There are 353 article(s) tagged Lee Harris:

• September 2023

  • Political Roundup: Early voting is up, as heat rises in mayoral, council races

    More than 31,000 Memphians had voted early through Tuesday, Sept. 26, passing the totals for the same period during 2015 and 2019 city elections.

    By Bill Dries September 28, 2023

• July 2023

  • Wheel-tax compromise points to broader shift on County Commission

    The $25 wheel-tax hike compromise approved by the Shelby County Commission broke a polite form of dysfunction on the body that could give way to a working majority crossing party lines on other issues.

    By Bill Dries July 01, 2023

• June 2023

  • Reinflated county wheel tax hike proposal faces new road test

    The Shelby County Commission meets Monday, June 26, with a new version of the wheel tax hike that failed earlier this month on the agenda. 

    By Bill Dries June 26, 2023

  • Rare Sunday meeting leads to county wheel-tax hike options

    Four county commissioners — two from each political party — met Sunday, June 11, with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris for four hours. They came up with a compromise that has a wheel-tax hike back in play after it was rejected by the commission earlier this month. But property tax hikes are also in play.

    By Bill Dries June 12, 2023

  • Harris: Property-tax hike may be next for Regional One rebuild

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris talks about the defeat of his wheel-tax proposal on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast and has harsh words for Shelby County Commissioners.

    By Bill Dries June 06, 2023

• May 2023

  • Vote for the high school athlete of the week, Week 9

    Standouts from Arlington, Central, Collierville, ECS, Houston, Lausanne and St. George’s are up for consideration. 

    By John Varlas May 15, 2023

  • Harris argues for doubled wheel tax

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris pushed for the wheel-tax hike to help rebuild Regional One during Memphis Rotary Tuesday. The Shelby County Commission will take its first look at the proposal today. 

    By Bill Dries May 10, 2023

• April 2023

  • Lee Harris’ budget includes one-cent drop in tax rate, $50 hike in wheel tax

    Harris also outlined the funding and timetable for historic county capital projects — the rebuilding of the Regional One Health campus and new high schools in Cordova and Frayser.

    By Bill Dries April 26, 2023

  • Harris, Wright pitch Regional One rebuild financing

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris takes a proposal to the County Commission next week to fund the county’s share of the $700-million capital project. Commissioner Mick Wright says he hopes that can be coupled with a property tax reduction.

    By Bill Dries April 18, 2023

• March 2023

  • Your questions about Wanda Halbert’s office, answered

    Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert goes before county commissioners Wednesday, March 29. Here are some of the basics of the controversy that has been ongoing for about a year.

    By Bill Dries March 28, 2023

  • Halbert could face ouster if she doesn’t move Poplar Plaza office

    If Wanda Halbert does not move the Poplar Plaza office location, Mayor Harris could make the case that she is derelict in her duty.

    By Bill Dries March 22, 2023

  • Regional One financing closer — but there’s a catch

    A $350 million Regional One financing plan can move forward, but the county will need to get a committed funding match from either Tennessee, Mississippi or Arkansas. 

    By Bill Dries March 21, 2023

  • Mayor Harris tests wheel tax hike to fund Regional One rebuild

    The Shelby County mayor wants to know if the current commission has the “political will” to support options that would also pay for new Frayser and Cordova high schools.

    By Bill Dries March 05, 2023

• February 2023

  • Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris using local office to focus on national issues

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris talks on “Behind The Headlines” about his renewed second-term focus on national issues and his willingness to cross jurisdictional and political boundaries.

    By Bill Dries February 10, 2023

• December 2022

  • Everyone ‘made whole’ by 3G deal, say mayors

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo talked in more specific terms about the Germantown schools transfer on “Behind The Headlines.” 

    By Bill Dries, Abigail Warren December 11, 2022

• October 2022

  • Beale Street Baptist gets $150K in county-funded repairs

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said the grant from the county’s reserve fund is likely the first of several for a full restoration of the 137-year old church.

    By Bill Dries October 28, 2022

• September 2022

  • County Commission confirms Harris executive appointments

    The 10 reappointments were voted on individually Monday. There was only one no vote against any of the nominees.

    By Bill Dries September 26, 2022

  • Harris cites new problems in county clerk’s office, urges extended hours

    “Unfortunately, over the course of the last several weeks there have been many reports of new operations and customer service issues at your offices,” the county mayor wrote in the memo to Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. 

    Related story:

    County Clerk’s office closes to public for second weeklong ‘blackout’

    By Bill Dries September 19, 2022

• August 2022

  • Harris wins second mayoral term in race defined by competing calls for change

    Harris, who campaigned as part of a “New Era” slate of Democratic candidates, led a Democratic sweep of countywide offices. 

    By Bill Dries August 05, 2022

  • Harris, Mulroy, Halbert claim early vote, term limits extension losing

    The early and absentee votes are the first to be counted once the polls are closed. The numbers here are the early vote only with separate totals not posted yet on absentee votes.

    By Bill Dries August 04, 2022

• July 2022

  • Harris goes on the offense in first face-to-face clash with Morgan in county mayor’s race

    In their separate campaigns, Worth Morgan and Lee Harris have offered vastly different visions of what the county mayor should prioritize. Each has criticized the vision of the other.

    By Bill Dries July 24, 2022

• June 2022

  • Three major countywide races in August may mean change

    A reporters roundtable on “Behind The Headlines” discusses the nature of change that might occur due to the major countywide races to be decided in the August election.

    By Bill Dries June 28, 2022

  • Political Roundup: Looking for votes in the heat

    The roundup includes the contenders for county mayor clashing over PILOTs and other economic development incentives, reaction to the Roe v. Wade repeal and early-vote strategies.

    By Bill Dries June 28, 2022

  • ‘Unwelcome wagon,’ Trump’s remarks in Nashville set stage for Southaven visit

    The former president, the headliner at a conservative political conference on Saturday, offered a preview during a speech in Nashville of what he is likely to say.

    By Bill Dries June 20, 2022

• May 2022

  • 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.”

    By Bill Dries May 31, 2022