Memphis must invest in a 'moral' budget that invests in young people for a brighter future

As City Council gears up to vote on Memphis’ Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the need for a moral budget is stronger than ever — a budget that not only sustains but enhances community well-being, representing a significant departure from past practices.

This isn't just about funding; it's about laying the foundation for a future where every resident, especially our youth, can thrive.

For too long, the standard approach in setting our local budgets has been to tighten belts and restrict spending, especially when it comes to essential community services that directly impact our daily lives.

This austerity has failed to produce a flourishing or safer city. Instead, it has deepened poverty and underinvestment, often culminating in violence within our most vulnerable communities.

For example, when Memphis City and Shelby County Schools merged into MSCS in, The City of Memphis decided that it would balance its budget on the backs of Memphis students by cutting all funding to K-12 education. This means that for more than a decade, Memphis has contributed nothing to MSCS, while at the same time funneling resources into the growing police budget year after year–regardless of crime rates, despite persistent policing vacancies, and counter to well-established research showing that investing in public education reduces crime.

Invest in technical training for Memphis youth

Now, with a new Mayor and administration, we have a real opportunity to champion proactive investments in our children and future over reactive measures, truly reflecting our shared values of equity, safety, and prosperity.

Specifically, we urge the City Council to focus the increased revenue on investing in key areas that promise to uplift our community’s youth: the Opportunity Youth Workforce Fund, expanding access to youth mental health services, and increasing opportunities for youth to get involved in arts and culture career pathways. These targeted initiatives are not merely line items in a budget; they are the keystones for building resilient futures for our young people, ensuring they have the tools and support to lead healthy, productive lives.

The benefits of these investments would both affect us today and reach far into the future. The Opportunity Youth Workforce Fund would provide Memphis’ 45,000 “opportunity youth” (young people aged 16-24 who are out of school and out of work) with technical skills training so they can successfully enter the workforce and move towards long term career pathways and economic mobility.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris to face off in charity basketball game

Better mental health services lead to improved overall well-being, reducing the burden on our criminal legal and healthcare systems, while increasing the likelihood of academic and personal success for our young people. Arts and culture initiatives, besides

nurturing creativity, open doors to new economic pathways, enriching our community's cultural landscape and economic diversity.

We cannot afford to continue to cut services to young people

Enhancing community wellbeing with a moral budget also means valuing and investing in the people who keep our city running every day. We support the salary increases for city employees proposed by Mayor Young.

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We’ve seen a rise in the cost of living in Memphis: groceries are more expensive and rents are increasing, but paychecks aren’t keeping up. While a focus has been placed on salary increases for police and fire, we have lagged on providing increases for staff in every other department of the city. By providing raises for city employees, the city could lead by example and encourage other employers to prioritize investing in people.

Some want to cover gaps by shifting funds around, but the investments we need simply require more money in the budget overall. We cannot afford to keep cutting necessary services for our young people and community, so we are calling on the City Council to approve sustainable, substantial funding mechanisms to increase our revenue and make these vital investments without delay.

This approach to budgeting prioritizes long-term prosperity over short-term gains. It's about investing wisely and compassionately to build a Memphis that effectively decreases violence and values everyone’s potential. We urge our City Council to act with the courage and foresight this moment demands. Let’s invest in our youth, in our community’s health, in our cultural richness, and in the people who keep the city running to pave the way for a thriving Memphis where safety and prosperity are the norm in every neighborhood.

This budget season let's redefine what it means to invest in our city. The Moral Budget is our commitment to the people of Memphis and Shelby County — it's an acknowledgment that the well-being of each resident is integral to our collective success. Now is the time to act, ensuring that our fiscal policies mirror our highest aspirations for all who call Memphis home. Let’s embrace this call to action and invest in a future that benefits us all.

Aerris Newton is government affairs director for Stand for Children. Amber Sherman is Tennessee Organizer for Black Voters Matter. Stand for Children advocates for education equity and racial justice to reach a brighter future for us all. Black Voters Matter works to increase power and civic engagement in marginalized, predominantly Black communities.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Memphis budget should be a 'moral' document that invests in youth