There are 23 article(s) tagged wheel tax:

• January 2025

  • City auto-fee hike not collected for seven months, leaves $7M pothole

    The city’s vehicle-registration fee was supposed to double — from $30 to $60 — as of July 1. But the Shelby County Clerk’s office has not implemented the change. 

    By Samuel Hardiman January 29, 2025

• March 2024

  • Newest numbers suggest projected deficit for new schools, Regional One redo

    Corrected revenue figures suggest last year’s wheel-tax hike is generating less money than originally expected, at the same time the cost of two new high schools has doubled. 

    By Bill Dries March 12, 2024

• February 2024

  • County Clerk’s revenue figures still missing; County Trustee goes to state auditors

    Trustee Regina Newman has “unposted” inaccurate revenue figures from County Clerk Wanda Halbert. The revenue figures, including those for last year’s wheel-tax hike, are needed to build next year’s county budget.

    By Bill Dries February 26, 2024

• December 2023

  • Wheel-tax hike, Wanda Halbert top list of 2023’s County Commission votes

    A $25 wheel-tax hike tops the annual list of significant votes by the Shelby County Commission. The vote had a ripple effect on the 13-member body from electing a new chair to a special prosecutor investigating County Clerk Wanda Halbert.

    By Bill Dries December 27, 2023

• August 2023

  • County Commission tries to break stalemate on new chairman election

    Democratic commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs was one vote short of the seven votes needed to become the new chairwoman during nine rounds of voting at the July 17 commission meeting. Three of the 9 Democrats abstained in a rift that goes back to a June vote to raise the county wheel tax by $25.

    By Bill Dries August 07, 2023

• July 2023

  • Wheel tax divide leads to stalemate in vote for county commission chairman

    The wheel tax hike approved last month is a done deal. But the commission’s Democratic majority is still fractured over the decision. 

    By Bill Dries July 17, 2023

  • County Commission Scorecard: Resurrecting and passing the wheel-tax hike

    The Shelby County Commission Scorecard follows the complex four-month path of the $25 wheel-tax hike, with a mix of the roll call votes and developments outside commission meetings that shaped the compromise.

    By Bill Dries July 02, 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

  • Letter to the Editor: Regional One is only an asset if it can support itself

    “Honestly, I still do not understand why the Shelby County government is in the health care business and why it owns the Regional One Health Elvis Presley Trauma Center and the smaller Regional One small practices.”

    By Letters to the Editor July 01, 2023

• June 2023

  • County Commission gives final approval to $25 wheel-tax hike

    The wheel-tax hike’s approval on a 9-4 vote ends the county’s budget season with the financing in place for three landmark capital projects.

    By Bill Dries June 28, 2023

  • Wheel-tax hike makes comeback in marathon County Commission meeting

    The $25 a year increase in the wheel tax was a last-minute compromise that funds the three major projects it is aimed at, but does not build funding for future schools projects. The commission takes a second crucial vote on the tax hike Wednesday.

    By Bill Dries June 27, 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

  • Wheel-tax hike is back on County Commission agenda

    Shelby County commissioners are still considering a hike in the wheel tax or the property tax to complete their budget season. 

    By Bill Dries June 14, 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

  • Shelby County Commission votes down wheel-tax hike twice in one night

    The proposed wheel-tax hike, to fund the rebuilding of Regional One Health’s campus and new Frayser and Cordova high schools, fell two votes short of the nine votes needed. It was then one vote short in a late attempt to keep the funding option alive.

    By Bill Dries June 06, 2023

  • Wheel tax hike proposal rolls or goes flat with critical Monday vote

    The $50 wheel tax hike on the County Commission agenda is key to Mayor Lee Harris’ plan to finance $350 million toward rebuilding the Regional One Health campus and building two new high schools.

    By Bill Dries June 05, 2023

• May 2023

  • Vote on wheel-tax hike delayed at County Commission

    The delay in the vote came after it became apparent the nine-vote two-thirds majority wasn’t there in the first of two votes. 

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    County Commission calls on judges to enact new release restrictions early

    By Bill Dries May 15, 2023

  • Wheel-tax increase faces first vote by Shelby County Commission

    The doubling of the $50 annual wheel tax is integral to County Mayor Lee Harris’ plan to expand the county’s capital budget from $75 million annually to $150 million.

    By Bill Dries May 15, 2023

  • County Commission Scorecard: Filling in the budget blanks

    The commission scorecard tracks critical votes so far to fill in the blanks on a resolution that could raise the county’s wheel tax and an ordinance that could drop the county’s property tax rate.

    By Bill Dries May 11, 2023

  • Property tax cut and wheel-tax hike proposal is on shaky ground

    During Wednesday committee sessions, Shelby County commissioners set up later votes on a property rate that would remain the same while a commissioner’s resolution to do away with the wheel tax altogether waits in the wings. 

    By Bill Dries May 11, 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

  • Capital projects top Harris budget proposal to County Commission

    The Wednesday, April 26, presentation by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris includes a multi-year $350 million funding commitment toward a rebuild of the Regional One Health campus and money for new high schools.

    By Bill Dries April 25, 2023

• January 2020

  • Harris prefers third-car fee for MATA; willing to consider wheel tax proposal

    On Behind The Headlines, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said if the County Commission approves a wheel tax hike for the city's bus system, he would like to see a renewal provision requiring the commission to vote on whether to continue it every decade.

    By Bill Dries January 10, 2020