Commissioner Henri Brooks is leading a legislative effort to support a more positive Memphis narrative. The negative narrative originated in 2011 when the FedEx/Memphis Tomorrow/Chamber complex initiated a retention PILOT policy through their lobbied for EDGE entity.

Retention payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILOTs) abate millions in property taxes for corporations already located in Shelby. Underscoring the policy resides the idea, that it is so bad in Shelby County that corporate taxes must be abated to keep corporations from leaving Shelby County. The policy is a failure with 38K job losses since 2019, placing Shelby County at the bottom of their peer group in employment growth.

The policy has historically worked to drive local corporations to seek millions in annual tax abatements, while threatening to leave Shelby County. How stupid! Talk about negative messaging and public relations! The FedEx/Memphis Tomorrow/Chamber complex, along with the elitist punk families of Memphis, want the public to think they are all knowing about matters of cultural art, history, economic and public relations matters. Not so fast!

The two most bully taxpayer Redneck PILOTs must be the Orgill and FedEx World Trade Center PILOTs. Effectively, Orgill, who has been in Memphis for almost 200 yrs, threatened to leave Shelby County if they did not get two PILOTs for their new Collierville headquarters and conference center.

Mike Keeney of Orgill now serves as the Chamber Chairman’s Circle Chair. And Richard Smith’s FedEx came in for a second 15 yr Collierville PILOT after FedEx’s original 20 yr PILOT expired. The FedEx PILOT abates approximately $4M in annual property taxes.

Working with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Commissioner Brooks’ legislative effort works to reverse the negative narrative originated by the FedEx/Memphis Tomorrow/Chamber complex. In considering the legislation, Commissioners will need to KNOW that they are combatting a band of Rednecks in the complex and the punk families of Memphis.

The retention PILOT policy was never about economic development but instead the real estate portfolios of corporations and the punk families of Memphis. Let’s hope for public sanity and a more positive narrative coming from passage of PILOT Board consolidation and reform.