Three Fourths of Memphis, Tennessee, City Council Will Not Seek Re-election

Memphis city council member Tom Marshall announced on Wednesday he would not be seeking re-election to the seat he has held for 20 years. Following suit, council member Jack Sammons also announced that he too would be leaving after 16 years of service.

These announcements come on the heel of council member Carol Chumney resigning her position to run for city mayor in 2008 against incumbent, Mayor Willie Herenton.

Also not running for re-election of their Memphis city council seats are E. C. Jones from district 1, Brent Taylor from district 2, and Derrick Brittenum from district 4. District 6's representative, Edmond Ford, is facing corruption charges. Super District 8's representative, Ricky Peete, has already resigned before pleading guilty to similar corruption charges.

This mass exodus will leave eight of the city's twelve council seats open by December. In a whirlwind of activity the past couple of years, it seems that Memphis politics in on a downward spiral. And with three quarters of the counsel deciding not to run for re-election, it seems that Memphis politicians have lost hope. Who can blame them?

The first major black eye to Memphis government came in the wake of the Operation Tennessee Waltz investigation in 2005. The majority of the politicians involved in this FBI and TBI investigation were from the Memphis area. Politicians indicted in the Memphis area included State Senators John Ford, Kathryn Bowers, and Roscoe Dixon; Former Shelby County Administrator-Calvin Williams; Shelby County Commissioner-Michael Hooks, Sr.; Michael Hooks, Jr.; Shelby County Administrator-Calvin Williams; and Barry Myers.

Then there is State Senator Ophelia Ford. She took over her brother, John Ford's seat, after a controversial election. Since her election, there has been scandal at every turn. There have been rumors of alcoholism, and failing health. Most notable was her tirade on the Tennessee senate floor. The next day she was said to have fallen off a bar stool at a bar in Nashville. More recently, she has been accused of defrauding Tenncare for three years.

On Oct. 3, 1991, Mayor Willie Herenton made history as the first African-American to be elected mayor of Memphis. His reign has not been without it's share of controversy, however. Mayor Herenton is known not only for his clashes with the city counsel but also the media. He has also been the center of a failed recall effort stemming from budget problems, rising crime, and problems that have plagued the city's utility, MLGW.

There has even been a campaign to have Shelby County Mayor, A C Warton, run agianst Herenton in the 2008 election. Mayor Warton declined to enter the race saying he would better be able to help Memphis in his current position.

One can only imagine what lies ahead for the city of Memphis, TN after an array of controversies, such a huge changing of the guards in the city council, and an upcoming mayoral race.