Action News 5 had hoped to sit down with the Mayor, to talk about the budget, city services and the future of the city. He wasn't available on short notice. But other city leaders are talking tonight about that topic and about a controversial letter the Mayor sent to city workers earlier this month.
Every month, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton's office sends out an employee newsletter with a "letter from the Mayor" on the front page. But despite the cloud of bad budget news hovering, the Mayor's November message was still too gloomy for some.
He wrote to city employees, "We must work to lower our expectations and those of Memphis residents while we discover ways to deliver services with less money and fewer people."
"I don't think the Mayor should say let's lower our expectations. I think we need to raise the bar," said City Councilwoman Carol Chumney.
Chumney has been a regular critic of the Mayor.
His new finance team has launched an action plan to fix the budget that includes significant freezes in new spending and in hiring.
Councilman Brent Taylor says the Mayor is right on to indicate things will get more difficult.
"I don't always agree with the Mayor, but on this particular instance, I do," said Taylor. "This is not a problem that we're going to be able to tax our way out of. It's a problem that we're going to have to cut our way out of. And the council and the administration are going to have to make some difficult decisions in the coming months about which items to cut."
Outside of the Mayor's letter, no one at City Hall has mentioned layoffs or service cuts, at least not yet. The letter leaves that door open.
But Chumney doesn't like the Mayor's message.
"If he had managed properly, if he had not given big pay raises to him and his staff, and focused on car allowances and overspent on the capital budget, we wouldn't be where we are right now," she said. "So I don't think it's a question of expectations. I think we should have higher expectations in the Mayor's office."
Already the money managers have plans to find savings.
But there are still many with questions about whether it will be enough, whether they'll have to cut more. And the answers have just not yet been offered.
In October, the new finance team announced the 2005 budget is $25.8 million short and next year's budget will likely require $21 million in cuts, if not more.
Some council members think even greater cuts will be necessary.
A Memphis student received another high honor days after getting accepted into Yale University.
More >>A Memphis student received another high honor days after getting accepted into Yale University.
More >>The Tennessee lottery has a new game coming soon and is looking for photos of dogs to put on the tickets.
More >>The Tennessee lottery has a new game coming soon and is looking for photos of dogs to put on the tickets.
More >>A Memphis police officer was given a ticket for crashing into a 10-year-old in a school zone.
More >>A Memphis police officer was given a ticket for crashing into a 10-year-old in a school zone.
More >>A woman is behind bars after she tried to kidnap a little boy.
More >>A woman is behind bars after she tried to kidnap a little boy.
More >>With dental health having an effect on appearance, general well-being, and even earnings, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2018's States with the Best & Worst Dental Health.
More >>With dental health having an effect on appearance, general well-being, and even earnings, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2018's States with the Best & Worst Dental Health.
More >>A woman is behind bars in connection with the rape of a young boy.
More >>A woman is behind bars in connection with the rape of a young boy.
More >>A woman with multiple sclerosis said Delta employees tied her to a chair with a blanket when they didn't have one with straps.
More >>A woman with multiple sclerosis said Delta employees tied her to a chair with a blanket when they didn't have one with straps.
More >>Florida authorities went to a funeral home and used a dead man's finger to try to unlock his cellphone as part of their investigation.
More >>Florida authorities went to a funeral home and used a dead man's finger to try to unlock his cellphone as part of their investigation.
More >>The Mayor of Dallas announced that one officer injured in Tuesday's officer-involved shooting at a Home Depot has died.
More >>The Mayor of Dallas announced that one officer injured in Tuesday's officer-involved shooting at a Home Depot has died.
More >>A recent Whitehaven High School graduate who was on his way to the U.S. Army was gunned down while sleeping in his own bed.
More >>A recent Whitehaven High School graduate who was on his way to the U.S. Army was gunned down while sleeping in his own bed.
More >>According to an NHRMC statement, Linda Mae Everett, 36, entered patient care areas without authorization on April 5 after originally being denied entry at the check-in desk at the Betty H. Cameron Women's and Children's Hospital.
More >>According to an NHRMC statement, Linda Mae Everett, 36, entered patient care areas without authorization on April 5 after originally being denied entry at the check-in desk at the Betty H. Cameron Women's and Children's Hospital.
More >>Memphis Police Department is investigating after a juvenile girl said she was raped walking home from school on Monday.
More >>Memphis Police Department is investigating after a juvenile girl said she was raped walking home from school on Monday.
More >>Photos of a protective goose attacking a 16-year-old golfer in Michigan have been making the rounds online.
More >>Photos of a protective goose attacking a 16-year-old golfer in Michigan have been making the rounds online.
More >>The woman was living with the body of her 68-year-old boyfriend near Detroit.
More >>The woman was living with the body of her 68-year-old boyfriend near Detroit.
More >>A house fire turned into an active shooter situation in California Tuesday. Fire crews had to stop battling the blaze when gunfire erupted. Police surrounded the home, neighbors were evacuated and when it was all over, a woman was found dead. Her adult son, suspected of killing her, was hospitalized in critical condition.
More >>A house fire turned into an active shooter situation in California Tuesday. Fire crews had to stop battling the blaze when gunfire erupted. Police surrounded the home, neighbors were evacuated and when it was all over, a woman was found dead. Her adult son, suspected of killing her, was hospitalized in critical condition.
More >>