1
00:00:14,014 --> 00:00:15,382
- (female announcer) 
Production funding

2
00:00:15,382 --> 00:00:18,551
for Behind the Headlines 
is made possible in part by

3
00:00:18,551 --> 00:00:20,620
the WKNO Production Fund,

4
00:00:20,620 --> 00:00:22,856
the WKNO Endowment Fund,

5
00:00:22,856 --> 00:00:25,625
and by viewers 
like you, thank you.

6
00:00:26,626 --> 00:00:28,928
- The City budget gap, 
a new superintendent,

7
00:00:28,928 --> 00:00:31,531
and an update from the 
legislature, tonight,

8
00:00:31,531 --> 00:00:33,099
on Behind the Headlines.

9
00:00:33,099 --> 00:00:35,935
[intense orchestral music]

10
00:00:51,151 --> 00:00:52,786
I'm Eric Barnes with 
The Daily Memphian,

11
00:00:52,786 --> 00:00:54,287
and thanks for joining us.

12
00:00:54,287 --> 00:00:56,089
I am joined tonight by a 
roundtable of journalists

13
00:00:56,089 --> 00:00:58,191
talking about some of the 
biggest stories of the week.

14
00:00:58,191 --> 00:01:00,226
Toby Sells, News 
Editor, Memphis Flyer.

15
00:01:00,226 --> 00:01:02,395
Thanks for being here again. 
- Thanks for having me, sir.

16
00:01:02,395 --> 00:01:04,164
- Julia Baker covers 
criminal justice

17
00:01:04,164 --> 00:01:05,832
and public safety for us 
at the Daily Memphian.

18
00:01:05,832 --> 00:01:07,367
Thanks for being here. 
- Thank you.

19
00:01:07,367 --> 00:01:08,968
- Laura Testino is a reporter

20
00:01:08,968 --> 00:01:10,537
with Chalkbeat 
covering education.

21
00:01:10,537 --> 00:01:12,872
Thanks very much for being here. 
- Of course, thanks.

22
00:01:12,872 --> 00:01:14,040
- Along with Bill Dries,

23
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,476
reporter with 
The Daily Memphian.

24
00:01:16,476 --> 00:01:17,977
we'll start, we're 
gonna try to cover

25
00:01:17,977 --> 00:01:19,546
a whole bunch of stuff.

26
00:01:19,546 --> 00:01:22,015
I think, let's start 
though with the budget gap,

27
00:01:22,015 --> 00:01:22,982
and I'll go to you, Bill.

28
00:01:22,982 --> 00:01:25,218
Mayor Young this week said

29
00:01:25,218 --> 00:01:27,921
there's something like 
a $30 million gap.

30
00:01:27,921 --> 00:01:30,356
He has talked about a 
property tax increase.

31
00:01:30,356 --> 00:01:32,525
That follows, what, 
a week or two ago

32
00:01:32,525 --> 00:01:36,062
where there was $10 million 
that was found to not be funded.

33
00:01:36,062 --> 00:01:37,864
I don't know how to 
say that accurately,

34
00:01:37,864 --> 00:01:40,533
but there was a 
$10 million gap before that

35
00:01:40,533 --> 00:01:42,969
related to hiring in 
the fire department

36
00:01:42,969 --> 00:01:44,104
and training and so on.

37
00:01:44,104 --> 00:01:45,572
So something like $40 million.

38
00:01:45,572 --> 00:01:48,041
That they covered with 
the rainy day fund.

39
00:01:48,041 --> 00:01:49,809
But the $30 million, 
do we know, is that,

40
00:01:49,809 --> 00:01:51,744
is that the scope of the gap?

41
00:01:51,744 --> 00:01:53,446
Do we know, where are we?

42
00:01:53,446 --> 00:01:56,549
- Mayor Young, in his 
address that he did

43
00:01:56,549 --> 00:01:58,718
at Mount Vernon Baptist 
Church in Westwood

44
00:01:58,718 --> 00:02:01,488
said it is at least $30 million.

45
00:02:01,488 --> 00:02:04,257
He is not saying at this point

46
00:02:04,257 --> 00:02:07,127
how many cents on the 
tax rate that would be,

47
00:02:07,127 --> 00:02:11,431
because he will be doing 
his best in his budget plan

48
00:02:11,431 --> 00:02:14,667
that he'll present to the City 
Council this coming Tuesday,

49
00:02:14,667 --> 00:02:16,703
he will be trying 
to find other ways

50
00:02:16,703 --> 00:02:20,173
to get that 
$30 million figure down.

51
00:02:20,173 --> 00:02:23,676
How many pennies that 
is on the tax rate

52
00:02:23,676 --> 00:02:25,111
depends on the calculation.

53
00:02:25,111 --> 00:02:27,147
For the current fiscal year,

54
00:02:27,147 --> 00:02:30,683
each cent on the 
property tax rate

55
00:02:30,683 --> 00:02:34,821
produces $1.4 million 
in revenue.

56
00:02:34,821 --> 00:02:37,557
So that's how the 
calculations are done.

57
00:02:37,557 --> 00:02:40,126
What's the revenue you 
get from one penny,

58
00:02:40,126 --> 00:02:42,595
and then you start figuring 
out how many pennies you need

59
00:02:42,595 --> 00:02:44,464
to get to $30 million,

60
00:02:44,464 --> 00:02:47,734
or the administration's 
hope here

61
00:02:47,734 --> 00:02:50,470
is that it can be 
something less than that,

62
00:02:50,470 --> 00:02:52,172
or that it can be combined,

63
00:02:52,172 --> 00:02:56,409
a tax hike and some budget 
cuts or realignment.

64
00:02:56,409 --> 00:02:58,645
- And the gap comes from,

65
00:02:58,645 --> 00:03:01,014
this budget gap comes from what?

66
00:03:01,014 --> 00:03:03,650
- The budget gap comes 
from several sources.

67
00:03:03,650 --> 00:03:05,051
First of all,

68
00:03:05,051 --> 00:03:07,253
all of the Federal American 
Rescue Plan Act funding

69
00:03:07,253 --> 00:03:09,756
that the city and county

70
00:03:09,756 --> 00:03:11,691
and numerous local 
governments have relied on

71
00:03:11,691 --> 00:03:15,094
for several years now 
is coming to an end

72
00:03:15,094 --> 00:03:19,299
at the end of December, 
which is right in the middle

73
00:03:19,299 --> 00:03:21,201
of the next fiscal 
year that's coming up

74
00:03:21,201 --> 00:03:24,237
because the fiscal year 
starts on July 1st.

75
00:03:24,237 --> 00:03:27,941
Also, the city is expecting 
that its annual contribution

76
00:03:27,941 --> 00:03:31,911
to pension liability 
will be going up

77
00:03:31,911 --> 00:03:33,513
in the next fiscal year.

78
00:03:33,513 --> 00:03:36,583
So that money has to be 
accounted for as well.

79
00:03:36,583 --> 00:03:39,052
Put those two together 
and some other factors,

80
00:03:39,052 --> 00:03:42,222
and you've got at 
least $30 million

81
00:03:42,222 --> 00:03:43,923
in the mayor's own words.

