WEBVTT
00:01.134 --> 00:02.903
- (female announcer)
Production funding for
00:02.903 --> 00:05.672
Behind the Headlines
is made possible in part by:
00:05.672 --> 00:08.242
the WKNO Production Fund,
00:08.242 --> 00:10.143
the WKNO Endowment Fund,
00:10.143 --> 00:13.614
and by viewers like you,
thank you.
00:13.614 --> 00:15.115
Memphis Mayor Jim
Strickland on his record,
00:15.115 --> 00:17.050
and his run for reelection
00:17.050 --> 00:19.119
tonight on Behind the Headlines.
00:19.119 --> 00:22.856
[dramatic, orchestral music]
00:36.203 --> 00:37.804
I'm Eric Barnes with
The Daily Memphian.
00:37.804 --> 00:39.239
Thanks for joining us.
00:39.239 --> 00:41.041
I am joined tonight by
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland,
00:41.041 --> 00:41.909
thanks for being here again.
00:41.909 --> 00:43.010
- Thanks for having me.
00:43.010 --> 00:44.278
- Along with Bill Dries,
00:44.278 --> 00:46.079
reporter with The
Daily Memphian.
00:46.079 --> 00:49.016
I should say at the top here,
just a note of fairness,
00:49.016 --> 00:51.318
that we had Tami Sawyer,
Shelby County Commissioner
00:51.318 --> 00:53.387
and candidate for Mayor
on the show two weeks ago.
00:53.387 --> 00:55.289
People can get that
on the WKNO website
00:55.289 --> 00:58.358
or download the podcast
on dailymemphian.com.
00:58.358 --> 01:00.894
We've also reached out to
former Mayor Herenton's campaign
01:00.894 --> 01:02.462
and asked him to be on the show.
01:02.462 --> 01:05.832
They have so far
declined to attend.
01:05.832 --> 01:07.568
Thank you for being
here, appreciate it.
01:07.568 --> 01:08.835
- Thank you.
- As we get close to,
01:08.835 --> 01:10.671
early voting is some weeks away.
01:10.671 --> 01:13.073
- (Strickland)
Yes.
01:13.073 --> 01:16.610
- The campaign gets more
heated, and two weeks ago
01:16.610 --> 01:18.345
when Tami Sawyer
was on the show,
01:18.345 --> 01:20.914
I won't try to go point
by point of what she said,
01:20.914 --> 01:22.149
I don't think that's fair,
01:22.149 --> 01:25.852
but she did accuse you
of not doing enough,
01:25.852 --> 01:28.722
and I'll paraphrase
lightly, to combat racism,
01:28.722 --> 01:31.058
to not use the Office
of the Mayor enough,
01:31.058 --> 01:32.859
and strongly enough
to combat racism,
01:32.859 --> 01:34.261
and also to combat sexism.
01:34.261 --> 01:36.229
Do you have a response
to those accusations?
01:36.229 --> 01:39.232
And she said things to
that effect elsewhere.
01:39.232 --> 01:43.870
- Well I think her more
pointed comments,
01:43.870 --> 01:45.439
I think you softened 'em up.
01:45.439 --> 01:49.476
Her more pointed comments
don't deserve any response.
01:49.476 --> 01:52.312
I let my record
stand where it is.
01:52.312 --> 01:56.249
We have an extraordinarily
diverse administration.
01:56.249 --> 01:59.252
Fact, we have more women
in leadership positions
01:59.252 --> 02:01.421
than city government
has ever had before.
02:01.421 --> 02:04.424
I think my record in
improving education,
02:04.424 --> 02:07.627
and services to the
public for all Memphians
02:08.829 --> 02:12.766
stands on its own, and I
think the response I get
02:12.766 --> 02:16.136
throughout the city,
people understand that,
02:16.136 --> 02:20.007
and they know that I'm
serving everyone equally
02:20.007 --> 02:22.542
and better than they
were four years ago.
02:23.877 --> 02:25.746
- Do you, is there a
particular onus on you as,
02:25.746 --> 02:28.081
I mean, we are a majority
African American city,
02:28.081 --> 02:32.219
majority female city,
you are a white male
02:32.219 --> 02:33.620
and I talk about
this on the show
02:33.620 --> 02:35.355
and we try to talk
about issues of race
02:35.355 --> 02:37.424
and prejudice and so on.
02:37.424 --> 02:40.460
I'm a 51 year old white guy
talking about those issues.
02:40.460 --> 02:43.363
Do you feel a particular
onus as Mayor of this city
02:43.363 --> 02:46.700
to address those issues
because we are a majority black
02:46.700 --> 02:48.235
and a majority female city?
02:48.235 --> 02:50.537
- No I feel an onus on me to
better serve the public.
02:52.005 --> 02:53.674
When I took over, we said
02:53.674 --> 02:55.776
we're gonna increase
our MWBE spend.
02:55.776 --> 02:58.445
When I took over it was
12% of our contracts,
02:58.445 --> 03:02.783
we're now up to 20%, the all
time high for city government,
03:02.783 --> 03:05.886
and we had the
largest MWBE project
03:05.886 --> 03:08.588
in the history of the
city with $49 million
03:08.588 --> 03:10.924
going to MWBEs at the
convention center,
03:10.924 --> 03:12.159
and you know what,
03:12.159 --> 03:14.061
you know what County
Commissioner Sawyer's
03:14.061 --> 03:15.996
MWBE number over
at the county is?
03:17.364 --> 03:18.832
Three.
