Mayor Harris proposes $1.6 billion FY27 budget with a 3-cent tax-rate cut; commissioners press for details

Mayor Lee Harris outlined his administration's proposed FY27 consolidated budget, totaling approximately $1.6 billion, and said the proposal includes no property-tax increase and a proposed 3-cent reduction in the rate from $2.69 to $2.66. The mayor highlighted pension management, a continued investment in the sheriff's office, $427 million in operational investment for Memphis-Shelby County Schools and initial capital for new school construction, including an $11.9 million initial phase for Treadwell school replacement.

"I'm proposing that the county adopt a property tax rate for FY '27 of $2.66 ' a 3¢ decrease," Mayor Harris said, while also stressing that the budget is built conservatively and seeks to prioritize legally required responsibilities.

Commissioners pressed for clarification about technical steps required by state law (the recapture/revenue-neutral rate and notice process), the decimal precision the trustees' software needs, and the schedule for distributing the full proposed budget; Director Audrey Tipton said the budget documents would be posted online Thursday and a hard copy provided by Friday. Commissioners also raised concerns about the sufficiency of funding for planned facilities and operational contingencies, and about the timing of the city's and county's capital requests relative to ongoing budget and oversight discussions.

What's next: the administration will submit the draft to the state for the required recapture notice; commissioners scheduled further budget hearings and asked for the complete line-item budget to review revenue assumptions and ensure the county meets the statutory notice and form requirements.