|
Shelby's leaders were just that
Commercial Appeal
June 24, 2007
The Tennessee state capitol can be a rough place for on-the-job training.
In the halls of Legislative Plaza in Nashville, it helps to have seasoned elected officials who understand how state government works and, when needed, the best ways to bring about change.
That's why our Shelby County legislative delegation deserves a pat on the back this year for adjusting to what could have been a major leadership problem.
Within the last three years, the delegation has lost eight members, all with at least 10 years of experience. Most of them left last year.
Some were facing legal problems and clearly needed to go. Others left because they were elected to seats outside state government, took jobs in the private sector or retired.
Nevertheless, the cumulative effect for the legislative delegation was a huge loss of experience and institutional knowledge.
That could have worked against the interests of the delegation's constituents, but apparently it didn't.
As a group, Shelby County's lawmakers fared well in the recently completed legislative session, playing key roles in passing bills of local and statewide significance.
Oh, there were some less-than-stellar moments.
Sen. Ophelia Ford's erratic behavior during the session did little to change the minds of Memphis-haters elsewhere around the state.
And on a more substantive note, it's disappointing that the delegation's Republican members chose not to support a cigarette tax hike, even while supporting the educational reforms the tax increase will help fund.
(One of those Republican legislators, Rep. Jim Coley of Bartlett, said he voted against the tax increase by mistake, a point he had entered into the House clerk's official records.)
Overall, though, the session brought changes that should impact this region in a positive way.
Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and Rep. John DeBerry, D-Memphis, sponsored two major pieces of legislation, one which requires tougher sentences for criminals who carry guns and another which allows local governments to freeze property taxes for senior citizens. The crime bill, in particular, was sought by many in our community and ably supported by a citizen-led lobbying effort.
The new budget includes an extra $70 million for Memphis and Shelby County schools, plus funding for important projects at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, University of Memphis, Memphis Bioworks, Juvenile Court and WKNO-TV, to name just a few.
When asked to evaluate the delegation's performance during a meeting with The Commercial Appeal's editorial board last week, Gov. Phil Bredesen singled out Memphis Democrat Jim Kyle, the Senate's Democratic leader, as someone who was particularly effective.
The same could be said for Norris, the Senate's Republican leader.
In an equally divided Senate, Shelby County is fortunate to have leaders on both sides of the aisle.
Others, including DeBerry, rose to the challenge as well.
DeBerry said the loss of so much experience within the delegation requires a different approach to getting things done.
"I think it was a matter of building bridges, using some statesmanship," DeBerry said. "It forces you not to depend on seniority. It forces you not to depend on political power."
Since it seems to have worked so well this year, that approach might prove quite useful in the years ahead.
|
ApexTek.Com