03:18.832 --> 03:21.968
3%, and that program is run
by County Commissioners.
03:21.968 --> 03:26.706
So this election's about
results, not rhetoric,
03:26.706 --> 03:29.709
and the results show
we're makin' a difference
03:29.709 --> 03:31.144
and she is not.
03:31.144 --> 03:33.847
- And MWBE stands for,
for people not so sure?
03:33.847 --> 03:36.516
- Minority-owned Women-owned
Business Enterprise.
03:36.516 --> 03:39.553
- And the $49 million, that
project is which one?
03:39.553 --> 03:41.088
- The convention center.
- Convention center, okay.
03:41.088 --> 03:41.922
Bill.
03:43.323 --> 03:47.027
- Do you think that the
discussion of this
03:47.027 --> 03:49.329
should involve national issues--
- (Stricklnad) No.
03:49.329 --> 03:53.567
- or is this race just about
what happens in Memphis?
03:54.734 --> 03:56.303
- It's about what
happens in Memphis.
03:56.303 --> 04:01.041
Our challenges in Memphis are
great, meaning they're large.
04:01.041 --> 04:03.009
We have real challenges.
04:03.009 --> 04:05.011
The violent crime
rate's too high, poverty is
04:05.011 --> 04:09.182
too high, our educational
achievement's too low.
04:09.182 --> 04:10.884
We have to unite in Memphis
04:10.884 --> 04:12.853
behind attacking
those challenges
04:12.853 --> 04:15.822
and that's what I've done in
my 3 1/2 years in Memphis,
04:15.822 --> 04:18.325
as Memphis Mayor,
I've united the city
04:18.325 --> 04:21.728
as much as I can to
tackle those challenges.
04:21.728 --> 04:24.965
If the public wanted
me, or if I wanted
04:24.965 --> 04:27.868
to address national issues,
I'd run for Congress.
04:27.868 --> 04:30.337
I'm not runnin' for
Congress, I'm tryin' to solve
04:30.337 --> 04:32.939
Memphis problems and
serve Memphians better,
04:32.939 --> 04:35.675
and that is a difference
04:35.675 --> 04:39.679
and I think most of Memphis
agrees with my position.
04:39.679 --> 04:42.849
To really reduce violent crime
04:42.849 --> 04:45.785
and to increase the
educational achievement level
04:45.785 --> 04:47.754
in the city and reduce poverty,
04:47.754 --> 04:52.058
all of us, Democrat,
Republican, white, black,
04:52.058 --> 04:56.897
Hispanic, business
leader, labor leader,
04:56.897 --> 05:01.668
retired person, Millennial,
all need to be behind
05:01.668 --> 05:04.504
increasing that third
grade reading level
05:04.504 --> 05:06.239
and driving down violent crime.
05:06.239 --> 05:08.508
Those, if we can do that,
05:08.508 --> 05:10.677
that's how you
revolutionize this city,
05:10.677 --> 05:12.712
and that's what we focused on.
05:12.712 --> 05:17.284
- Do you think that there are
legitimate differences to be
05:17.284 --> 05:21.288
discussed about, specifically
about fighting crime?
05:21.288 --> 05:24.291
Because one of the most
profound differences here
05:24.291 --> 05:28.728
is you say more police
equals less crime.
05:28.728 --> 05:31.798
Commissioner Sawyer says
that she doesn't think
05:31.798 --> 05:33.767
that that's the case,
that in fact more police
05:33.767 --> 05:35.735
means more people arrested.
05:37.370 --> 05:40.907
- Well, the more people arrested
that are committing crimes.
05:40.907 --> 05:44.611
I mean, that's illogical to
me, but that is a difference.
05:44.611 --> 05:47.847
We need more police
officers, she says we don't.
05:47.847 --> 05:51.751
Also, Mayor Herenton said
when he was faced in 2006
05:51.751 --> 05:55.222
with the highest crime
rate the city has ever seen
05:55.222 --> 05:59.459
before or after, he said the
next year, runnin' for Mayor,
05:59.459 --> 06:02.195
that there's nothing he or
any Mayor in the United States
06:02.195 --> 06:03.763
can do to reduce crime.
06:03.763 --> 06:07.367
So I disagree with
both those candidates.
06:07.367 --> 06:09.736
We need more police officers,
and there's certainly
06:09.736 --> 06:12.172
what the Mayor can do can
help drive down crime.
06:12.172 --> 06:15.208
The Mayor alone can't
drive down crime,
06:15.208 --> 06:16.610
but you can make a difference,
06:16.610 --> 06:19.646
so we've increased, shortly
after I became Mayor
06:19.646 --> 06:22.115
we dropped down
to 1900 officers,
06:22.115 --> 06:24.851
when we had 2400 eight
or nine years ago,
06:24.851 --> 06:27.621
we're now over 2000,
we're gonna get back
06:27.621 --> 06:29.456
to 2100 later this year,
06:30.657 --> 06:33.293
our goal is to 2300
by the end of 2020.
06:33.293 --> 06:35.795
Everywhere I go people
want more officers
06:35.795 --> 06:38.632
patrolling the streets, 'cause
the more officers we have,
06:38.632 --> 06:40.433
the more community
policing we can do,
06:40.433 --> 06:41.768
the more Blue CRUSH we can do,
06:41.768 --> 06:44.170
the more patrols that we can do,
06:44.170 --> 06:46.373
the more investigative
work we can do,
06:46.373 --> 06:48.208
so I'm committed
and when we got,
06:48.208 --> 06:52.412
when we were at 2400
officers in 2011, 2012,
06:52.412 --> 06:57.417
that was the recent low
of crime in recent memory.
