Fighting poverty to move forward
I grew up in Whitehaven. As soon as I got out of law school, I returned to Memphis. I got involved. I spent years working with an early childhood education program for kids from lower-income families. I worked with youngsters as a mentor in Big Brothers Big Sisters.
I became an educator, joining the faculty at the University of Memphis. One year I ran a city-wide competition for students interested in learning what it’s like to be a lawyer. I believed I could play a part in changing our community. I believed I could disrupt the status quo. I still do.
I have served in elected office for seven years — three years on Memphis City Council and four years in the state Senate as one of the top elected Democrats. I have always tried to show courage, take on special interests, and speak up on behalf of everyday citizens.
When Kellogg management didn’t deal fairly with its Memphis workers, I camped out in front of the Kellogg plant to draw attention to the injustice. When I was a member of the Memphis City Council, I shifted money away from our corporate tax break board (EDGE) to public transit.
When state leaders argued that Syrian refugees fleeing from war should be rounded up by the Tennessee National Guard and sent to ICE detention centers, I was one of the first leaders to confront their rhetoric.
During my time in office, I have tried to do two things. First, I have tried to work hard. I have a record of sponsoring and passing legislation to promote a variety of causes, including non-discrimination in the workplace, a fairer criminal justice system, expanded tuition free access to higher education, protections for our environment, and many other topics.
In the 2017 legislative session, I passed more bills into law than any other Democrat.
Second, I have tried to show that I can work with anyone, regardless of party or ideology. Most of my 2017 bills were co-sponsored by Republicans. Furthermore, I frequently find common cause to work with conservatives on issues in the public interest, like veteran issues and protecting our water from the risk of contamination.
Let me be blunt about what is happening in our community and why I’m in this race for county mayor. Poverty is our most serious challenge. Right now, nearly 200,000 County residents live in poverty. It’s nearly twice the number of poor residents in Davidson County (Nashville), three times the number of poor residents in Knox County (Knoxville), and four times the number of poor residents in Hamilton County (Chattanooga).
The U.S. Census Bureau has pegged our metropolitan area as one of the poorest in the country. Worse yet, much of the poverty in Shelby County has been passed from one generation to the next.
I’m running for county mayor, because I believe that if families are going to get out of poverty, we must create more meaningful opportunities for students to succeed, and we must invest in communities in need.
Many students in our county go to class in buildings that are falling down. Our county has hundreds of millions in deferred maintenance for our school buildings. That means leaky roofs, failing cooling and heating systems, and general disrepair.
I’m a product of our public schools. My wife and I have two kids in the public school system. So, I have plenty of skin the game. In the state Senate, I have proposed expanding investment in early childhood education and passed bills to bring more math and science teachers into the classroom.
That’s the background I’ll take into the county’s top job, if fortunate enough to be elected. I’m running for Shelby County mayor because I believe it’s time to invest in education, in students, in the next generation.
State Sen. Lee Harris is a Democratic candidate for mayor of Shelby County.