Memphis mayoral election 2011

Herenton acknowledged that this election represents the final chapter in a political career that stretched across decades. Sawyer conceded the race at about p. Even before the old tweets surfaced, Sawyer regarded her own candidacy as an underdog bid.

She used the phrase "win or lose" throughout the campaign. Even though the outcome is one that allows the status quo to continue in leadership, we have still changed this city. Her campaign changed the conversation, Sawyer said, raising issues of equity and education. She stressed the importance of the city providing funding for education, while also emphasizing that she will put education at the forefront of her ongoing role as a Shelby County commissioner.

I continue to be a voice for equity and equality. I continue to push the progressive issues that matter, that deeply matter in our district and continue to matter to the people who are here today. She also said she will always wonder what would have happened had there been public debates. Facebook Twitter Email. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland wins reelection with message of unity and optimism.

His fourth budget proposal passed the City Council in June, making it the fourth straight year the City Council passed a balanced budget with no raise in taxes. His administration has increased the share of minority business spending by 67 percent and Memphis 3.

Creating Jobs More than 20, more Memphians are working since Jim Strickland took office and unemployment is at a record low. Transforming Memphis Building on Memphis' continuing success as a tourist destination, the State of Tennessee gave us the go-ahead to build a youth sports complex at the Fairgrounds, and soon we'll have a new story Loews Convention Center Hotel scraping our skyline and a remodeled, state-of-the-art Convention Center.

Rebuilding MPD Implemented an aggressive public safety strategy to rebuild our police department and recruit more police officers. Pre-K Achieved the goal of Universal Pre-K by the year through a city and county partnership that included no new taxes. Investing in Our Youth Increased Summer Youth jobs by 90 percent, made summer and Spring Break camps free, increased youth attendance in library programs by 98 percent, and brought back staffed summer play in city parks.

Fixing Government Reduced the response rate on calls from 60 seconds to fewer than 8 seconds today, improved trash collection to parts of the city serviced by a private contractor, and created a new city division to focus on improving collection citywide. Creating Better Core Services Increased programming at parks, libraries and community centers, doubled street paving, and is continuing to improve the condition of our streets for all users.

Reducing the Homeless Rate Reduced our homeless population by 19 percent since and successfully replicated a program in Albuquerque that provides work for the homeless cleaning up the city. Minority Spending Increased the share of contracts with minority and female owned businesses by 67 percent and increased the amount of small-businesses participating from around to over today.

Running a Smart, Efficient Government Passed 4 balanced city budgets with no tax increase. Working with the State Pushed for stricter sentencing and aggressive prosecution of violent felons. Turning Around Animal Services In , Memphis Animal Services reached its goal of processing more than 7, adoptions and rescue transfers and ended the year with an all-time high save rate of 88 percent.

Memphis 3. Why Mayor? As Mayor, I will use the tools of the office to enact effective policies that empower those without boats and elevate those who speak truth to power. Over the course of 17 years, I worked to transform blight into improved public housing, to freeze taxes on our more seasoned citizens, and to create a climate where businesses thrived. My priority was lightening the tax burden on our older citizens, not to lessen the tax burden of corporations.

I am deeply concerned with the direction of the city. I understand the gravity of the responsibility that comes with being Mayor of Memphis. Only when we work together to move our city in the right direction can true momentum be achieved. Only together can we ensure it is sustained. Why Now? Some of the same fundamental problems plaguing Memphis when I marched with Dr. King have yet to be addressed.

When I left office in , my agenda to improve the lives of our citizens was unfinished. My goal to empower the people of our city to live their best lives was hijacked by those with a different agenda—an agenda that profits from maintaining the status quo, empowers the few, and neglects the many.

The passion and resources that had been poised to lift people out of poverty were sapped and re-directed. Our City is adrift and no longer anchored by the things that bind us together. We are at a critical juncture in the history of our city—just as we were in when we came together to begin laying the foundation for a more inclusive and prosperous city for us all.

Now with wisdom rooted in a lifetime of public service and an inextinguishable passion to finish what we started, I am certain that my plan for the city and her people will bear fruit for generations to come. What is the value of prosperity for the few when the majority are neglected, excluded, and disregarded?

I have devoted nearly 50 years of my life to public service, and in that time, I successfully managed the two largest governmental institutions in Memphis.

I shepherded into realization the signature projects that transformed the landscape of our city—from improving public housing, to bringing AutoZone Park and Peabody Place to fruition and building FedEx Forum. But notwithstanding these accomplishments, I believe the best investment we can make as a city is one made in her people. Doc Answers! Why are you a candidate for Mayor Memphis?

I stand ready to move forward with progressive ideas that advance my unfinished agenda that impacts our citizens — job creation, affordable housing, poverty abatement, crime reduction, juvenile justice reform and minority economic development.

I am committed to implementing solutions that prepare the next generation of leaders — a necessity for a successful city to thrive. At age 78, how is your health? Today, my energy and focus are heightened as I have learned to discern that which is truly important and act accordingly to achieve the goals that move Memphis forward.

