The following is from our November issue. Subscribe now.

. . . Mayor AC Wharton seems intent on raising taxes in Shelby County in 2008 . . . speaking to a group in Nashville last month, Mayor Wharton indicated that he would seek state legislative approval to institute some sort of new ‘local tax’ to help fund the Regional Medical Center or public safety . . . apparently the County is not sure where they will spend their new ‘revenue’ just yet . . . or for that matter, which particular tax they will raise . . . Wharton was quoted as saying, “What we need to do is let the people decide what they would like in revenue sources other than property and sales taxes.” . . . since when did taxes become revenue sources for the people? . . . how about cutting our bloating budget to help pay for insolvent programs instead of raising taxes? . . . as County Register Tom Leatherwood pointed, “this makes the tax sound almost like revenue for, rather than from the person paying” . . . really, is anybody being fooled? . . . Wharton did indicate that one possible solution would be a privilege tax on jobs paying above a certain undetermined income level, which would then allow the county to tax commuters from out of county or out of state for work done in Shelby County. . . . doesn’t really seem like the best way to promote business in Shelby County . . . . when asked why Shelby County could not just make cuts in its already bloated budget to secure solvency for the Regional Medical Center, Shelby County Commissioner Mike Ritz indicated, “we have a spending problem”.

. . . Harold Ford Jr. was in the news last month . . . and not over his recent engagement . . . seems Ford was in Nashville meeting with state Democratic leaders about a possible run for Governor in 2010 . . . it came as little surprise that just two weeks after, U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis (D-TN) announced that he was officially running for Governor in 2010 . . . Lincoln, the former campaign chair for Ford Jr. during his 2006 Senate campaign, seems intent on clearing the field early . . . way early! . . . a number of candidates are already rumored to be hedging their bets for a run, including Republican Congressman Zack Wamp (R-TN), who reportedly already has nearly two million dollars in his campaign war chest and would most likely have the endorsement and support of friend and newly elected Senator Bob Corker.

. . . consolidation between Memphis and Shelby County Governments seems to be coming . . . at least that is what the Shelby County School Board is seems to be anticipating . . . in response to another four-year term by pro-consolidation incumbent Willie Herenton, the Shelby County School Board has revved up efforts again to seek state legislation which would protect Shelby County Schools from any consolidation attempts by instituting Special School Districts . . . basically the city and county could consolidate but the school systems would be kept separate . . . the idea has been floated around before and continues to be met with heavy opposition by the Memphis City Schools . . .

. . . talk about awkward . . . U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen and lawyer Nikki Tinker seem to be showing up at the same events . . . in 2006, Cohen defeated Tinker to win the Democratic nomination for the 9th Congressional seat . . . almost the day after Cohen won the general election, Tinker declared herself a candidate for 2008 . . . since then, she has been working aggressively with leaders within the black community to help clear the field, so that what happened in 2006 (fifteen candidates on the Democratic ticket and a diluted field) does not happen again . . . its seems Cohen could hear the approaching footsteps before he even started . . . the same month Cohen was sworn into office, he was back in Memphis holding a fundraiser for his reelection campaign, then two years away . . . that is called the permanent campaign ladies and gentlemen . . . so does anyone still think two year terms for members of the U.S. House is a good idea?