Lawmakers threaten Memphis’ sales tax revenue due to city’s gun control efforts

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A bombshell was dropped on Monday by two of the state’s top Republicans.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally said the City of Memphis could lose its share of state sales tax revenue over its efforts to “take a shot” at Tennessee’s gun laws .

“This is absolutely a power play,” said Democratic representative Justin Pearson. “It has nothing to do with what’s in our best interest.”

Last month, the city council approved a referendum that would allow the public to vote on amending the city charter, requiring anyone carrying a gun in Memphis to have a permit.

If approved by voters in November, the ballot measure would also ban the local sale of assault weapons, allow judges to temporarily take weapons from people who are at risk of harming themselves or others and require gun owners to keep their weapons locked up while they’re traveling through Memphis.

“If we as a city decide we really need this help, then that’s what this is,” said city councilman Dr. Jeff Warren. “It’s a way for citizens to say what they need. Then, I hope our state legislature will look at it and say, ‘Oh okay. Let’s see what we can do to help them down in Memphis.”

On Monday Sexton and McNally released a joint statement, threatening to withhold state sales tax revenue because of the effort.

“If Memphis leaders do not want to participate within the state and state laws, then they do not need to participate in the state’s successes,” they said.

Sexton added, “With the recent actions of the progressive, soft-on-crime DA in Shelby County and the Memphis City Council’s continued efforts to override state law with local measures, we feel it has become necessary to take action.”

The two lawmakers hope to see Memphis drop its gun control measure sometime soon.

However, Dr. Warren told WREG that the state is misunderstanding the motive behind the referendum.

“The citizens need the opportunity to be able to speak and hopefully our legislators will say, ‘Oh, we can help them. We see that things are different in Memphis than they are in other parts of the state,” Warren said. “And as part of the state of Tennessee, we depend on them to help us out.”

Secretary of State Tre Hargett entered the debate when he sent a letter to the Shelby County Election Commission Monday saying he will not allow a ballot question that defies state law.

Adding in a statement to WREG, “Common sense says local governments can’t override state law to give a 12-year-old a driver’s license, and they can’t override other state laws either.”

Pearson called holding tax money hostage “illegal” and said he urged the Memphis City Council to sue the state if the questions are rejected from the upcoming ballot.

“This is not a problem that is democratic or republican,” Pearson said. “This is not a problem that is rural or urban. This is a problem for our state.”

WREG reached out to District Attorney Steve Mulroy but has not yet heard back.

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