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.
Topics
wheel tax Wanda Halbert Shelby County Clerk's Office Subscriber OnlyWe’re in the final countdown of 2025. ⌛🪩🎉
Will you make a donation before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve to fuel trustworthy reporting in the new year?
➡️ Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now!
Samuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.
Comments
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.