82
00:03:43,923 --> 00:03:46,125
- And we've been many years now

83
00:03:46,125 --> 00:03:47,694
without a property tax increase.

84
00:03:47,694 --> 00:03:49,629
- More than eight years. 
- Yeah, yeah.

85
00:03:50,964 --> 00:03:53,099
This also comes as we 
have a new superintendent

86
00:03:53,099 --> 00:03:54,934
for Memphis-Shelby 
County Schools,

87
00:03:54,934 --> 00:03:57,670
and Laura Feagins, and she is,

88
00:03:57,670 --> 00:04:00,006
came out and asked 
for $25 million

89
00:04:00,006 --> 00:04:03,509
to support capital 
improvements at the city,

90
00:04:03,509 --> 00:04:06,346
sorry, Memphis-Shelby 
County School System.

91
00:04:06,346 --> 00:04:07,614
I still struggle with the name.

92
00:04:07,614 --> 00:04:09,115
A lot of people 
kind of lose track,

93
00:04:09,115 --> 00:04:10,416
and they'll say to me

94
00:04:10,416 --> 00:04:12,518
that they assume the 
City of Memphis funds

95
00:04:12,518 --> 00:04:13,987
the Memphis-Shelby 
County School system.

96
00:04:13,987 --> 00:04:16,022
It has not since 
those early years

97
00:04:16,022 --> 00:04:17,390
of Behind the Headlines. 
- 2008.

98
00:04:17,390 --> 00:04:19,692
- Yes, when Bill and I 
covered that story so much

99
00:04:19,692 --> 00:04:20,960
that people stopped me 
in the grocery store

100
00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:22,595
and said, stop talking about it,

101
00:04:22,595 --> 00:04:24,497
but the city has not funded,

102
00:04:24,497 --> 00:04:27,333
has been a regular funder of 
the system in all that time.

103
00:04:27,333 --> 00:04:29,369
But go to you, Laura.

104
00:04:29,369 --> 00:04:30,737
It was a bold move.

105
00:04:30,737 --> 00:04:32,739
There's $100 million in stuff

106
00:04:32,739 --> 00:04:37,310
of like electricity and 
foundations and HVAC,

107
00:04:37,310 --> 00:04:39,445
and she's asking Mayor 
Young for $25 million,

108
00:04:39,445 --> 00:04:41,080
that would be $25 million 
over and above

109
00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:42,849
this $30 million gap 
we're talking about.

110
00:04:42,849 --> 00:04:45,218
- And it would probably 
be capital funding.

111
00:04:45,218 --> 00:04:46,719
- Yeah, capital funding. 
- Which is different

112
00:04:46,719 --> 00:04:48,554
than funding that's generated

113
00:04:48,554 --> 00:04:51,291
out of the tax rate in 
the City General Fund.

114
00:04:51,291 --> 00:04:52,191
- Fair enough.

115
00:04:52,191 --> 00:04:53,359
Let's talk about that ask.

116
00:04:53,359 --> 00:04:55,228
Did that surprise you? 
- That's right.

117
00:04:55,228 --> 00:04:58,731
No, I don't think it's 
totally an unexpected ask.

118
00:04:58,731 --> 00:05:01,034
What we know about the 
district and Dr. Feagins

119
00:05:01,034 --> 00:05:02,869
is that she's 
continuing down the road

120
00:05:02,869 --> 00:05:06,839
that previous Interim 
Superintendent Tony Williams did

121
00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,209
of gathering county, 
city, and other leaders

122
00:05:10,209 --> 00:05:12,645
across Memphis and Shelby County

123
00:05:12,645 --> 00:05:14,447
to create an infrastructure plan

124
00:05:14,447 --> 00:05:17,083
that the district 
wants ultimately

125
00:05:17,083 --> 00:05:19,118
to drive potential 
new redevelopments

126
00:05:19,118 --> 00:05:20,720
so that they're 
not doing closures

127
00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,923
that lead to blight 
in communities, right?

128
00:05:23,923 --> 00:05:26,259
They don't, they want 
more of the exciting stuff

129
00:05:26,259 --> 00:05:27,527
that's happening in Melrose

130
00:05:27,527 --> 00:05:29,462
and less of what was 
happening in Melrose

131
00:05:29,462 --> 00:05:31,297
before the new library.

132
00:05:31,297 --> 00:05:33,733
And so last year, we know 
that at the County Commission,

133
00:05:33,733 --> 00:05:35,935
the district did 
not receive funding

134
00:05:35,935 --> 00:05:37,270
for deferred maintenance.

135
00:05:37,270 --> 00:05:39,005
The capital funds that 
they got approved for

136
00:05:39,005 --> 00:05:41,908
were all for new buildings 
within the district.

137
00:05:41,908 --> 00:05:45,912
And so the district has been 
saying really since the fall

138
00:05:45,912 --> 00:05:48,281
that they're seeking 
additional funds

139
00:05:48,281 --> 00:05:51,184
from federal and city government 
for this capital plan.

140
00:05:51,184 --> 00:05:53,920
And even took a look 
back at my notes

141
00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:58,791
from Mayor Young's 
campaign back in October,

142
00:05:58,791 --> 00:06:01,327
very clearly was, you know, 
said that this would be a way

143
00:06:01,327 --> 00:06:03,629
that the city could in 
the future support it.

144
00:06:03,629 --> 00:06:06,499
Of course, we don't know if 
that's in the budget as of yet,

145
00:06:06,499 --> 00:06:09,168
as The Daily 
Memphian has reported,

146
00:06:09,168 --> 00:06:11,170
but we do know that the district

147
00:06:11,170 --> 00:06:13,406
is very clearly wanting 
to set forward on,

148
00:06:13,406 --> 00:06:16,376
you know, really spending 
a lot on its infrastructure

149
00:06:16,376 --> 00:06:18,845
right now to rightsize the 
district in a new plan.

150
00:06:18,845 --> 00:06:20,246
- We'll come back.

151
00:06:20,246 --> 00:06:23,716
The new superintendent 
is, what, two weeks?

152
00:06:23,716 --> 00:06:25,585
Two and a half weeks into 
the job as we sit here.

153
00:06:25,585 --> 00:06:28,221
We'll talk some more about that, 
but I wanna go over to Julia.

154
00:06:28,221 --> 00:06:30,123
We'll kind of bounce 
around a bit tonight

155
00:06:30,123 --> 00:06:33,025
and talk about a whole lot of 
things going on in your beat

156
00:06:33,025 --> 00:06:35,228
and in public safety, 
criminal justice.

157
00:06:35,228 --> 00:06:37,630
Maybe we start with some of 
the things going on locally,

158
00:06:37,630 --> 00:06:38,931
and that'll segue 
into some things,

159
00:06:38,931 --> 00:06:41,200
a lot that's going 
on at the state.

160
00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,136
I guess we start 
on a better note.

161
00:06:43,136 --> 00:06:44,670
I don't wanna say 
it's a great note,

162
00:06:44,670 --> 00:06:46,839
but that crime, the first 
quarter crime stats came out.

163
00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,741
Overall crime was down 14%

164
00:06:48,741 --> 00:06:51,844
compared to the first 
quarter of 2023.