06:58.718 --> 07:01.855
Crime had been reduced from 26%
07:01.855 --> 07:05.525
from the Herenton high of 2006.
07:05.525 --> 07:07.627
- You've been in
office 3 1/2 years,
07:07.627 --> 07:11.898
you've added a net
approaching 150 it sounds like
07:11.898 --> 07:13.800
based on your numbers
for the low of 1900
07:13.800 --> 07:16.336
we're over 2000 now,
hope to be at 2100
07:16.336 --> 07:17.837
by the end of the year, okay?
- Yes.
07:17.837 --> 07:20.540
- So let's give you the end of
the year number which is 200.
07:20.540 --> 07:22.008
Why is it taking so long?
07:23.143 --> 07:24.644
- For a long...
- When it has been,
07:24.644 --> 07:26.146
you've talked about it every
time you've been on the show,
07:26.146 --> 07:28.381
when you campaigned, why does
it take so long to rebuild?
07:28.381 --> 07:29.849
- Two reasons.
07:29.849 --> 07:34.721
Number one, what we
inherited was no process
07:36.089 --> 07:38.558
for retaining and recruiting
police officers, none.
07:38.558 --> 07:41.928
You had to physically
go to a police precinct
07:41.928 --> 07:45.899
and hand write a form to
apply to be a police officer.
07:45.899 --> 07:49.436
Well as you know, a 22 year
old, they all apply online
07:49.436 --> 07:51.971
and on their phones, and
so we had to revamp that.
07:51.971 --> 07:54.808
Then we had to go through a
campaign of the Best in Blue,
07:55.975 --> 07:58.111
to really go out there
and recruit and market,
07:58.111 --> 08:01.381
and that recruiting and
marketing and background checks
08:01.381 --> 08:04.184
and physical tests takes
about, took about 6 months,
08:04.184 --> 08:07.620
and then the class itself
takes almost 6 months.
08:07.620 --> 08:08.888
That class being the training
08:08.888 --> 08:10.423
- At the Police Academy.
08:10.423 --> 08:11.725
And not everyone
makes it through?
08:11.725 --> 08:12.926
- No, I mean--
- Okay.
08:12.926 --> 08:15.562
- I'm guessin' 80%
only make it through
08:15.562 --> 08:19.165
because it's tough
physically, and academically,
08:19.165 --> 08:21.267
and you have to be
able to shoot a gun
08:21.267 --> 08:24.637
so all that, that whole
process takes at least a year
08:24.637 --> 08:27.907
in and of itself, now we have
shortened that first 6 months
08:27.907 --> 08:31.978
to about 4 months, and the
second reason it's tough,
08:31.978 --> 08:34.180
it is tough to be a
police officer nowadays,
08:35.582 --> 08:37.751
and every other city is out
there tryin' to recruit,
08:39.252 --> 08:42.522
well one other thing, with
that low unemployment rate,
08:42.522 --> 08:44.224
young people have other options.
08:44.224 --> 08:46.126
- Well is part of
the problem money
08:46.126 --> 08:48.395
and 2 is, is there
money in the budget,
08:50.163 --> 08:52.332
if you could get
to 2300 immediately
08:52.332 --> 08:53.767
could the city afford that?
08:53.767 --> 08:58.238
- Yes, because our overtime
budget would go down
08:58.238 --> 08:59.506
- Okay.
08:59.506 --> 09:00.874
and then that could help
pay for those salaries.
09:00.874 --> 09:03.243
Second is, looking
back to before
09:03.243 --> 09:05.612
when you were on the
Council, City Council
09:05.612 --> 09:09.983
and Mayor Wharton was in,
he made and the council made
09:09.983 --> 09:13.853
very deep cuts to benefits
09:13.853 --> 09:17.290
and for city employees,
police officers included,
09:17.290 --> 09:19.959
changes to pension, the
whole pension reform.
09:19.959 --> 09:21.795
First of all, did you
vote for those cuts
09:21.795 --> 09:23.463
as a City Councilperson,
and in hindsight
09:23.463 --> 09:25.465
was that vote,
wherever use you're on,
09:25.465 --> 09:26.966
was it a mistake?
09:26.966 --> 09:30.770
- No I did vote for it, and
even though it was very tough,
09:30.770 --> 09:32.839
and I wish we didn't
have to do it,
09:32.839 --> 09:36.509
financially it was required
because also remember,
09:36.509 --> 09:39.879
our pension plan per
year was underfunded
09:39.879 --> 09:43.516
by about $50 million,
it was upside down,
09:43.516 --> 09:45.318
which the underfunding
of the pension
09:45.318 --> 09:48.688
started under Mayor
Herenton in 2005 or 2006,
09:48.688 --> 09:51.157
so he left us an
underfunded pension
09:51.157 --> 09:54.094
and we've had to make up for it,
09:54.094 --> 09:56.830
and those changes to benefits
09:56.830 --> 10:00.400
did contribute in part to
the loss of police officers,
10:00.400 --> 10:04.337
but the biggest problem was
there was no recruitment effort.
10:05.538 --> 10:08.808
In 2014, zero police
officers were hired,
10:08.808 --> 10:12.312
so we had to create
a whole mechanism,
10:12.312 --> 10:16.649
an operation from nothing
and we have done that.
