On October 3, Memphis will elect a mayor. Incumbent Jim Strickland is currently facing challenges from former mayor Willie Herenton and county commissioner Tami Sawyer.
This week on WKNO-TV's Behind the Headlines, host Eric Barnes conducts a journalist roundtable with Daily Memphian Reporter Bill Dries, The Memphis Flyer’s Toby Sells, and The New Tri-State Defender’s Karanja Ajanaku.
Dries says that the candidates “all have very different views." He offers insights into the priority issues of their respective campaigns.
Guests also discuss economic development in Memphis, including incentives, accountability and the Graceland and City of Memphis development deal.
Sells says that after Electrolux's planned departure, the conversation about incentives is changing. Ajanaku believes that the Memphis media has a duty to “drill down accountability,” so that taxpayers won't suffer another Electrolux deal.
Finally, the reporters discuss some Tennessee legislation and Gov. Bill Lee's recent budget proposals for vocational education and criminal justice reform.