There are 70 article(s) tagged Michael Whaley:

• August 2024

  • County Commission denies new ballot question for November

    The final vote on the referendum allowing the County Commission to hire its own independent attorney failed by one vote.

    By Bill Dries August 21, 2024

  • Political Roundup: What to look for election night, Chairman Whaley and November referendums

    The vote totals in Thursday’s race for General Sessions Court clerk could be a larger political indicator than who is the next clerk. Also reaction from Cohen, Kustoff and Blackburn to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to D.C.

    By Bill Dries August 03, 2024

• July 2024

  • Whaley selected as County Commission chair

    The vote Monday, July 22, revealed some enduring gaps among the commission’s nine-vote Democratic majority.

    By Bill Dries July 23, 2024

• June 2024

  • Sheriff keeps vacant positions, tax rate stays stable in approved county budget

    At a meeting that stretched past 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the Shelby County Commission closed out its budget season with no property-tax hike and a 6% pay raise for county employees.

    By Bill Dries June 18, 2024

• March 2024

  • Proposed U of M district wouldn’t lead to school takeovers, supporters pledge

    But there are still some lingering concerns about the proposal, which would make the proposed University Schools district the 10th public school operator in Shelby County.

    By Laura Testino March 27, 2024

• May 2023

  • County budget season hinges on property tax drop for wheel-tax deal

    County Commission Budget Committee Chairman Michael Whaley talks about the proposed doubling of the county’s capital budget on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast.

    By Bill Dries May 05, 2023

• March 2023

  • Shelby County ‘green fleet’ goals will get more specific

    As a final Shelby County Commission vote nears on a move toward a “greener” fleet of government vehicles, there are a lot of questions about the county administration’s timeline for meeting its goals.

    By Bill Dries March 10, 2023

• June 2022

  • County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional One

    At one point Shelby County commissioners forgot they had allocated capital funding to the county’s seven public school systems as they debate how to fund $350 million ask by Regional One.

    By Bill Dries June 27, 2022

  • Heated County Commission debate results in new voting system for November

    The commission voted to fund a new voting system with both touch-screen machines with a paper trail as well as hand-marked paper ballots. 

    By Bill Dries, Julia Baker June 09, 2022

• May 2022

  • Political Roundup: The general election campaign shift

    The May county primary results are certified and the Democratic and Republican nominees who advanced to the August ballot are now seeking to appeal to a larger group of voters in that election.

    By Bill Dries May 20, 2022

  • County Commission to begin critical budget discussions

    “It’s likely that nearly all property tax payers will pay less next year than this year even with the higher property values we are seeing across the country,” the county’s new budget chair said. 

    By Bill Dries May 18, 2022

  • Commission delays decision on adjusted county property tax rate

    The rate of $3.399 advanced Monday, May 9, on first reading with uncertainty ahead for the second of three votes on May 23. 

    Related stories:

    Barretville General Store gets green light for expansion despite ‘family squabble'

    County Commission debates filling open State House District 91 seat

    By Bill Dries May 10, 2022

• April 2022

  • Bureaucratic traffic jam backs up new car tags and license plates

    The Daily Memphian readers chime in to share their experiences, which sometimes involve mail delivery issues. But County Clerk Wanda Halbert says there are other problems within county government. 

    By Bill Dries April 03, 2022

• March 2022

  • County Commission approves paying cost overruns on juvenile detention center

    The $13 million in additional funding found from a group of seven county budget line items brings the total cost of the project to around $30 million including the $3 million the county paid for the Old Getwell building that is being renovated.

    By Bill Dries March 28, 2022

• December 2021

  • Pay raises approved for next elected commission, mayor and sheriff

    The commission being elected in August with at least six new members will get a 19.9% pay raise. The mayor and sheriff elected on the same August ballot will get 21% raises.

    By Bill Dries December 20, 2021

• November 2021

  • County Commission makes last-minute moves, approves final district map

    The redistricting map approved Monday keeps a new Cordova-based district, restores the Collierville 7 precinct to District 2 and Germantown 4 to District 4. It also separates two incumbents expected to run again.

    By Bill Dries November 08, 2021

  • County Commission approves redistricting plan, but must vote again

    Democrats voted for it and Republicans voted against it. But the party line was not enough to make it the final vote on the redistricting plan that creates a new commission district built around Cordova, where most of the growth was in the 2020 Census. 

    By Bill Dries November 01, 2021

• October 2021

  • Top 3 redistricting maps on way to Shelby County Commission

    The ad hoc group, made up mostly of county commissioners, included in its top 3 a map that drew the ire of commissioner Brandon Morrison last week for endangering her re-election prospects last year. 

    By Bill Dries October 26, 2021

• September 2021

  • Consolidation charter commission proposal gets mixed reviews from commissioners

    The resolution to form a commission to draft a consolidation charter showed up in Wednesday committee sessions without notice. Like the City Council, county commissioners amended it to stop short of beginning to draft a charter and to include looking at changes to local government short of consolidation.

    By Bill Dries September 22, 2021

• July 2021

  • County Commission keeps tax rate at $3.45, Brooks is new chairman

    The commission also delayed the second of three votes on the Byhalia Connection Pipeline ordinance after it was amended.

    By Bill Dries July 27, 2021

• April 2021

  • County Commission withdraws reappraisal proposal

    The proposal by Assessor Melvin Burgess would have moved the cycle of countywide property reappraisals for taxation purposes from once every four years to every other year.

    By Bill Dries April 26, 2021

  • County Commission delays vote again on more frequent property reappraisals

    Some commissioners have doubts about the move to every other year reappraisals. Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. says the results will be less sticker shock from increases in values after four years.

    By Bill Dries April 12, 2021

• March 2021

  • Vote on two-year property reappraisal cycle delayed

    The County Commission put off a vote on the change in the reappraisal cycle until its April 12 meeting as commissioners hear a lot from constituents about increased property values in the current reappraisal.

    By Bill Dries March 23, 2021

• May 2020

  • Shelby County government retreat gives clearer picture about county’s budget

    Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris' administration officials answered questions as county commissioners prepare for another review of the fiscal 2021 budget.

    By Linda A. Moore May 08, 2020

• March 2020

  • Commissioners hear COVID-19 update, praise Harris trip to Ghana

    Even with fourth coronavirus patient, Shelby County Health Department director said there is still no need for mass testing.

    By Linda A. Moore March 18, 2020