10:16.649 --> 10:20.386
In fact the Best in Blue
campaign is so good now
10:20.386 --> 10:23.723
other cities are starting
to copy the marketing.
10:23.723 --> 10:26.025
- In hindsight, just one more
and then I'll go back to Bill,
10:26.025 --> 10:28.461
in hindsight though, there
was a cost associated
10:28.461 --> 10:29.696
with losing those
police officers,
10:29.696 --> 10:31.264
and there was a cost associated
10:31.264 --> 10:33.633
with funding the pension plan
10:33.633 --> 10:35.468
and balancing the
budget in a recession,
10:35.468 --> 10:37.871
I mean there were costs but
if you look at those costs
10:37.871 --> 10:39.973
there were a lot of
police officers left,
10:39.973 --> 10:42.142
the people say that the unions
10:42.142 --> 10:43.476
almost encouraged
people to leave--
10:43.476 --> 10:45.512
- They did.
- sort of a protest,
10:45.512 --> 10:49.182
again was that cost worth
it given what has been
10:50.350 --> 10:51.618
the reduction in crime
fighting efforts,
10:51.618 --> 10:53.753
I mean there's a cost
associated there, right?
10:53.753 --> 10:55.321
Let alone the personal
harm for people,
10:55.321 --> 10:58.691
but the economic hit, or the
perception hit from Memphis,
10:58.691 --> 11:01.027
again was that cost worth it?
11:01.027 --> 11:03.796
I think it was a
necessary change,
11:03.796 --> 11:07.133
because our pension, it's
easy to brush aside that
11:07.133 --> 11:09.769
but the state passed a law
11:09.769 --> 11:12.805
saying we had to fully fund
our annual pension cost.
11:13.940 --> 11:16.609
At the time they passed
it, we were putting
11:16.609 --> 11:19.045
about $20 million a
year into our pension.
11:20.180 --> 11:23.550
The required payment
was $75 million,
11:23.550 --> 11:26.152
so you either raise
taxes dramatically
11:26.152 --> 11:30.990
or you cut expenses, and we
cut expenses, and we had to.
11:32.392 --> 11:34.327
I wish we didn't have
to, I wish Mayor Herenton
11:34.327 --> 11:35.929
hadn't started that ball rolling
11:35.929 --> 11:38.398
by underfunding the
pension, but we had to deal
11:38.398 --> 11:41.467
with that problem, and
I think we dealt with it
11:41.467 --> 11:44.537
the best way we could, but I
think we've gotten over that
11:44.537 --> 11:46.706
and we're now on
the upward swing.
11:46.706 --> 11:50.310
If we can, as you pointed
out the last two years
11:50.310 --> 11:52.979
we're averaging roughly
a net increase of 100,
11:52.979 --> 11:56.182
and we need to amplify
that even more.
11:56.182 --> 11:57.650
Bill, about 15 minutes left.
11:57.650 --> 12:02.121
As we record this there is
this thing called Project IRIS--
12:02.121 --> 12:02.922
- Yes!
12:02.922 --> 12:04.390
- which is out there,
12:04.390 --> 12:07.427
which is on the land that
Belz Enterprises has
12:07.427 --> 12:12.432
across New Frayser Boulevard
from the Nike plant.
12:13.633 --> 12:16.469
You've talked about this
in kind of guarded terms
12:16.469 --> 12:19.172
because this goes to
the Board of Adjustment
12:19.172 --> 12:22.241
in mid-September, I think.
12:23.243 --> 12:25.511
What does this project mean
12:25.511 --> 12:28.948
for that particular
area of the city?
12:28.948 --> 12:31.017
All I can really talk
about is the potential
12:31.017 --> 12:33.653
because I don't think
it's a done deal,
12:33.653 --> 12:38.024
but the potential is
huge for that area.
12:38.024 --> 12:40.293
It's over 3 million square feet,
12:40.293 --> 12:42.061
according to the
document they filed
12:42.061 --> 12:43.563
it's over 3 million square feet,
12:43.563 --> 12:47.133
and has over 1800 parking spaces
12:48.334 --> 12:51.404
for we have to
presume employees,
12:51.404 --> 12:56.309
so we've worked really
hard to bring in business
12:56.309 --> 12:57.810
in all areas of town.
12:57.810 --> 13:00.079
J&J Trucking is a good
example off American Way.
13:00.079 --> 13:04.384
700 new jobs right there in an
area that had disinvestment.
13:04.384 --> 13:06.352
Frayser, we've
worked really hard
13:06.352 --> 13:09.656
to improve the
housing stock there,
13:09.656 --> 13:12.158
the last two years for
the first time in decades
13:12.158 --> 13:13.626
home values are goin' up.
13:13.626 --> 13:15.862
This would complement
it incredibly well,
13:15.862 --> 13:18.631
that we could have
a lot of jobs,
13:18.631 --> 13:20.633
a lot of investment there,
13:20.633 --> 13:24.404
and in fact it's relatively
close to neighborhoods.
13:24.404 --> 13:27.607
People could actually walk
to the work, you know.
13:27.607 --> 13:29.442
I hear a lot of stories about
13:29.442 --> 13:34.347
International Harvester
and Firestone,
13:34.347 --> 13:37.350
they helped build the
adjoining neighborhoods,
13:37.350 --> 13:39.686
really build up
those neighborhoods.
13:39.686 --> 13:41.988
We'd like to do sort
of the same thing
13:41.988 --> 13:45.158
and it has huge
potential impact.
13:45.158 --> 13:47.460
- Are these distribution jobs?