165
00:06:51,844 --> 00:06:55,648
Violent crime down 10%, 
property crime down 22%,

166
00:06:55,648 --> 00:06:57,049
all compared to 2023,

167
00:06:57,049 --> 00:07:00,753
but still elevated compared 
to say 2021 or 2020,

168
00:07:00,753 --> 00:07:03,956
you know, COVID, and 
the depth of COVID.

169
00:07:03,956 --> 00:07:06,692
What else is going on?

170
00:07:06,692 --> 00:07:07,960
There's so many things,

171
00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,529
and maybe we talk 
about the tragic death

172
00:07:09,529 --> 00:07:12,932
of the Officer McKinney and 
where things stand with that.

173
00:07:12,932 --> 00:07:17,703
- Yeah, you know, remains to 
be seen what the cause of the,

174
00:07:17,703 --> 00:07:20,072
you know, the 
decrease in crime is.

175
00:07:20,072 --> 00:07:21,641
You know, we have a new mayor,

176
00:07:21,641 --> 00:07:23,276
new City Council 
with fresh ideas.

177
00:07:23,276 --> 00:07:25,745
That could certainly 
be part of it,

178
00:07:25,745 --> 00:07:27,547
but crime is 
definitely not gone.

179
00:07:27,547 --> 00:07:31,417
As we saw with the death 
of Officer Joseph McKinney.

180
00:07:31,417 --> 00:07:35,121
One of the suspects 
in that case is dead.

181
00:07:35,121 --> 00:07:39,592
And he had been 
released out of jail

182
00:07:39,592 --> 00:07:42,094
for a previous crime, you know,

183
00:07:42,094 --> 00:07:44,030
released on his 
own recognizance.

184
00:07:44,030 --> 00:07:48,434
So obviously, you know, 
that's an indication

185
00:07:48,434 --> 00:07:49,836
that crime's not gone.

186
00:07:49,836 --> 00:07:54,140
But yesterday we found 
out that Officer McKinney

187
00:07:54,140 --> 00:07:56,676
was shot by friendly fire.

188
00:07:56,676 --> 00:08:00,313
I'm assuming one of his 
partners mistakenly shot him.

189
00:08:00,313 --> 00:08:04,884
So, you know, Chief Davis 
said in a statement yesterday

190
00:08:04,884 --> 00:08:07,453
that, you know, although it 
wasn't one of the suspects who,

191
00:08:07,453 --> 00:08:08,855
you know, shot him, 
it was, you know,

192
00:08:08,855 --> 00:08:10,823
the cause of his death.

193
00:08:10,823 --> 00:08:12,124
- In the sense they're saying

194
00:08:12,124 --> 00:08:15,228
that the young men in 
the car shot first.

195
00:08:15,228 --> 00:08:20,233
It gets into the whole notion 
that the young man who died,

196
00:08:21,634 --> 00:08:24,237
who was released gets into 
a thing we've talked about

197
00:08:24,237 --> 00:08:26,138
a ton on this show and 
that is a heavy issue

198
00:08:26,138 --> 00:08:27,607
up at the legislature right now.

199
00:08:27,607 --> 00:08:29,442
And I'll just walk 
through real quickly

200
00:08:29,442 --> 00:08:31,844
some of the things that had 
been changed at the legislature.

201
00:08:31,844 --> 00:08:33,312
There's more that could happen.

202
00:08:33,312 --> 00:08:34,747
Most of the laws and rules,

203
00:08:34,747 --> 00:08:35,982
and we've talked about 
this at the table,

204
00:08:35,982 --> 00:08:38,718
about how bail and 
who is released,

205
00:08:38,718 --> 00:08:40,019
that's really set at the state

206
00:08:40,019 --> 00:08:42,388
with a lot of discretion 
from the DA's Office,

207
00:08:42,388 --> 00:08:44,490
from the judicial 
commissioners and the judges.

208
00:08:44,490 --> 00:08:46,459
A lot of what's happening 
up at the state is probably,

209
00:08:46,459 --> 00:08:49,729
I think, summarized as 
reigning in that discretion.

210
00:08:49,729 --> 00:08:52,765
So the ability to pay 
is no longer considered

211
00:08:52,765 --> 00:08:55,268
when setting bail.

212
00:08:55,268 --> 00:08:57,270
That's been a very controversial 
thing for a lot of people.

213
00:08:57,270 --> 00:08:59,238
There's probably gonna be 
some lawsuits and challenges

214
00:08:59,238 --> 00:09:00,840
on that on the federal level.

215
00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,209
I think those setting 
bail and judges,

216
00:09:03,209 --> 00:09:04,577
if I have this right, are

217
00:09:04,577 --> 00:09:06,512
now have to consider the 
safety of the community

218
00:09:06,512 --> 00:09:08,814
in terms of who gets released.

219
00:09:08,814 --> 00:09:10,983
There's also I 
believe this passed,

220
00:09:10,983 --> 00:09:13,719
bail that would fine parents 
of delinquent juveniles,

221
00:09:13,719 --> 00:09:16,556
in some way trying to 
hold them accountable for

222
00:09:16,556 --> 00:09:18,491
or fine them for 
delinquent juveniles.

223
00:09:18,491 --> 00:09:20,192
What else have I missed 
from the legislature

224
00:09:20,192 --> 00:09:22,261
that has this kind of 
really big influence

225
00:09:22,261 --> 00:09:25,097
on how the judges and judicial 
commissioners and DAs work?

226
00:09:25,097 --> 00:09:29,635
- Right, so yeah, you've 
got the, you know,

227
00:09:29,635 --> 00:09:31,871
where judicial commissioners 
cannot consider

228
00:09:31,871 --> 00:09:33,639
the defendant's ability to pay.

229
00:09:33,639 --> 00:09:36,475
So the parent accountability,

230
00:09:36,475 --> 00:09:39,178
Parental Accountability Act

231
00:09:39,178 --> 00:09:41,080
would charge a parent $1,000

232
00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,649
or make them, you know, 
do community service

233
00:09:43,649 --> 00:09:45,451
if their child is charged 
with a delinquent act.

234
00:09:45,451 --> 00:09:48,821
That is actually up 
in the House today.

235
00:09:48,821 --> 00:09:51,157
So by the time this episode 
goes out, we'll see, you know,

236
00:09:51,157 --> 00:09:52,658
where that has gone.

237
00:09:52,658 --> 00:09:56,295
Also, blended sentencing 
is up today as well.

238
00:09:56,295 --> 00:09:59,999
It passed in the Senate a 
couple weeks ago, so we'll see.

239
00:09:59,999 --> 00:10:02,935
- Blended sentencing is a 
proposal we've talked about here

240
00:10:02,935 --> 00:10:05,371
that's pretty widely supported.

241
00:10:05,371 --> 00:10:07,440
Not totally, nothing 
is totally supported,

242
00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,276
but right now, the choice 
that DAs have to make

243
00:10:10,276 --> 00:10:14,347
you know, to either try 
a juvenile as a juvenile

244
00:10:14,347 --> 00:10:18,551
or as an adult, that comes with 
a whole lot of consequences

245
00:10:18,551 --> 00:10:21,887
that in some cases, people 
on many sides of this issue

246
00:10:21,887 --> 00:10:24,090
have said, look, we 
need a middle space

247
00:10:24,090 --> 00:10:27,159
where we have a little bit 
more authority and tracking.

