Action News 5 - Memphis, TennesseeMemphis annexation fight still waging

Memphis annexation fight still waging

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By Jason Miles - bio | email
Legislative efforts to keep the Memphis from annexing portions of eastern Shelby County may have been killed by the state constitution, but the war of words is still raging. Legislative efforts to keep the Memphis from annexing portions of eastern Shelby County may have been killed by the state constitution, but the war of words is still raging.

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MEMPHIS, TN -

(WMC-TV) – Legislative efforts to keep the Memphis from annexing portions of eastern Shelby County may have been killed by the state constitution, but the war of words is still raging.

The Memphis City Council decided to annex the area after learning of the legislation last week and while the threat may be over, the council's plan could proceed.

"We should never have been in the predicament in the first place," said Council member Myron Lowery.

Lowery hopes state lawmakers have learned a lesson.

"They should have done their homework on the front end before causing this controversy," he said.

Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. Curry Todd, both of Collierville, recently introduced two bills aimed at preventing the city from annexing a huge area east of Cordova to the Fayette County line.

The proposed annexation would include the community of Fisherville and some 17,000 residents.

But Norris announced late Thursday that the controversial legislation would be withdrawn.

"As anticipated, the attorney general has confirmed these bills are constitutionally suspect," Norris said in a written statement.

"We had an agreement since 1998 and no one wanted to break it except Mr. Todd and Mr. Norris by going through the state legislature," said Lowery.

Lawmakers say they were acting on behalf of suburbanites concerned about becoming part of Memphis, but the legislative effort backfired when the city council voted to quickly annex the area.

The annexation requires three affirmative votes by the council, the second of which is still scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

Lowery said moving ahead with the annexation isn't off the table and that he would rather be safe than sorry.

However, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton said Thursday night he hopes the council will hold off on the annexation given today's developments in Nashville.

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