13:47.460 --> 13:49.362
- I can't confirm any of that.
13:49.362 --> 13:51.798
I can only confirm
what's in the document.
13:53.132 --> 13:56.102
We have marketed
this property before
13:56.102 --> 14:00.907
and one thing I think I've
changed about city government
14:00.907 --> 14:03.209
is I'm personally involved
in economic development,
14:03.209 --> 14:05.144
trying to push it,
taking property
14:05.144 --> 14:06.813
and really actively
trying to sell it
14:06.813 --> 14:10.616
with the cooperation of the
private sector and the Chamber,
14:10.616 --> 14:12.985
so we have marketed
this property before,
14:12.985 --> 14:15.421
hopefully this one
actually happens.
14:15.421 --> 14:17.490
- The reason I mention
the distribution jobs
14:17.490 --> 14:21.627
is because County Mayor
Lee Harris has talked about
14:21.627 --> 14:24.731
some jobs that, in
distribution and logistics
14:24.731 --> 14:27.233
are a mainstay of
the Memphis economy,
14:27.233 --> 14:29.001
he's talked about
some of those jobs
14:29.001 --> 14:32.872
becoming obsolete
because of automation.
14:32.872 --> 14:37.610
Do you have concerns about
our reliance on distribution
14:37.610 --> 14:38.511
for that reason?
14:38.511 --> 14:39.912
- In part, I mean yeah.
14:41.314 --> 14:42.915
Every mayor should be
concerned about automation
14:42.915 --> 14:44.917
no matter what your industry is,
and that's why Memphis
14:44.917 --> 14:49.655
and Tennessee is so
uniquely situated
14:49.655 --> 14:52.892
with the free tech school and
the free community college,
14:52.892 --> 14:57.296
which then Senator Harris
supported and voted for
14:57.296 --> 14:59.232
gives us a unique opportunity
14:59.232 --> 15:03.236
because if you were better
trained for a job today
15:03.236 --> 15:04.837
you are more likely to be able
15:04.837 --> 15:09.208
to evolve into the new industry.
15:09.208 --> 15:11.744
You know I often brag
about airplane mechanics,
15:11.744 --> 15:14.914
you can get a degree, or
certificate from the TCAT,
15:14.914 --> 15:16.749
Tennessee College of
Applied Technology,
15:16.749 --> 15:19.652
for free in Memphis,
it takes 18 months,
15:19.652 --> 15:22.855
and people our age think
of an airplane mechanic
15:22.855 --> 15:24.524
with a tool-belt and wrench.
15:24.524 --> 15:27.260
It's very computer driven,
15:27.260 --> 15:30.730
so if you can be an
airplane mechanic,
15:30.730 --> 15:33.966
or a machinist
building hip implants
15:33.966 --> 15:36.669
and starting at Smith &
Nephew at $19.50 an hour,
15:36.669 --> 15:39.372
if that industry
changes and evolves
15:39.372 --> 15:42.408
you are more likely to be
able to get more educated
15:42.408 --> 15:44.477
or evolve with those changes,
15:44.477 --> 15:47.113
so that's why Tennessee,
that's why I'm optimistic
15:47.113 --> 15:49.048
about the future of
Memphis and that we can,
15:49.048 --> 15:52.418
we can accelerate this momentum
that we have with this gift,
15:52.418 --> 15:54.587
we're the only state in
the country with this.
15:55.888 --> 15:57.456
- Bill mentioned Project IRIS,
15:57.456 --> 15:59.659
and over the years, back to
when you were in Council,
15:59.659 --> 16:01.460
since you've been
Mayor projects come in
16:01.460 --> 16:04.430
so, you know, FedEx
Logistics is moving downtown,
16:04.430 --> 16:06.165
ServiceMaster has
moved downtown,
16:06.165 --> 16:09.001
other warehouse, distribution,
different types of jobs,
16:09.001 --> 16:11.571
Indigo Ag which is a high
tech employer downtown,
16:11.571 --> 16:14.207
all those I am 99% sure,
16:14.207 --> 16:16.475
all of those have involved
incentives of some sort,
16:16.475 --> 16:19.378
and critics of your
administration will say
16:19.378 --> 16:21.013
the city has the
wrong priorities.
16:21.013 --> 16:24.684
They're giving away
taxes to corporations
16:24.684 --> 16:27.220
when they should be
spending money on crime,
16:27.220 --> 16:29.455
or on education, or on services,
16:29.455 --> 16:31.190
and so if you look
at your record,
16:31.190 --> 16:33.192
and we'll just stay with
the 3 1/2 years as Mayor,
16:33.192 --> 16:35.761
are you comfortable that
the incentive packages
16:35.761 --> 16:37.897
and the tax breaks given
out to these companies
16:37.897 --> 16:39.966
have been to the
benefit of Memphis?
16:39.966 --> 16:41.968
- 100%.
24,000 more Memphians
16:41.968 --> 16:45.838
are working now
than 3 1/2 years ago.
16:45.838 --> 16:50.843
2400, and for someone to
suggest that we should pause?
16:51.711 --> 16:53.546
No, we should accelerate.
16:53.546 --> 16:57.516
Very few of those incentives
have involved cash.
16:57.516 --> 16:59.952
What they are is
reduced property taxes,
16:59.952 --> 17:03.089
and most of them involve,
17:03.089 --> 17:07.260
we're receiving more
taxes during the PILOT
17:07.260 --> 17:09.195
than we received
before, think about it,
17:09.195 --> 17:11.163
Union Row is a perfect example.
