transit Vision’ funding clears first county hurdle
There were seven votes on the county commission for the first of three readings on creating the first dedicated source of recurring local funding for the city-owned bus system. But there are amendments ahead.
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Shelby County County Commission again delays filling state House seat
The delay comes as the commission as well as the city council have had trouble with attendance this month as the school year ends and family vacations begin.
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Shelby County County property tax rate set, but budgeting goes on
But the Shelby County Commission still has some dollar figures to crunch and some conflicting calculations to resolve before it can close the books on another budget season.
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City of Memphis $30M fund for MATA clears first hurdles before City Council
The council’s passage of first reading of the ordinance to create the special fund for an overhaul of the city bus system was approved the day after the Shelby County Commission took the same action.
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South Memphis High school expansion in Whitehaven approved
In other City Council actions Tuesday, Juneteenth was added as a paid holiday for city employees and the Soulsville TIF District was up for a vote.
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Elections Strickland to weigh third bid if term limits extended
Strickland issued a statement Wednesday saying he will consider a third term following the City Council’s approval Tuesday of an August ballot question that would expand term limits.
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Shelby County Former City Council member named new county CAO
Harold Collins served two terms on the City Council, leaving in 2015 to run for Memphis mayor in a challenge of incumbent Mayor A C Wharton.
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Behind The Headlines UTHSC chancellor says pandemic is ‘paradox’ for medical schools, research
Dr. Peter Buckley said those sticking with a career in medicine may be health care’s “greatest generation” even as others are leaving because of what they saw and did during the worst of the pandemic.
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Elections Political Roundup: The primary issue. Do we still need them?
A call to end county primary elections draws fire during the “On The Record” podcast as Democrats tout their countywide slate in Germantown and Republican mayoral nominee Worth Morgan opens his campaign headquarters in East Memphis.
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City of Memphis Extending city term limits goes on ballot for second time in four years
A city charter change that would allow the mayor and members of the city council to serve three consecutive terms goes on the ballot in August.
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City of Memphis Strickland pushes for stronger federal and state gun laws
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland called Friday, May 27, for “strong federal laws with reasonable restrictions on weapons” and “stronger state laws punishing gun crimes and more intervention with those at-risk of using guns.”
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June 2022
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: Round property tax rate up or down?
The Shelby County Commission Scorecard tracks how the commission votes went at the May 23 session on two key parts of the 2022 county budget season.
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City of Memphis Metal Museum, city sign lease for Rust Hall
Terms of the 100-year lease include a $35 million renovation of the Overton Park landmark with money from private donors.
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State Government State House Speaker says AR-15 ban not the answer to mass shootings
Cameron Sexton says he sees no reason to ban AR-15 weapons in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting. Meanwhile in Washington Thursday, Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen was calling for such a ban.
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Elections City Council Scorecard: Term limits maneuvers
The City Council Scorecard follows the maneuvering as the council puts a ballot question on the August ballot that might look familiar to Memphis voters.
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Shelby County County Commission may close out budget season
A final vote Monday, June 6, on a county property tax rate of $3.39 is among the set of final votes that could end the county’s budget season ahead of the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.
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City of Memphis City Council eyes police pay, Mud Island monorail at end of budget season
The Memphis City Council members could close out its 2022 budget season Tuesday, June 7, with a set of votes on a new property tax rate and operating and capital budgets.
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Shelby County County Commission approves budget specifics in marathon session
The series of votes in a marathon County Commission session Monday reflect some budget amendments and changes to various line items.
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County answers complaints by approving funds to mail license plates
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Shelby County County answers complaints by approving funds to mail license plates
The clerk’s office has been late in mailing the plates and stickers for most of this year, with complaints increasing.
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County Commission approves budget specifics in marathon session
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City of Memphis Public to get first look at new power proposals Thursday
The Thursday meeting will be the first look at some of the price quotes and other proposals to replace TVA as MLGW’s supplier of electric power. But there will probably still be some secrecy about who made what bid.
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