Charter Commission Launches Campaign for Metro Charter

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - You can expect to see political ads for a brand new initiative in the upcoming November election, but it's not who you'll see in the ads but what you'll see.

The new metro charter is finished and a full blown campaign is underway. The private group Rebuild Government will treat the Metro Charter as a political candidate.

You will see ads and commercials asking you to vote in favor of a new government. It's a new political ad, ready to hit the airwaves.

In a news conference Wednesday the organization announced its support for the charter and is asking Shelby County residents to vote in favor of it on November 2nd.

The platform is clear.

"We're talking about reinventing the whole government, no merging, no consolidating this. Blowing up and standing over with a new government, one voice," said City CAO Jack Sammons.

Sammons is the campaign manager and could not say what his budget will be to convince the voters. The campaign is privately funded, not at all funded by the city or county governments or the commission that wrote the charter document.

"We have a business community that's energized about this and we'll never stop raising money until it's all over with. But it will be an expensive campaign," said Sammons.

If approved by voters, the metro government would be formed as outlined in the charter. The suburbs would keep their local governments, but residents would still have a say in the metro government over the entire county.

Schools will not be merged, a major fear of suburban residents after nine months of working on the document, Charter Commission members are pleased to see a campaign formed to get the word out.

"Read it and ask questions. Ask why it's that way. Ask why this could make it better for everybody, that's the most important thing we could do now before November 2nd," said Sammons.

"70% or more of people in those suburban municipalities work in Memphis and probably 90% derive some economic benefit in some way."

Memphis Mayor AC Wharton also sees the economic benefit.

He said right now, Memphis is at a disadvantage when he's pushing the community to businesses across the country and the world.

"We've got to change. We've got to come together. We've got to become more efficient, otherwise we will not be able to compete."