248
00:10:27,159 --> 00:10:29,695
We don't want the record to 
be just completely expunged

249
00:10:29,695 --> 00:10:31,564
for every 18 year old,

250
00:10:31,564 --> 00:10:35,134
but we also don't wanna take 
certain lesser offenses,

251
00:10:35,134 --> 00:10:36,702
and I'm not talking 
about the McKinney case,

252
00:10:36,702 --> 00:10:39,639
but lesser offenses and put 
this person in the adult system.

253
00:10:39,639 --> 00:10:42,041
And so this has been 
pretty widely supported.

254
00:10:42,041 --> 00:10:43,342
Fair enough to say?

255
00:10:43,342 --> 00:10:45,177
- Yep, it's received 
bipartisan support.

256
00:10:45,177 --> 00:10:48,848
So, you know, it seems 
it could pass today,

257
00:10:48,848 --> 00:10:50,216
but, we'll see.

258
00:10:50,216 --> 00:10:52,585
- Let me, before, 
I'm gonna bring Toby in

259
00:10:52,585 --> 00:10:53,819
on some of this 
legislative stuff,

260
00:10:53,819 --> 00:10:56,922
but one thing that we did a 
story Ian Round on our staff

261
00:10:56,922 --> 00:11:00,292
did a story about guns, 
gun legislation and gun,

262
00:11:00,292 --> 00:11:02,528
some level of gun restrictions 
are widely supported.

263
00:11:02,528 --> 00:11:04,930
The polls show, in Memphis,

264
00:11:04,930 --> 00:11:08,367
specifically in Shelby 
County, really statewide.

265
00:11:08,367 --> 00:11:10,569
A number of groups have done, 
asked questions about this.

266
00:11:10,569 --> 00:11:15,207
But so far this session, stalled 
bills include red flag laws

267
00:11:15,207 --> 00:11:17,677
banning high capacity 
magazines and assault rifles,

268
00:11:17,677 --> 00:11:19,412
repeal of permitless carry.

269
00:11:19,412 --> 00:11:22,014
There was a bill to 
enhance or, you know,

270
00:11:22,014 --> 00:11:24,016
tighten the storage 
requirements around guns.

271
00:11:24,016 --> 00:11:25,284
All that have stalled.

272
00:11:25,284 --> 00:11:27,053
And in terms of failing, 
there was a proposal

273
00:11:27,053 --> 00:11:29,755
that permits would be 
required in Shelby County,

274
00:11:29,755 --> 00:11:31,857
more liability 
insurance around guns.

275
00:11:31,857 --> 00:11:33,659
Again, a ban on assault weapons,

276
00:11:33,659 --> 00:11:35,394
increased penalties 
for stealing guns.

277
00:11:35,394 --> 00:11:36,662
Those have all been,

278
00:11:36,662 --> 00:11:38,364
have failed in this 
legislative session.

279
00:11:38,364 --> 00:11:40,099
I dunno if you want to 
touch on those, Toby,

280
00:11:40,099 --> 00:11:42,168
or move in some other 
legislative stuff about,

281
00:11:42,168 --> 00:11:43,469
that you guys 
have been covering.

282
00:11:43,469 --> 00:11:45,971
- Sure, on guns, 
guns are here to stay.

283
00:11:45,971 --> 00:11:50,576
The GOP super majority we have 
in Nashville right now is,

284
00:11:50,576 --> 00:11:52,311
they are pro-gun all the way.

285
00:11:52,311 --> 00:11:53,946
Even a special session 
of the legislature

286
00:11:53,946 --> 00:11:57,950
called by GOP Governor 
Bill Lee last year

287
00:11:57,950 --> 00:11:59,819
yielded very little results.

288
00:11:59,819 --> 00:12:01,854
And it seems like the 
harder that other folks

289
00:12:01,854 --> 00:12:03,489
are trying to hit 
this legislature

290
00:12:03,489 --> 00:12:05,925
with some laws on guns,

291
00:12:05,925 --> 00:12:07,460
the harder they push 
back and say, no,

292
00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:09,962
we're actually going to 
make the laws looser.

293
00:12:09,962 --> 00:12:12,331
That has no support from 
law enforcement officials

294
00:12:12,331 --> 00:12:13,999
across the state.

295
00:12:13,999 --> 00:12:15,868
You know, so if you look 
at a poll from Memphis,

296
00:12:15,868 --> 00:12:17,737
those folks, our 
lawmakers up there,

297
00:12:17,737 --> 00:12:19,939
they do not care 
what those polls say.

298
00:12:19,939 --> 00:12:21,273
They're gonna do what 
they're gonna do.

299
00:12:21,273 --> 00:12:24,510
And to me, their 
motivations are mysterious.

300
00:12:24,510 --> 00:12:26,045
I have no idea why,

301
00:12:26,045 --> 00:12:29,081
you know, they don't 
want to push on guns.

302
00:12:29,081 --> 00:12:31,117
You could read the 
handwriting on the wall there,

303
00:12:31,117 --> 00:12:33,085
but not very sure.

304
00:12:33,085 --> 00:12:35,688
I know we're right now, 
a bill is still up to

305
00:12:35,688 --> 00:12:39,592
I think about arming 
teachers in the classrooms

306
00:12:39,592 --> 00:12:42,294
as a safety measure, 
which is mind boggling.

307
00:12:42,294 --> 00:12:45,865
But there's a lot of things 
going on with the legislature

308
00:12:45,865 --> 00:12:48,067
who continues to 
override the things

309
00:12:48,067 --> 00:12:50,269
that we want to do in Shelby 
County and all the big cities

310
00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:54,306
and every cities here 
and on money bail.

311
00:12:54,306 --> 00:12:57,510
You talk to criminal advocates, 
justice reform advocates.

312
00:12:57,510 --> 00:13:00,513
They say the money bail reform

313
00:13:00,513 --> 00:13:02,348
was really just 
following state law.

314
00:13:02,348 --> 00:13:04,517
And then when we got a 
new state law on that,

315
00:13:04,517 --> 00:13:06,385
The Daily Memphian 
reported Wednesday morning,

316
00:13:06,385 --> 00:13:08,254
Thursday morning

317
00:13:08,254 --> 00:13:10,823
that when Jaylen 
Lobley was sentenced,

318
00:13:10,823 --> 00:13:13,726
Chris Ingram was just 
following state law on that.

319
00:13:13,726 --> 00:13:16,395
- Chris Ingram being the 
judicial commissioner

320
00:13:16,395 --> 00:13:18,564
who released Jaylen,

321
00:13:18,564 --> 00:13:22,268
the young man killed 
in the McKinney case.

322
00:13:22,268 --> 00:13:23,669
Released on his 
own recognizance

323
00:13:23,669 --> 00:13:25,504
by the judicial 
commissioner Chris Ingram.

324
00:13:25,504 --> 00:13:27,173
- Exactly, then you 
have lawmakers saying,

325
00:13:27,173 --> 00:13:30,309
well, you know, you needed to 
use some common sense on how

326
00:13:30,309 --> 00:13:33,212
you use that law, but at the end 
of the day, you're a lawmaker.