17:11.163 --> 17:13.399
That's a mostly blighted
piece of property
17:13.399 --> 17:16.936
that's getting very little
property taxes, very little.
17:16.936 --> 17:18.838
When they put an
office tower there,
17:18.838 --> 17:22.475
the property values would go
up and the taxes would go up,
17:22.475 --> 17:24.343
but they're not
gonna pay those taxes
17:24.343 --> 17:27.446
'cause any other city, or any
other state's gonna let 'em
17:27.446 --> 17:30.383
get a reduction, so we give
'em a reduction to here,
17:30.383 --> 17:33.019
which is still higher than
the taxes they're paying,
17:33.019 --> 17:36.956
so it's misinformation that's
being spent, put out there.
17:36.956 --> 17:38.791
We're getting more tax dollars,
17:38.791 --> 17:41.294
we're getting more jobs, and
we're cleaning up blight.
17:41.294 --> 17:44.597
We've gotta keep our
foot to the pedal
17:44.597 --> 17:46.098
and accelerate this momentum.
17:46.098 --> 17:48.668
- You say, talk about taxes,
there's a sales tax referendum
17:48.668 --> 17:51.370
on the ballot this time
that would dedicate...
17:51.370 --> 17:53.039
It's a little complicated
but the gist of it,
17:53.039 --> 17:54.807
the intent of it is to dedicate
17:54.807 --> 17:57.076
that quarter point
in the sales tax
17:57.076 --> 17:59.645
to fire, police...
17:59.645 --> 18:01.247
why do I do this
without Bill's help?
18:01.247 --> 18:02.915
- Fire and police benefits.
- Thank you, Bill.
18:02.915 --> 18:04.250
Are you in favor
of that referendum?
18:04.250 --> 18:05.851
- I'm not gonna take
a position on it.
18:05.851 --> 18:07.086
I'm not gonna endorse it
18:07.086 --> 18:09.322
in any Council race
or judge's races,
18:09.322 --> 18:11.891
and I'm not gonna take
any position on that.
18:11.891 --> 18:13.993
We did do an analysis,
we hired someone
18:13.993 --> 18:16.362
to do an analysis and
gave that to the Council
18:16.362 --> 18:19.732
a week or so ago on the
cost and the revenue of it.
18:21.801 --> 18:23.636
I'm worried about my race.
18:23.636 --> 18:26.906
Even though it's
not legally binding,
18:26.906 --> 18:29.542
if it passes and I'm Mayor
18:29.542 --> 18:31.544
I will fulfill the
intent of the voters.
18:31.544 --> 18:32.378
- On the agreement, okay.
18:32.378 --> 18:33.579
- Bill, go ahead.
18:33.579 --> 18:36.415
- If it passes and
if you're reelected
18:36.415 --> 18:41.354
does it complicate the first
budget of your second term?
18:41.354 --> 18:43.022
- I don't believe it does.
18:43.022 --> 18:46.959
I believe for the
first budget for sure,
18:46.959 --> 18:49.061
the revenue is higher
than the expense.
18:49.061 --> 18:50.296
- Okay.
18:50.296 --> 18:52.932
There's been a whole
other discussion
18:52.932 --> 18:55.201
about funding for
Shelby County schools.
18:56.569 --> 19:00.239
In a second Strickland
term, would there be a move
19:00.239 --> 19:03.509
for the city to directly
fund Shelby County schools
19:03.509 --> 19:05.578
in some kind of ongoing way
19:05.578 --> 19:07.213
beyond what the
city is doing now
19:07.213 --> 19:10.249
with Pre-K and other
education initiatives?
19:10.249 --> 19:12.084
- Well let's not
roll over Pre-K.
19:12.084 --> 19:15.888
That is revolutionary what
we've been able to do.
19:15.888 --> 19:17.857
Couple years ago
with Mayor Luttrell
19:17.857 --> 19:20.659
and Superintendent
Hopson, we created
19:20.659 --> 19:22.662
and Mayor Harris has joined in,
19:22.662 --> 19:25.998
we created universal
needs based Pre-K
19:25.998 --> 19:28.567
for the first time
ever in the city,
19:28.567 --> 19:30.269
let's not roll over that.
19:30.269 --> 19:33.639
Quality Pre-K, followed
by quality K through 3,
19:33.639 --> 19:35.374
which the schools are
really workin' on,
19:35.374 --> 19:39.211
can revolutionize this city,
so instead of 25% roughly
19:39.211 --> 19:41.414
of third graders reading
at third grade level,
19:41.414 --> 19:46.018
let's get up to 75% and so
many of our problems disappear,
19:46.018 --> 19:49.522
so we've really focused on
early childhood literacy.
19:50.690 --> 19:53.526
The challenge with
funding anything new
19:53.526 --> 19:55.261
is where does the
money come from?
19:55.261 --> 19:57.096
As you know our
budget only increases
19:57.096 --> 19:58.831
by about $10 million a year.
19:59.932 --> 20:02.334
A 1% raise for
every city employee
20:03.736 --> 20:06.038
is about $4 1/2 million.
20:06.038 --> 20:08.541
Insurance costs go up,
so that $10 million,
20:08.541 --> 20:09.942
and we have to fund,
20:09.942 --> 20:12.311
we're looking for more
funding for transit,
20:12.311 --> 20:15.815
so there's limited
amount of money.
20:15.815 --> 20:18.717
Anyone promising
significant more money
20:18.717 --> 20:21.787
to Shelby County schools
out of the city budget,
20:21.787 --> 20:23.289
you better hold
on to your wallet.
