Shelby County commissioners drew battle lines at their Monday, May 19, session as they go into the home stretch of their budget season.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has proposed a property tax rate for the new fiscal year that starts July 1 but the commission may leave the ordinance setting the new tax rate blank for now.

Commissioner Michael Whaley withdrew an ordinance that would have downsized the Ethics Commission in order to get the group to meet — something it hasn’t done in years.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris says his budget proposal for the new fiscal year will reduce the county property tax rate by 20% and raise the county wheel tax by another $5.

A trial date is forthcoming in the federal criminal case against Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. 

The Shelby County government budget season opens Wednesday, May 14, in County Commission committee sessions. There is more than dollar figures and the county property tax rate at stake.

Four Youth Villages staffers previously had been indicted for facilitation of aggravated child abuse and facilitation of reckless homicide in the death of 17-year-old Alegend Jones.

Memphis’ Medical Education and Research Institute is growing, but it needs additional storage space to accommodate that growth, including whole human body donations.

Dr. Michelle Taylor, the head of the Shelby County Health Department, said her organization was jolted by how abruptly the funding was rescinded. 

The ordinance is possible because of a state law passed in the Tennessee Legislature this year that enabled local legislative bodies to do that in Shelby and Knox counties.

The Shelby County Republican Party is hoping having partisan primaries in school board races will help them crawl back to relevancy in the Democratic-dominated county, even if they have little chance of winning some races.

Two ethics proposals return to the Shelby County Commission Monday. County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., who faces criminal charges himself, is accusing others of wrongdoing.

The Shelby County Republican Party executive committee didn’t want partisan primaries in school board races two years ago, but Thursday’s vote went the other way.

Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr. joins what could be a large field of contenders in the Democratic primary to succeed Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris.

The Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office announced Friday, April 25, Judge Paula Skahan will retire in June.

Under a new law, Shelby County Commissioners have the power to term limit Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members and could put all nine board seats on the ballot in 2026.

The multi-year dollar figure comes from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and would fundamentally alter the county’s annual capital budget now at $150 million a year for all capital projects. 

Collierville Police and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference Monday afternoon to talk about possible drink tampering in the suburb’s limits.

County Commissioner Britney Thornton said Wednesday the allegations against Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. shouldn’t be considered in deciding what, if any, changes should be made to the body’s grant program.

A resolution that urges the Tennessee Supreme Court to create a panel to investigate three state district attorneys general passed the state Senate Wednesday, April 16.

Options for funding the project, widely agreed upon by state legislators as necessary despite disputes about priorities and timing, are becoming increasingly limited.

Shelby County Health Department’s new pilot program will allow all county residents aged 14 and up to order a free, at-home HIV testing kit once every six months. 

The Shelby County Commission approved unanimously an expansion of universal prekindergarten services.

XAI is being taxed on $2.2 billion in investments, not the $12 billion the Greater Memphis Chamber touted throughout the past year. 

The commission also takes a second reading vote Monday on a pay raise for the next Shelby County Sheriff. Final action on a pair of ethics ordinances has been delayed to next month.