327
00:13:33,212 --> 00:13:35,247
This is your product 
that we are using

328
00:13:35,247 --> 00:13:36,882
in our communities here.

329
00:13:36,882 --> 00:13:39,885
So, you know, tighten it up, 
that's what you do in Nashville.

330
00:13:39,885 --> 00:13:41,854
Give us a law that 
you want us to follow.

331
00:13:41,854 --> 00:13:44,089
- You wanna touch on 
the arming teachers?

332
00:13:44,089 --> 00:13:46,192
I mean, I can't remember,

333
00:13:46,192 --> 00:13:48,327
but I think I read, in probably 
an article in Chalkbeat

334
00:13:48,327 --> 00:13:49,762
that you wrote.

335
00:13:49,762 --> 00:13:51,530
I don't think that the 
unions and the folks,

336
00:13:51,530 --> 00:13:53,299
the teachers are 
particularly in favor

337
00:13:53,299 --> 00:13:56,035
of this arming the 
teacher's proposal.

338
00:13:56,035 --> 00:13:57,636
- Many teachers are not.

339
00:13:57,636 --> 00:14:00,806
What this proposal would allow,

340
00:14:00,806 --> 00:14:02,608
and I'm gonna rely 
on the expertise

341
00:14:02,608 --> 00:14:05,744
of my colleague in Nashville, 
Marta Aldrich here,

342
00:14:05,744 --> 00:14:10,349
would be for school staff 
to also consider, you know,

343
00:14:10,349 --> 00:14:12,952
following the measures that 
the legislation lays out

344
00:14:12,952 --> 00:14:16,255
to carry a gun onto school.

345
00:14:16,255 --> 00:14:17,489
And so that would, you know,

346
00:14:17,489 --> 00:14:22,228
could look like anything 
from a bus driver

347
00:14:22,228 --> 00:14:24,630
that works for the 
district to a principal.

348
00:14:24,630 --> 00:14:25,898
- Wow.

349
00:14:25,898 --> 00:14:27,299
- Being inclusive in 
school staff there.

350
00:14:27,299 --> 00:14:29,201
And so it wouldn't 
necessarily just be teachers,

351
00:14:29,201 --> 00:14:32,304
but that still has one more 
chamber to make it out of

352
00:14:32,304 --> 00:14:33,839
as of Thursday.

353
00:14:33,839 --> 00:14:35,975
- Let's stay with crime, and 
then we'll move on, I think,

354
00:14:35,975 --> 00:14:37,476
but coming back to you, Julia,

355
00:14:37,476 --> 00:14:40,012
some other things up at 
the legislature there.

356
00:14:40,012 --> 00:14:42,114
I believe a law was 
passed that would,

357
00:14:42,114 --> 00:14:44,650
this gets, I can say this 
as a double negative,

358
00:14:44,650 --> 00:14:46,585
that would stop municipalities

359
00:14:46,585 --> 00:14:49,121
from banning pre-textual stops.

360
00:14:49,121 --> 00:14:50,522
It was a controversial thing.

361
00:14:50,522 --> 00:14:52,791
It does go back in no 
small part to Tyre Nichols

362
00:14:52,791 --> 00:14:55,327
who was, there was a 
clearly pre-textual stop

363
00:14:55,327 --> 00:14:57,329
going on there and 
that whole tragedy.

364
00:14:57,329 --> 00:14:59,832
The City Council 
wanted to stop that,

365
00:14:59,832 --> 00:15:01,200
but state law allowed it.

366
00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:02,968
This one just clarifies 
that you can't even pass,

367
00:15:02,968 --> 00:15:04,703
the city or county 
can't pass a law

368
00:15:04,703 --> 00:15:06,538
that says you can ban 
pre-textual stops.

369
00:15:06,538 --> 00:15:07,973
Pre-textual stops include people

370
00:15:07,973 --> 00:15:09,575
who are maybe 
driving erratically,

371
00:15:09,575 --> 00:15:13,078
missing a taillight, missing 
a, you know, a expired tag,

372
00:15:13,078 --> 00:15:15,414
and then you find 
guns or you find drugs

373
00:15:15,414 --> 00:15:17,950
or you find some kind 
of, that passed as well.

374
00:15:17,950 --> 00:15:19,351
Is that correct? 
- It did.

375
00:15:19,351 --> 00:15:22,788
It was signed by the governor 
a couple of weeks ago.

376
00:15:22,788 --> 00:15:24,823
It's currently in effect.

377
00:15:24,823 --> 00:15:27,593
So right now that 
local ordinance

378
00:15:27,593 --> 00:15:28,961
is completely nullified,

379
00:15:28,961 --> 00:15:31,030
and local police officers

380
00:15:31,030 --> 00:15:33,899
can pull people over 
for things like that.

381
00:15:33,899 --> 00:15:35,634
There was a question 
as to whether

382
00:15:35,634 --> 00:15:36,936
they were following that.

383
00:15:36,936 --> 00:15:41,440
We heard, you know, mixed, 
you know, perspectives

384
00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,776
from leaders like Mayor Young

385
00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:46,278
who said he was 
going to enforce it.

386
00:15:46,278 --> 00:15:48,247
Chief Davis said she had 
already been enforcing it,

387
00:15:48,247 --> 00:15:51,817
but we heard, you know, 
otherwise from other sources.

388
00:15:51,817 --> 00:15:54,086
- Also there's, it looks 
like there'll be a study

389
00:15:54,086 --> 00:15:55,587
of a crime lab for Memphis.

390
00:15:55,587 --> 00:15:58,157
A lot of Memphis legislators 
and local law enforcement

391
00:15:58,157 --> 00:16:01,560
and elected officials would 
like to have a crime lab here.

392
00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,495
And there's still 
unclear whether the state

393
00:16:03,495 --> 00:16:05,230
will reduce the 
number of judges that,

394
00:16:05,230 --> 00:16:08,133
by two, that Shelby 
County has that still

395
00:16:08,133 --> 00:16:09,368
kind of in process.

396
00:16:09,368 --> 00:16:10,803
- Yeah.

397
00:16:10,803 --> 00:16:12,538
- Anything else I missed?

398
00:16:12,538 --> 00:16:13,739
Maybe I'll get Bill in here.

399
00:16:13,739 --> 00:16:15,007
Anything I missed 
on public safety?

400
00:16:15,007 --> 00:16:16,809
I mean, there are a 
lot going on there,

401
00:16:16,809 --> 00:16:18,544
but any thoughts as we move on?

402
00:16:18,544 --> 00:16:21,347
- On the August ballot, 
there is still this question,

403
00:16:21,347 --> 00:16:23,182
there is still this 
charter amendment

404
00:16:23,182 --> 00:16:25,484
that Memphis voters 
are going to vote on

405
00:16:25,484 --> 00:16:29,355
that would, despite 
what the state has done,

406
00:16:29,355 --> 00:16:32,958
would say, no, there are 
gonna be different gun laws

407
00:16:32,958 --> 00:16:34,259
in Shelby County,

408
00:16:34,259 --> 00:16:35,861
and there are gonna be 
permit requirements,

409
00:16:35,861 --> 00:16:37,296
and you're not gonna be allowed,

410
00:16:37,296 --> 00:16:39,865
or you're gonna pay a penalty

411
00:16:39,865 --> 00:16:43,836
if you leave your gun in 
your car, and it gets stolen.

