In many cases, public transparency remains a local challenge. But when transparency is championed by local officials, it should be recognized.

Councilor Philip Spinosa – Spinosa is a champ in being the driver behind the locally unreported “Resolution to Establish Requirements for Fiscal Year 2026 Quarterly Financial Status Reports (pdf pg 32)” There remains work to be done on this resolution as in adding some other entities like the Sports Authority and Seeding Success, but the legislation is a step in the right direction.

My sense is the MATA ripoff and my Comptroller complaint ( I Love Me!) regarding $200M in Accelerate Memphis spend played a role in getting this legislation prioritized.

Councilor Yolanda Cooper Sutton – Councilor Sutton Chairs the Parks and Environment AdHoc Subcommittee, on which I serve. While there are several products, the primary product of this committee, thus far, is Sutton’s championing of quarterly public financial transparency regarding managed agreements. Such transparency is supported by University of Memphis per their best practice testimony before the AdHoc committtee. 

Managed agreements include public-private “partnerships” with organizations like Memphis River Parks Partnership, Memphis Zoological Society, Tennis Memphis, Brooks, Memphis Museums, Inc. (Pink Palace) and others.

Another benefit of the Committee is the study of just what is contained in these historically rubberstamped agreements. Sutton’s assistant Daisha Hamilton and Memphis Parks Marcha Allen have also been major contributors to the work of this committee.

Councilor Jeff Warren – Recently in unreported proceedings, Councilor Warren, busted out Memphis Zoological Society (03:47:00) for excluding him from Society Executive Committee meetings.  Councilor Warren is Chair of the Council Parks Committee which deals with an approximate $7M in City of Memphis annual contributions to the Zoo. Nice Bust Out by Warren!

Warren is also raising questions about Regional One. Based on personal experience, I find Regional One to be a highly professional and competent organization and have been supportive of Regional One’s public pursuits. But recently, in just one day, costs for the Regional One project exploded from $1B to $2B without explanation. Where did that come from? Councilor Warren seems to be the only one on it.

Doug McGowen, MLGW CEO – Led by McGowen, MLGW is highly professional and the most publicly transparent organization in the City. This transparency comes with the production of high quality publicly available monthly financials, produced in MLGW CFO Rod Cleek’s shop.

MLGW also answers public information requests that in many cases raise concerns regarding MLGW contracting. One example is absurdly excessive tree trimming costs, which based on Taxpayer Justice Institute analysis, results in $29M of $39M in excess tree trimming costs in the FY 2026 Proposed MLGW Budget.  

Excessive tree trimming costs weigh on rates resulting in approximately 38% in excessive MLGW distribution costs or 1.9% in total operational costs. And as a public utility, MLGW is not faring that well with electrical rates, ranking 17 out of 40 in year-round electrical rates, based on analysis by the Taxpayer Justice Institute. MLGW proposed 2026 tree trimming costs deserve a deep Council investigation.

Bipartisan transparency is the bedrock of democracy. Pathways to a better Memphis must embrace public transparency. To that extent,

CONGRATS TRANSPARCENY CHAMPS !