Should Memphis, Shelby Co. merge?
Poll is testing support for consolidation
Ten years ago, Memphis and Shelby County voters decided against consolidating city and county government into a metropolitan government. This week, a poll went into the field to gauge what residents think about voting on consolidated government again.
The poll was commissioned and funded by what two participants describe as a diverse set of 10 to 15 Memphis and Shelby County residents who are interested in public sentiment about consolidation.
The poll is being conducted by Conquest Communications Group of Virginia, said Brian Stephens, CEO of Caissa Public Strategy and a self-identified member of those funding the polling effort. Another member of the group, Chase Carlisle, a Memphis City Councilman and businessman, also spoke with The Commercial Appeal. Carlisle has also contributed to the polling effort.
The purpose of the poll, Carlisle and Stephens said, is to gauge public interest in a consolidated metropolitan government. It is not, at least so far, an organized consolidation effort. Such an effort would likely require both the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission to vote to create a charter commission. The group is not close to that stage yet, though they would potentially pursue consolidation if the public is interested.
“If we get it back and people are like ‘hell no,’ then there’s no reason to explore it if the community is very resistant to it,” Stephens said in an interview Wednesday.
Carlisle said, “It’s just for the conversation . ... A diverse group of county and city people came together and simply
are trying to test what the potential of looking into a metro government that’s similar to the one that has significantly benefited Nashville would look like . ... They’re just out there trying to explore ideas, and I applaud that.”
Both Stephens and Carlisle noted the COVID-19 pandemic made what has been a simmering conversation a more pressing question.
“I think in particular COVID-19 has shown some significant flaws in the structure of our government as far as it relates to responding to crises, right. ...You’ve got two separate entities that, at times, are [duplicative], and other times have separate roles. And I think most people would say that’s not very efficient,” Carlisle said.
Stephens said, “People were having a very difficult time understanding who was in charge and what should they be doing. Can their business open? Can their business close? Should they be listening to the health department, the city, the county...? It’s confusing.”
Stephens also noted that confusion also spreads into the business recruitment and economic development space.
“When a business wants to open up shop in this community and create jobs here. Who do I talk to? Is it [Economic Development Growth Engine], the city, is it the county? Do I need to go to the state,” Stephens said.
“There’s government that’s perfect... We might have the best thing there is. But people wanted to explore.”
Stephens said he hopes the potential consolidation effort and its public disclosure facilitates more community conversation about how to improve local government.
He also pointed out it is not a proposal to dissolve the municipal suburban governments, just to combine Memphis and Shelby County government.
“I would hope there would be more ideas that would bubble up from this that have nothing to do with metro government,” Stephens said.
“I want to beat Nashville and I’m open to almost any way to do it.”
Shelby County voters defeated proposal in 2010
The suburbs said no in 2010 and defeated the referendum on the proposed metro government charter. It was not close. Voters in the suburbs defeated 85% against to about 15% for.
The measure passed narrowly in the city.
Stephens, who was involved in the 2010 effort, believes a major barrier to its passage has fallen away — public education.
“The county residents were very alarmed about what would happen with the school district. That was the number one reason why they voted no. ... The school system is now off the table. That’s been resolved. The issue of what would happen with schools is no longer an issue for a future metro government campaign . ... No metro government campaign would change that,” Stephens said.
In 2010, Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools had not consolidated and the suburbs had not split off into separate municipal districts.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, a member of the 2010 charter commission, the body that designed the proposed Memphis and Shelby County charter a decade ago, said he still believes consolidation is a good idea.
“I think that things would function better under one umbrella when it comes to economic development, law enforcement, education and even a pandemic,” Strickland said in an interview Wednesday.
“I think when you look at cities who have had good runs the last 20 years, they attribute, in part, to consolidation. That’s Louisville, Nashville and Jacksonville . ... Anything we can do better I’m all for.”
However, he doubts the opinion of those who live in the suburbs has changed.
“I don’t believe their attitudes have changed that much,” Strickland said. “It would take a lot to convince me that the public was ready for that debate.”
Samuel Hardiman covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by email at samuel.hardiman@com mercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter at @samhardiman.