The wisdom gained through experience and the counsel of others allow me to be even more effective in my public service. Why did you resign your position as Mayor in ? During my fifth term as Mayor, I was the target of an unfounded — and ultimately unsuccessful — federal investigation.

Preparing to defend myself from that investigation was taxing and extremely time consuming. Proving that I had done nothing wrong required a level of focus and effort that detracted from my service to the people of this great city.

Doing both simultaneously did not provide sufficient time to do either well. I was left with no choice, but to fight those who were using the power of the federal government to unjustly accuse me. Serving as Mayor of Memphis has been the highest privilege of my professional life.

I am ready to pick up where I left off and complete the work we began. How will you reduce the crime rate in Memphis? We support increasing the number of police officers, but it is imperative that we have highly qualified applicants that can be attracted to Memphis; earning competitive salaries and benefits. We will layout a platform that will address some of the root causes of crime in our city.

We will utilize crime fighting strategies that will effectively reduce crime in our city. I am open to conducting a national search for a proven crime-fighting leader to head our police department. We must address the issue of crime with urgency.

Why are your charter schools closing? The Memphis charter schools market has become overly saturated. Also, we are facing declining enrollments, excessive facility costs and significant operating deficits. Despite our schools showing academic growth, state law mandates closures, based on flawed testing data. Economic Equity Tami will fight for better jobs, better economic opportunities, and more paths to success. The majority of Memphians — and particularly Memphians who are poor, Black, Brown, or otherwise marginalized in society — do not have the supports in our city to succeed, and certainly not to thrive.

In recent years, our local government has had a conservative and business-first focus, which has translated to less services to support residents and neighborhoods.

What's Predictable Where today it is a struggle to find great jobs and opportunities, tomorrow we will find it nearly impossible if we do nothing radically different.

By , economists predict anywhere from 5 to 50 million jobs will be impacted by automation; some will be meaningfully changed, and others could be completely eliminated.

Those who lose jobs to this technological revolution will not likely be qualified for the jobs that replace them. As a result, we are the 2nd most at-risk city for automation in the US today. What Tami Will Fight For Instead Tami knows that our greatest asset has always been our people — not just their labor value. It is the creativity, artistry, ingenuity, entrepreneurialism, and resilience of Memphians that stand out to the world and to us. It is evident in our thriving arts community and in the proposed small businesses here; you can find it in our classrooms and places of worship.

Tami will fight for a Memphis where leadership puts its people first in our investments, our recruitment strategies, and in all decisions at city hall. Tami wants every Memphian — not just some — to have the opportunity to succeed and thrive. Current State Memphis youth are among the most disconnected in the country. Nearly one in three Black youth is either out of school or work. Only a third of students are performing on grade-level in our schools.

Our students are not being met with the holistic supports they deserve, and our systems are not designed to give them what they need. Our schools are underfunded and our children are being shortchanged. Out-of-school programs in city community centers and libraries are not being adequately coordinated with schools to ensure the best results for young people.

What's Predictable If nothing changes, we can count on either more disruption in our schools or a complete divestment from our community in the effort to serve our kids. Our students will continue to be met with curricula that is not engaging and not relevant — to their culture, lives, or futures.

Our teachers will continue to feel powerless and attacked. What Tami Will Fight For Instead Tami knows our youth are the most strategic bet we can make as a city and that they deserve great schools, welcoming, rigorous, and compassionate adults to guide their journeys, and holistic wrap around services that help them meet their short- and long-term goals. Moving Memphis Forward Tami will fight alongside us for our neighborhoods, people, and planet to be the focus of our city planning, development, and infrastructure investments.

Current State Memphis has a poor transportation system that has been underfunded for years. Our mayor was committed to this relationship — and its costs — until this election year. Additionally, reports on the state of the climate are alarming and require immediate action from cities across the country. During the historic Memphis flooding on the nearby Mississippi River last spring, Wharton largely seemed unflappable as he coordinated with county emergency management official and calmly pleaded to the public to take the flood and evacuation orders seriously.

He previously had served for about seven years as mayor of Shelby County. He also was the first African-American law professor at the University of Mississippi, a position he held for 25 years. We had problems when he got here. Much can change, yes. No, and he aims to use it, every bit of it.

Words like that and a war chest to back it up would strike fear in the hearts of many a political opponent. Sawyer rose from the grassroots, activist community, a central figure in the movement to remove Confederate statues from Memphis parks. When she announced her candidacy for a Shelby County Commission seat last year, many thought the move was way too early.

But she silenced those critics with a swift victory. Her messages of social justice and reform tapped into the power of a younger voter base. Many of those found Sawyer through another one of her political weapons — social media.

Consider that Sawyer announced her mayoral bid on YouTube. Her focus on social justice issues contrasts Sawyer from Strickland and is a engine of her campaign machine.