About our effort
First and foremost, This is a nonpartisan effort, we do not support any political group or politician, period.
“HOW THIS EFFECTS PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY”
This is an amendment to our current State law that will take the power and control from local government and place the power and control back where it rightfully belongs in the hands of the people. Currently State law allows municipalities to annex unincorporated territories within the County without even requiring the people to vote. The law even allows municipalities to deannex any given territory within that said municipality, but does not allow the people to deannex themselves from a municipality. This Amendment will change those laws for Shelby County, by removing the rights for Cites and Towns in Shelby County to lay claim to unincorporated areas of the county in the form of reserved annexation areas. The municipalities will then be required to have the areas in which they want to incorporate vote to be taken in. If the unincorporated area voters vote NO then the town or city cannot annex the unincorporated area.
“HOW THIS EFFECTS PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN A MUNICIPALITY IN SHELBY COUNTY” (MEMPHIS, BARTLETT, GERMANTOWN, COLLIERVILLE, MILLINGTON, LAKELAND, AND ARLINGTON)
This Amendment would also allow for any territory that was annexed by a city, no matter when it was taken in, to be deannexed and return to unincorporated Shelby County. The deannexed territory would then remain unincorporated for as long as the citizens saw fit or until the citizens of that territory voted to become their own city or town or decided to incorporate with an adjoining municipality. For example Whitehaven could deannex themselves from the city of Memphis and then incorporate into their own city of Whitehaven.
Even if you already live in a city you love and are proud of what that local government is doing for you, this is still for you. You have the right to recall any elected official that in your opinion is not doing the job that you elected them to do. But if the government as a whole does not do the job you elected it to do the only recourse you have is to move. Imagine having the ability to hold the entire local governments accountable like you do each elected official. That said government would make sure your tax dollars were being spent wisely, if not you could make them move. This amendment truly would allow the people to decide for themselves how they want to be governed.
Tennessee State Constitution
ARTICLE I. DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Section 1. Powers of people
“That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; for the advancement of those ends they have at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper.”
What Can You Do?
Your help is needed now! If you are interested in retaining the rights of the people to vote and rescind or approve proposed annexation efforts within the county, join us in getting the signatures of qualified registered voters in the county. We need over 100,000 signatures, Once obtained we will take those signatures to Shelby County’s 23 elected delegates, that represent our County in Nashville, and have them change to State Law to reflect what the people of Shelby County want!
You can take the following steps to help us in this effort:
First, you can download the Amendment and the Petition on this web site and begin getting qualified signatures of registered, Shelby County voters starting Now.
Second, you can contact your friends and family who feel as you do and get them involved in gaining the required signatures.
For this to be a success we need as many signatures as we can get to show the Delegates of Shelby County that this is the will of the people, so we need for you to collect a minimum of 10 signatures yourself. We can have our voices present in local government again, but each one of us is going to have to get involved! Just 10 signatures, that’s your family, friends, church group, fellow club or group members, anyone you know that is registered to vote in Shelby County can sign and make this happen. 100,000 is a lot of signatures and your local government really doesn’t think that it is possible to do this. If each one of us gets involved and makes a stand for our own voice we can and we will do this!
After obtaining the said signatures you can contact Mark Skoda with the Memphis Tea Party, Mary Hill with the Campaign for Liberty, Joshua Fox (901) 870-2328, or Joseph Fox (901) 870-5554. All contact information is listed below. We will arrange for someone to contact you and pick up the petitions directly, eliminating the cost of postage for you and ensuring that we receive all the signed petitions in a timely manner.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS:
You can download a copy of the Amendment and the Petition below.
DOWNLOAD COPY OF AMENDMENT
DOWNLOAD COPY OF PETITION
Joshua Fox e-mail: expscso@aol.com
Joseph Fox e-mail: titan0779@bellsouth.net
Mark Skoda e-mail: mark@thememphisteaparty.com
Mary Hill e-mail: mechick52@yahoo.com