412
00:16:43,836 --> 00:16:45,504
So there's a showdown

413
00:16:45,504 --> 00:16:47,940
beyond what the 
legislature has passed.

414
00:16:47,940 --> 00:16:50,743
And on the question 
of pre-textual stops,

415
00:16:50,743 --> 00:16:54,580
the legislature really 
hasn't resolved a conflict

416
00:16:54,580 --> 00:16:57,916
between state law 
and local ordinances

417
00:16:57,916 --> 00:17:00,152
that has been in 
place for some time

418
00:17:00,152 --> 00:17:03,155
in terms of traffic offenses.

419
00:17:03,155 --> 00:17:05,457
And the question is still open

420
00:17:05,457 --> 00:17:10,029
on whether cities and 
police chiefs in particular

421
00:17:10,029 --> 00:17:12,831
can do what they do every day

422
00:17:12,831 --> 00:17:14,933
as a matter of normal 
course of business.

423
00:17:14,933 --> 00:17:17,770
And that is say, these 
are the priorities

424
00:17:17,770 --> 00:17:22,107
we want you to enforce if 
you are a police officer.

425
00:17:22,107 --> 00:17:27,112
We want you to spend your 
time doing this and not this.

426
00:17:28,414 --> 00:17:33,318
So, I think we're gonna 
see a lot more discussion

427
00:17:34,053 --> 00:17:36,255
and a lot more pushback

428
00:17:36,255 --> 00:17:39,258
in terms of pre-textual 
stops in particular.

429
00:17:39,258 --> 00:17:40,893
- We'll move on, but 
stay at the legislature

430
00:17:40,893 --> 00:17:42,261
and come back to you, Toby,

431
00:17:42,261 --> 00:17:45,931
a recent cover story 
y'all did on reparations,

432
00:17:45,931 --> 00:17:47,266
and you've done a number,

433
00:17:47,266 --> 00:17:49,968
you've also been following 
the whole bridge,

434
00:17:49,968 --> 00:17:51,637
I-55 bridge replacement. 
- Yes.

435
00:17:51,637 --> 00:17:54,173
- Which is gonna have a lot of 
state money and federal money.

436
00:17:54,173 --> 00:17:56,241
And then a story about 
wetlands developers

437
00:17:56,241 --> 00:17:57,443
and how that's all working.

438
00:17:57,443 --> 00:17:58,610
I don't know which of those 
you wanna tackle first.

439
00:17:58,610 --> 00:18:00,312
- Sure, our cover this 
week is about wetlands.

440
00:18:00,312 --> 00:18:02,314
Great story by Chris McCoy.

441
00:18:02,314 --> 00:18:04,750
There's been a battle 
that's been waged

442
00:18:04,750 --> 00:18:07,986
for more than a year now, some 
behind the scenes, some not.

443
00:18:07,986 --> 00:18:10,322
Developers are 
looking at, you know,

444
00:18:10,322 --> 00:18:12,558
pieces of land in West 
Tennessee that are now protected

445
00:18:12,558 --> 00:18:14,927
by state law saying 
you cannot build

446
00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:17,629
on these kinds of 
wetlands over here.

447
00:18:17,629 --> 00:18:20,432
There was a political action 
committee formed by developers.

448
00:18:20,432 --> 00:18:23,035
They've been spending a lot of 
money on lobbyists this year,

449
00:18:23,035 --> 00:18:24,703
trying to get those 
rules loosened,

450
00:18:24,703 --> 00:18:26,338
so it can open up some land,

451
00:18:26,338 --> 00:18:28,307
especially around 
Blue Oval City,

452
00:18:28,307 --> 00:18:29,975
where they can go and build 
homes and do those things.

453
00:18:29,975 --> 00:18:31,844
It's looking attractive 
for them now.

454
00:18:31,844 --> 00:18:34,446
Environmentalists are gonna 
argue that we need wetlands.

455
00:18:34,446 --> 00:18:36,648
You know, they 
hold flood waters.

456
00:18:36,648 --> 00:18:38,083
They recharge the aquifer.

457
00:18:38,083 --> 00:18:41,920
They, you know, put CO2, 
they take CO2 out of the air.

458
00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,356
The bill was up by Kevin Vaughn,

459
00:18:44,356 --> 00:18:45,858
who's a Republican 
from Collierville.

460
00:18:45,858 --> 00:18:47,659
He's also a developer.

461
00:18:47,659 --> 00:18:48,927
It's been a battle,

462
00:18:48,927 --> 00:18:51,296
but I think there's been 
open dialogue up there.

463
00:18:51,296 --> 00:18:53,198
I know Protector 
Aquifer has been,

464
00:18:53,198 --> 00:18:54,666
they've testified

465
00:18:54,666 --> 00:18:56,502
in front of the House and 
Senate committees on this.

466
00:18:56,502 --> 00:19:00,305
It kind of got stalled in kind 
of a good course of dialogue,

467
00:19:00,305 --> 00:19:02,007
I think, which is 
unusual, I think

468
00:19:02,007 --> 00:19:03,742
for what happens in 
Nashville a lot of times.

469
00:19:03,742 --> 00:19:06,912
So now the bill is stalled 
as we get more information.

470
00:19:06,912 --> 00:19:09,481
Folks aren't seeing it 
really coming back this year,

471
00:19:09,481 --> 00:19:11,717
but you never know with 
these kinds of bills.

472
00:19:11,717 --> 00:19:13,051
That was the cover story.

473
00:19:13,051 --> 00:19:14,553
Another story that I did,

474
00:19:14,553 --> 00:19:16,555
something that was 
happening earlier this week

475
00:19:16,555 --> 00:19:17,923
was about reparations.

476
00:19:17,923 --> 00:19:20,826
We know in 2023, the 
Shelby County Commission

477
00:19:20,826 --> 00:19:24,830
decided to set aside $5 million 
just to have a committee

478
00:19:24,830 --> 00:19:27,966
just to look at reparations 
in just Shelby County,

479
00:19:27,966 --> 00:19:30,369
what that would look like, 
how that would influence

480
00:19:30,369 --> 00:19:32,404
home ownership, healthcare,

481
00:19:32,404 --> 00:19:34,373
generational wealth, 
those kind of things.

482
00:19:34,373 --> 00:19:36,575
And it was a little 
controversial at the time,

483
00:19:36,575 --> 00:19:38,610
and if that committee was 
formed, they did work.

484
00:19:38,610 --> 00:19:39,478
I'm not sure.

485
00:19:39,478 --> 00:19:40,479
I couldn't confirm 
that yesterday

486
00:19:40,479 --> 00:19:42,080
as I was looking it up.

487
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,551
But there is, there's a 
legislation in Nashville now

488
00:19:45,551 --> 00:19:46,885
that would end that.

489
00:19:46,885 --> 00:19:49,087
They say whatever city- 
county that you're in,

490
00:19:49,087 --> 00:19:50,889
you can't think about, 
you can't talk about,

491
00:19:50,889 --> 00:19:52,291
you can't form a committee

492
00:19:52,291 --> 00:19:54,560
to try to have a conversation 
about reparations,

493
00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,396
and you can't give 
any reparations out.

