Leaders sound off on sales-tax increase to fund new jail
If a draft bill is passed, it would let the county commission increase the total sales tax rate to 10.75% for the specific purpose of funding a new jail. (The Daily Memphian file)
Some local leaders, including Shelby County Commissioner Amber Mills and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, approve of funding the project through a sales-tax increase. But others say it would disproportionately impact impoverished citizens.
Topics
Shelby County Jail Shelby County Commission Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Julia Baker
A lifelong Memphian, Julia Baker graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.