20:23.289 --> 20:26.225
There's gonna be a big tax
increase comin' to do that.
20:26.225 --> 20:28.260
- Is the tax, I had asked
Commissioner Sawyer
20:28.260 --> 20:29.729
who was on the
show two weeks ago
20:29.729 --> 20:31.330
and I should say it's
available online,
20:31.330 --> 20:32.798
and we've reached
out, I should repeat,
20:32.798 --> 20:34.900
to Mayor Herenton's campaign
to have him on the show,
20:34.900 --> 20:36.368
he's so far declined,
20:36.368 --> 20:39.605
but she said that tax
increases were on the table
20:39.605 --> 20:42.875
and if you win reelection, are
tax increases on the table?
20:42.875 --> 20:45.878
- I've never taken
a no tax pledge,
20:45.878 --> 20:48.347
although in my 8
years on the Council
20:48.347 --> 20:51.951
and 3 1/2 years,
we've not proposed
20:51.951 --> 20:53.519
a property tax increase.
20:53.519 --> 20:58.057
The reason is our property
tax rate is already higher
20:58.057 --> 20:59.592
than anywhere else in the state,
20:59.592 --> 21:02.261
our combined city county tax
rate, dramatically higher
21:02.261 --> 21:05.264
and I think that retards
any kind of growth
21:05.264 --> 21:06.532
in business and population
21:06.532 --> 21:09.935
so we've gotta try to
keep the line on that.
21:09.935 --> 21:13.639
Now I will never say
never, but I think
21:13.639 --> 21:16.208
we oughta do everything
we can to avoid that.
21:16.208 --> 21:17.710
Population growth, as you know,
21:17.710 --> 21:19.645
I think is our
number one challenge.
21:19.645 --> 21:21.147
We're trying to grow our city,
21:21.147 --> 21:22.882
and raising our taxes
21:22.882 --> 21:25.484
so much higher than
our suburban cities,
21:25.484 --> 21:29.155
or Nashville which we're
at least 50% higher,
21:29.155 --> 21:30.623
that hurts us.
21:30.623 --> 21:33.325
- But could you find the money
by changing priorities,
21:33.325 --> 21:36.929
and do you feel
like there is a way
21:36.929 --> 21:38.497
to change priorities
in your budget
21:38.497 --> 21:40.799
or are the priorities
where you want them?
21:40.799 --> 21:42.301
- Oh the priorities...
21:42.301 --> 21:45.337
What we've done is we've
focused on public safety,
21:45.337 --> 21:46.806
and intervention with kids
21:46.806 --> 21:48.774
doing more in our libraries,
community centers,
21:48.774 --> 21:51.577
summer camps, summer
jobs programs,
21:51.577 --> 21:56.248
that's what we've focused on,
and with roads and transit.
21:56.248 --> 21:58.651
Those are the
priorities we have.
21:58.651 --> 22:02.354
The county could
give more to schools.
22:02.354 --> 22:06.025
In fact, the budget that
Commissioner Sawyer voted for
22:06.025 --> 22:08.494
cut the Shelby County
schools' request for money
22:08.494 --> 22:09.728
by $26 million.
22:10.896 --> 22:14.800
They asked her for more
money and she said no.
22:14.800 --> 22:18.037
Again this is about
results, not rhetoric.
22:18.037 --> 22:20.606
Let's look at the
results of what you do,
22:20.606 --> 22:22.441
not what you're gonna promise.
22:22.441 --> 22:25.444
You know, she could
have funded schools
22:25.444 --> 22:29.215
over on the county
side, and she didn't.
22:29.215 --> 22:30.816
- Look, we're talking
about spending
22:30.816 --> 22:32.151
and taxes and priorities.
22:32.151 --> 22:33.986
Tom Lee Park, and
the riverfront,
22:33.986 --> 22:35.888
there's a $70 million proposal
22:35.888 --> 22:40.893
for a completely transformed
Tom Lee Park, the cobblestones,
22:42.261 --> 22:43.529
that's in mediation
right now to some extent.
22:43.529 --> 22:45.731
We'll talk about that,
but is it appropriate
22:45.731 --> 22:48.968
for that $70 million
to be a priority?
22:48.968 --> 22:51.003
Critics of that
proposal will say,
22:51.003 --> 22:52.471
why aren't we putting
that money towards police?
22:52.471 --> 22:54.607
What aren't we putting
that money towards schools,
22:54.607 --> 22:57.109
to other priorities that
we've talked about today?
22:57.109 --> 22:59.078
Why is that such a priority
for your administration?
22:59.078 --> 23:02.014
- I'm sure The Daily Memphian
has pointed out the fact
23:02.014 --> 23:04.383
that those funds cannot
be used for that,
23:04.383 --> 23:06.051
or at least I hope y'all have.
23:06.051 --> 23:10.823
Don't just repeat false
information, correct it.
23:10.823 --> 23:12.091
- We have written that.
23:12.091 --> 23:13.425
- The city...
23:13.425 --> 23:14.860
- And I'm sure you've
heard this criticism
23:14.860 --> 23:16.395
- but the question
doesn't reflect that.
23:16.395 --> 23:18.197
- No no no, but I mean look
you gotta ask the question
23:18.197 --> 23:19.665
that this is what
people come out and say,
23:19.665 --> 23:20.899
and they come out and say that
23:20.899 --> 23:22.067
and they wanna know
how you respond to it.
