City auto-fee hike not collected for seven months, leaves $7M pothole
“I am not a part of the City of Memphis government. I am the county clerk, and I am the collector of the fees,” said Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. “They were not ready in July of last year. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Memphis residents who have renewed their car registration since July 1, 2024, were undercharged because of a government mistake.
That mistake could put a $7 million hole in the City of Memphis’ budget.
The city’s vehicle-registration fee was supposed to double — from $30 to $60 — as of July 1. The Memphis City Council approved that increase as a way to shave more cents off a property-tax hike and balance its fiscal year 2025 budget.
But the Shelby County Clerk’s office has not implemented the change.
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wheel tax Wanda Halbert Shelby County Clerk's Office Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Samuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise and investigative reporter who focuses on local government and politics. A native Rhode Islander who lives Downtown, he enjoys tennis, golf and reading.
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