494
00:19:57,396 --> 00:20:00,098
So this was a big battle 
up there in Nashville

495
00:20:00,098 --> 00:20:02,668
Tuesday or Wednesday on 
the floor of the House.

496
00:20:02,668 --> 00:20:04,503
Both of those bills 
are stymied now

497
00:20:04,503 --> 00:20:06,138
in the House and the Senate.

498
00:20:06,138 --> 00:20:07,472
Big battles.

499
00:20:07,472 --> 00:20:10,175
It's an emotional, 
emotionally charged issue.

500
00:20:10,175 --> 00:20:12,477
So we're gonna have to wait 
and see what happens with that.

501
00:20:12,477 --> 00:20:14,046
- Let me stay at the 
state with you, Laura,

502
00:20:14,046 --> 00:20:16,014
a big, big voucher proposal.

503
00:20:16,014 --> 00:20:17,449
School vouchers were proposed.

504
00:20:17,449 --> 00:20:19,585
Bill Lee, Governor Bill Lee,

505
00:20:19,585 --> 00:20:22,521
there's been a pilot program, 
you can kind of describe that.

506
00:20:22,521 --> 00:20:25,624
Wanted to really expand it 
essentially to all Tennesseans.

507
00:20:25,624 --> 00:20:28,393
Where do things stand on 
education vouchers right now?

508
00:20:28,393 --> 00:20:32,164
- So we know that once the 
proposals officially came out

509
00:20:32,164 --> 00:20:34,199
of the House and the Senate,

510
00:20:34,199 --> 00:20:35,367
those are very different,

511
00:20:35,367 --> 00:20:36,935
and neither match the 
governor's proposal.

512
00:20:36,935 --> 00:20:39,037
So we were looking, even 
when this began in earnest

513
00:20:39,037 --> 00:20:42,741
a few, couple months ago at 
three different possibilities.

514
00:20:42,741 --> 00:20:44,476
It's still in limbo.

515
00:20:44,476 --> 00:20:47,512
We've got, you know, probably 
about a week and a half left

516
00:20:47,512 --> 00:20:51,550
of session as lawmakers 
are going through

517
00:20:51,550 --> 00:20:53,018
the state budget right now.

518
00:20:53,018 --> 00:20:56,888
We do appear poised 
to have $144 million

519
00:20:56,888 --> 00:20:58,690
for the voucher program

520
00:20:58,690 --> 00:21:01,093
that would match the 
Governor's proposal.

521
00:21:01,093 --> 00:21:03,562
It would not fully 
fund the proposal

522
00:21:03,562 --> 00:21:05,264
that is coming out of the House.

523
00:21:05,264 --> 00:21:08,934
That proposal includes a lot 
of changes to public schools,

524
00:21:08,934 --> 00:21:13,538
and in some ways that, you 
know, people have wanted,

525
00:21:13,538 --> 00:21:15,274
less accountability, more funds

526
00:21:15,274 --> 00:21:17,009
for school infrastructure even,

527
00:21:17,009 --> 00:21:19,811
initial proposals 
were to end the ASD,

528
00:21:19,811 --> 00:21:24,182
and the funding for that 
is unlikely to be there

529
00:21:24,182 --> 00:21:25,784
by the time that we get 
through with the budget.

530
00:21:25,784 --> 00:21:27,753
- Right, and you tell me 
I'm wrong, but am I right,

531
00:21:27,753 --> 00:21:29,454
this is, unlike a lot of 
things at the legislature,

532
00:21:29,454 --> 00:21:30,922
which tend to be urban/rural,

533
00:21:30,922 --> 00:21:33,191
like the gun stuff 
tends to be urban/rural.

534
00:21:33,191 --> 00:21:34,326
A lot of the criminal 
justice stuff

535
00:21:34,326 --> 00:21:35,927
that we've been talking about.

536
00:21:35,927 --> 00:21:38,997
Education was not just, there 
are a lot of small districts,

537
00:21:38,997 --> 00:21:40,265
a lot of rural districts

538
00:21:40,265 --> 00:21:42,167
that are not real crazy 
about the idea of vouchers.

539
00:21:42,167 --> 00:21:44,536
Is that fair? 
- That's exactly right, yeah.

540
00:21:44,536 --> 00:21:46,872
We have here in Shelby 
County even, you know,

541
00:21:46,872 --> 00:21:50,108
you don't always see 
the municipal districts

542
00:21:50,108 --> 00:21:52,344
and Memphis-Shelby County 
Schools seeing eye to eye

543
00:21:52,344 --> 00:21:53,478
on education policy.

544
00:21:53,478 --> 00:21:57,316
But this is something that 
all of them have opposed

545
00:21:57,316 --> 00:21:59,017
as well as many 
other rural districts

546
00:21:59,017 --> 00:22:01,653
and suburban districts 
across the state.

547
00:22:01,653 --> 00:22:04,056
- Let's come back to 
a new superintendent

548
00:22:04,056 --> 00:22:05,390
with just a few 
minutes left here.

549
00:22:05,390 --> 00:22:06,658
- Sure.

550
00:22:06,658 --> 00:22:08,393
- Laura Feagins, she's again, 
three, almost three weeks

551
00:22:08,393 --> 00:22:11,963
as we record into 
her, into the new job.

552
00:22:11,963 --> 00:22:14,099
You and I are gonna interview 
her on the show here

553
00:22:14,099 --> 00:22:15,133
in a couple of weeks,

554
00:22:15,133 --> 00:22:16,668
so we'll get some 
one-on-one time with her.

555
00:22:16,668 --> 00:22:18,370
I think you maybe 
already have had.

556
00:22:18,370 --> 00:22:19,304
Your thoughts.

557
00:22:19,304 --> 00:22:20,572
I mean, what are her priorities?

558
00:22:20,572 --> 00:22:22,040
Where has she sort 
of made some news,

559
00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,509
and what kind of 
tone has she struck?

560
00:22:24,509 --> 00:22:26,645
- Sure, so coming in, you know,

561
00:22:26,645 --> 00:22:29,548
she had her month of March 
to consult with the district

562
00:22:29,548 --> 00:22:32,617
and sort of get to know 
what would be coming up.

563
00:22:32,617 --> 00:22:34,920
She has since announced,

564
00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,323
since her tenure officially 
began on April 1st,

565
00:22:38,323 --> 00:22:40,492
a transition team 
that is spearheaded

566
00:22:40,492 --> 00:22:43,562
by Council of 
Great City Schools.

567
00:22:43,562 --> 00:22:46,231
They're specifically 
Michael Hinojosa,

568
00:22:46,231 --> 00:22:48,266
who is a former superintendent

569
00:22:48,266 --> 00:22:49,901
of Dallas Independent 
School District

570
00:22:49,901 --> 00:22:52,804
and has been a 
superintendent of 27 years

571
00:22:52,804 --> 00:22:54,139
has helped put together a team,

572
00:22:54,139 --> 00:22:56,742
both of experts from 
that national council

573
00:22:56,742 --> 00:22:58,610
that the school 
district is a member of,

574
00:22:58,610 --> 00:23:01,446
as well as five current 
and former superintendents

575
00:23:01,446 --> 00:23:03,815
including Dr. Battle 
over in Nashville

576
00:23:03,815 --> 00:23:07,319
and former Memphis City 
School's Superintendent

577
00:23:07,319 --> 00:23:08,720
Carol Johnson-Dean.