23:22.067 --> 23:23.335
- It's a false narrative.
23:24.536 --> 23:26.205
The money that the
city's putting in
23:26.205 --> 23:30.142
is basically state sales
taxes generated downtown
23:30.142 --> 23:33.679
that are limited by the
Tourist Development Zone
23:33.679 --> 23:38.417
by law to tourist attractions,
which is where the money went
23:38.417 --> 23:41.754
for the pyramid for Bass Pro,
23:41.754 --> 23:43.522
money for the convention center,
23:43.522 --> 23:45.557
and money for improving
the riverfront
23:45.557 --> 23:47.993
because that's a tourist...
23:47.993 --> 23:49.261
could be a tourist destination
23:49.261 --> 23:51.063
which other
riverfronts have shown,
23:51.063 --> 23:53.332
so that money, one time money,
23:53.332 --> 23:56.035
could not be used repeatedly
for police and fire.
23:56.035 --> 23:59.071
- The other money is
being privately raised.
23:59.071 --> 24:01.874
And about that, you came
out a couple weeks ago,
24:01.874 --> 24:03.342
the party, the Memphis in May,
24:03.342 --> 24:06.412
and the Memphis River
Parks Partnership,
24:06.412 --> 24:08.981
formerly RDC, have
been in mediation.
24:08.981 --> 24:10.416
In the midst of that mediation,
24:10.416 --> 24:12.651
you came out with a statement
that this is mediating,
24:12.651 --> 24:14.753
effectively, I'll
paraphrase what you said,
24:14.753 --> 24:17.122
this is simply mediating
how Memphis in May
24:17.122 --> 24:19.558
stays in the park, not
whether it stays in the park,
24:19.558 --> 24:22.561
and prior to that a lot of
people, people on the show,
24:22.561 --> 24:24.496
people who wrote guest
columns in The Daily Memphian
24:24.496 --> 24:26.999
and in elsewhere, were
saying this is all about
24:26.999 --> 24:29.168
booting Memphis in May
off the riverfront.
24:29.168 --> 24:31.870
Was that ever a
possibility to you?
24:31.870 --> 24:33.138
- (Strickland)
No, in fact I--
24:33.138 --> 24:35.274
- But, so where did
that narrative come from
24:35.274 --> 24:36.508
and let me put it this way,
24:36.508 --> 24:38.711
did mediation hurt
the public discourse
24:38.711 --> 24:41.480
because we couldn't have
Carol Coletta on the show
24:41.480 --> 24:43.148
and talk about
the details of it.
24:43.148 --> 24:44.817
We can't have Jim
Holt on the show
24:44.817 --> 24:45.918
and talk about the details.
24:45.918 --> 24:47.152
You all are somewhat limited,
24:47.152 --> 24:49.655
and so all these sort
of stories get out there
24:49.655 --> 24:51.557
because of the silence
around mediation.
24:51.557 --> 24:53.826
- Again, all this is driven by,
24:53.826 --> 24:55.861
a lot of it's driven
by social media,
24:55.861 --> 24:58.263
and I don't know if, this
may be shocking to you,
24:58.263 --> 24:59.498
[Eric chuckles]
24:59.498 --> 25:01.033
everything on social
media is not true.
25:01.033 --> 25:04.069
I said from the get go, if you
go back to my original quotes
25:04.069 --> 25:07.239
they said, "We want a better
Memphis in May in the park
25:07.239 --> 25:09.375
"one month a year,
and a better park
25:09.375 --> 25:11.310
the other 11
months of the year."
25:11.310 --> 25:14.012
What I put in
writing, people acted
25:14.012 --> 25:16.548
like it was breaking news but
it was really no different
25:16.548 --> 25:18.417
from whatever I said.
25:18.417 --> 25:19.952
- With 45 seconds here,
25:21.153 --> 25:23.422
why not redevelop other
parts of the riverfront?
25:23.422 --> 25:24.990
A lot of people
point to Mud Island,
25:24.990 --> 25:26.525
people point to MLK.
25:26.525 --> 25:29.695
I mean is this money, the
TDZ money a one time shot
25:29.695 --> 25:32.698
that we're using
it all on Tom Lee,
25:32.698 --> 25:36.301
and leaving other things in
their less than perfect state?
25:37.736 --> 25:40.305
- Well, you haven't been to
MLK Park in a long time.
25:40.305 --> 25:41.473
- Yeah.
25:41.473 --> 25:43.842
- MLK park is in really
nice condition,
25:43.842 --> 25:45.677
in fact it's underutilized,
25:47.146 --> 25:50.549
but there are plans for those
two parks and those two areas
25:53.352 --> 25:57.189
so you just gotta take,
we cannot fix every,
25:57.189 --> 26:00.526
we can't put $50 million
into every single park.
26:00.526 --> 26:02.394
Tom Lee is used most,
26:02.394 --> 26:04.062
and that's where most
of the money's goin'.
26:04.062 --> 26:05.998
- Are you gonna do any debates?
26:05.998 --> 26:08.867
- When Mayor Herenton
changes his mind,
26:08.867 --> 26:11.170
and will agree to a debate
I'll be happy to join.
26:11.170 --> 26:12.704
- All right, thank you for
being here, I appreciate it.
26:12.704 --> 26:13.639
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Bill.
26:13.639 --> 26:16.842
Thank you for joining us.
Join us again next week.
26:16.842 --> 26:20.579
[dramatic, orchestral music]
26:26.819 --> 26:28.821
[acoustic guitar chords]