What could a new government look like?
Is metro government the answer?
How would it affect me and my family?
Below are frequently asked questions and answers. If you have another question, ask us and we will find the answer for you as quickly as possible..
What is the Charter Commission?
The Charter Commission was created by resolutions of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners and the Memphis City Council. Then, Mayor Wharton, as county mayor and then as Memphis mayor, nominated 15 persons to serve as its members. They are responsible for writing a charter for a new government.
What is a charter?
The charter is in essence the constitution for a new government, setting out its structure, its functions, and its elected officials and their responsibilities.
How does a new charter go into effect?
The charter commission will write a proposed charter for a new government by August, and the Shelby County Election Commission will put it on the ballot for a vote on November 2. To become effective, it must be approved by a majority of Memphis voters, and in a separate vote, it must be approved by the voters who live outside Memphis.
What exactly is a metropolitan government?
It is a new government in which a county government formally merges with a city government. It has a mayor and a legislative body whose members are elected countywide. It is not simply the merging of two governments. Instead, it is the creation of a totally new government that responds to the values of the community and the challenges of the 21st century.
Why are some people talking about this now?
Some elected officials and community leaders believe that the current economic crisis calls for government to be more productive, efficient and responsive, and that our community's future depends on our ability to act with shared ambition and unified purpose. They think that a totally new government should be explored as a means to these ends.
How would the other cities in Shelby County be changed by metropolitan government?
They would not be changed. They continue to exist and their governments would still have responsibilities for their municipal services. They cannot be forced into a merged government, and each city will only be part of it if it decides to be.
Aren't there other options to improve government?
Some people have suggested that more annexations by Memphis or more contracts between city and county government would be better. Mayor Wharton says that based on his experience and research to date about other communities, it appears to him that the improvement that produces the greatest impact is a unified Memphis and Shelby County Government -- eliminating fragmentation and duplication, producing more accountability, powering economic growth, and eliminating the divisiveness of race and geography that all people of good will want to end.
Is government merger a new idea?
No. The first government merger was in New Orleans in 1805. Boston followed in 1821, Philadelphia in 1854, San Francisco in 1856, and New York City in the 1890s. The latest merger of a major city and county took place in Louisville in 2000.
Can government merger be forced on the public?
A new, unified government can't be forced on the public, because the public has the final say. Voters inside Memphis have to approve unified government in an election before it can take place, and in a separate election, so do voters outside Memphis.
What happens to the sheriff, trustee, assessor, register, and clerk?
They would remain part of the unified government. Their duties would be set out in the new charter.
How many metropolitan governments are there in Tennessee?
Three, with the largest being Nashville/Davidson County, which merged city and county governments under the Metropolitan Government Act in 1962. The two other metropolitan governments are found in small counties.