578
00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,591
Important to know about 
her addition to the team is

579
00:23:12,591 --> 00:23:16,161
she's been very supportive 
throughout Feagins' transition

580
00:23:16,161 --> 00:23:17,662
into the district,

581
00:23:17,662 --> 00:23:22,334
and of course is the last 
female to have had the role

582
00:23:22,334 --> 00:23:23,935
who was from out of town.

583
00:23:23,935 --> 00:23:26,872
So they can share 
some knowledge there.

584
00:23:26,872 --> 00:23:29,274
Marie Feagins has not been 
a superintendent before,

585
00:23:29,274 --> 00:23:31,777
so she's, you know, I think a 
lot of people are seeing her

586
00:23:31,777 --> 00:23:35,247
acknowledge with this 
transition team some gaps

587
00:23:35,247 --> 00:23:39,384
that were identified earlier 
on when she was selected.

588
00:23:39,384 --> 00:23:42,120
And so she's really, 
I think, moving forward

589
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:45,157
and in this group that's 
due to be in town very soon,

590
00:23:45,157 --> 00:23:47,659
if not already, 
will be helping her

591
00:23:47,659 --> 00:23:49,961
shepherd in a 100-day plan.

592
00:23:49,961 --> 00:23:53,665
She's already kind of promising 
some shakeups of cabinet,

593
00:23:53,665 --> 00:23:56,134
and so we'll have to 
see how that shakes out.

594
00:23:56,134 --> 00:23:59,037
- And I have twice now referred 
to her as Laura Feagins.

595
00:23:59,037 --> 00:24:01,173
It is Laura Testino, 
Marie Feagins.

596
00:24:01,173 --> 00:24:03,208
I'm gonna get that right 
before we sit down with her

597
00:24:03,208 --> 00:24:05,510
and I embarrass myself 
further, so apologies.

598
00:24:05,510 --> 00:24:07,279
A quick thing with just 
a minute left here.

599
00:24:07,279 --> 00:24:10,148
Bill, if the city, I'm 
coming back to the city

600
00:24:10,148 --> 00:24:13,885
and the ask for 
$25 million towards capital

601
00:24:13,885 --> 00:24:16,188
for the school system.

602
00:24:16,188 --> 00:24:17,756
Would that be,

603
00:24:17,756 --> 00:24:19,357
I mean if you go, is 
it one of those things

604
00:24:19,357 --> 00:24:21,126
where if you do it one year, 
you're gonna be stuck doing it

605
00:24:21,126 --> 00:24:22,727
for, I shouldn't 
say stuck, but it's

606
00:24:22,727 --> 00:24:24,629
- No, it's not. 
- It could be a one-time thing.

607
00:24:24,629 --> 00:24:25,864
- Yeah.

608
00:24:25,864 --> 00:24:27,399
- They could come back and 
say here's $10 million once.

609
00:24:27,399 --> 00:24:28,767
That's what we got.

610
00:24:28,767 --> 00:24:30,135
- Right, the capital 
spending would not invoke

611
00:24:30,135 --> 00:24:32,537
the Maintenance of Efforts 
State law that says

612
00:24:32,537 --> 00:24:35,106
you give 'em 
$2 million, let's say,

613
00:24:35,106 --> 00:24:39,978
you're on the hook for 
$2 million infinitely basically.

614
00:24:39,978 --> 00:24:42,214
- A quick thing 
for you, for Julia,

615
00:24:42,214 --> 00:24:43,682
just to kinda wrap 
up a few things.

616
00:24:43,682 --> 00:24:47,185
Judge Melissa Boyd, a story 
that I think for people

617
00:24:47,185 --> 00:24:50,755
is a combination of sad, 
infuriating, confusing.

618
00:24:50,755 --> 00:24:52,657
Where, is that over now?

619
00:24:52,657 --> 00:24:54,693
I mean, where does that stand?

620
00:24:54,693 --> 00:24:56,695
- So the saga continues.

621
00:24:56,695 --> 00:25:00,098
Although Judge Melissa Boyd or 
former Judge Melissa Boyd is,

622
00:25:00,098 --> 00:25:04,636
you know, currently on 
diversion and doing rehab.

623
00:25:04,636 --> 00:25:06,805
Her seat is now open,

624
00:25:06,805 --> 00:25:08,807
and there are four people 
running for her seat.

625
00:25:08,807 --> 00:25:11,643
But that remains to be seen 
how long that seat will be open

626
00:25:11,643 --> 00:25:13,812
because the Tennessee 
legislature is considering

627
00:25:13,812 --> 00:25:16,681
eliminating that seat 
and another judicial seat

628
00:25:16,681 --> 00:25:17,649
in this district.

629
00:25:17,649 --> 00:25:18,950
- And last but not least, Toby,

630
00:25:18,950 --> 00:25:20,185
usually at this point 
in the legislature,

631
00:25:20,185 --> 00:25:21,586
we get a marijuana 
update from you.

632
00:25:21,586 --> 00:25:22,821
Do we have any updates

633
00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:25,657
on marijuana policy 
laws, regulations?

634
00:25:25,657 --> 00:25:28,426
- Marijuana is not 
a coming this year,

635
00:25:29,895 --> 00:25:32,430
and it's been bandied about, 
of course, there's a few bills.

636
00:25:32,430 --> 00:25:34,065
None of 'em have 
risen to the level

637
00:25:34,065 --> 00:25:36,201
of getting anything formal here.

638
00:25:36,201 --> 00:25:39,437
We're now, they're 
working with the state,

639
00:25:39,437 --> 00:25:40,939
growers and stuff are 
working with the state

640
00:25:40,939 --> 00:25:42,741
to finalize some 
rules and stuff,

641
00:25:42,741 --> 00:25:45,076
keep products on the shelves, 
but no, we're not gonna see any

642
00:25:45,076 --> 00:25:47,045
significant marijuana 
legislation this year.

643
00:25:47,045 --> 00:25:48,380
- All right, we 
will leave it there.

644
00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:50,882
Thank you all for being here, 
and thank you for joining us.

645
00:25:50,882 --> 00:25:52,317
If you missed any of the show,

646
00:25:52,317 --> 00:25:54,352
you can get the full 
episode at wkno.org

647
00:25:54,352 --> 00:25:55,954
or you can get it at YouTube

648
00:25:55,954 --> 00:25:57,422
or on The Daily Memphian site.

649
00:25:57,422 --> 00:25:59,190
You can also download 
the podcast to the show

650
00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:00,992
from the Daily Memphian, 
iTunes, Spotify,

651
00:26:00,992 --> 00:26:02,894
or wherever you 
get your podcasts.

652
00:26:02,894 --> 00:26:05,163
Thanks very much, and 
we'll see you next week.

653
00:26:05,163 --> 00:26:07,999
[intense orchestral music]

654
00:26:39,998 --> 00:26:42,000
[acoustic guitar chords]