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Serious question and don't want to cause hard feelings, but why do SOME Memphians have contempt for North MS? I think each area has been good for the other. Memphis provides a regional hub for shopping, employment, culture, etc. for North MS, and North MS has provided much of the musical talent that Memphis is known for, as well as Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Many North MS people also shop, eat, etc. in Memphis, which generates revenue for the city.
I do know there are negatives as well, such as crime spillover into North MS from Memphis, and Mississippi not giving an adequate amount of support to The Med for the number of North MS people that use the facility.
Why is West Memphis, Millington, Arlington, etc. not viewed with the same disdain? What can be done to help relations?
First, I would like to acknowledge your good efforts to create or salvage goodwill between Memphis and Northern MS. It certainly is in all our interests to have a unified and cooperative relationship, especially since more than half of the population of the notable fastest growing portion of No. MS is comprised of recently moved Memphians, which, may I remind you is within the Memphis Metro area, not independently developed MS area. Also the fact that Elvis, Fred Smith, B.B. King, etc. were born in your state, but had to leave at early ages to accomplish the starts of their careers in Memphis does not equate to credit for supplying raw human resources from MS, rather it points to the crucible of entreprenuership and music dynamism in Memphis. The same was done with Jerry Lee Lewis (Louisiana), Johnny Cash (Arkansas), and Kemmons Wilson (Arkansas). They all were immensely successful after leaving the meager possibilties of the state in which they were born and finding their key in Memphis, so when their success began, everyone mentioned above were Memphians.
Secondly, many in TN feel that No. MS benefitted greatly from Tenneseans' supposed morally motivated votes not to allow casino gambling into the culture to raise the personal bankruptcy, suicide, and other rates in the state, but they got those negatives anyway with the advent of Tunica's casinos while losing 600 million dollars per year from Shelby Co. alone across the state line to Tunica. There's not enough small time jobs down there for commuting Memphians to make up for that.
Yes indigent Missisippians were taken in at Memphis hospitals for free for somewhere over a hundred years at an unknown tremendous financial cost, and bigger time retail trade was available for small town Mississippians in Memphis to their benefit. (It works both ways.).
Those things are water over the dam, and the feelings of negativity that I have heard were not from Memphians about these things, but from Northern Mississippians making deep and pious observations about Memphis crime (which doesn't "spill over" into MS, it hits unaccustomed Mississipians because for the first time they have enough population to have a higher crime rate. There is also the balancing scenario of MS crime "spilling over" into Memphis, ie the hot chases and recent domestic violence of Mississippians killing each other and a Memphis cop too in a Downtown hotel.) As stated before, half of these negative critics have fled from Memphis over the state line instead of staying to fight lousy city
leadership which is now gone, and now continue to take any opportunity to crow about their negative perceptions. The irony is that a majority of them still work in the city and take their Memphis pay checks home to MS. Even a lot of new companies in Desoto are there because the port of Memphis, or the Memphis Airport, or huge Memphis distribution facilities, or other Memphis plants and facilities are nearby, not because the companies wanted to locate to the lovely Desoto countryside.
I'm sure you don't hear the kibitzing aimed at any struggles by the citizens still living in this city by these wonderful critics in your state, but never the less, that's where most of the irritation arises which might cause the heated responses you have heard.
While I recognize and appreciate your point about the musical entreprenuership and music dynamism of Memphis, it seems to suggest that only Mississippians benefitted from this partnership. The ability to recognize and nurture talent is a valuable commodity, so is talent, but neither can prosper without the other. Mississippi has been instrumental in shaping the music we listen to today, so has Memphis, but to downplay Mississippians contributions is akin to a member of a team claiming sole credit for a job well done.
Mississippi is not without entreprenuership and ability. It is true that Fred Smith set up shop in Memphis, but he deserves credit for having the vision to recognize a need and make that vision a reality.
Memphis has benefitted greatly from both of the above mentioned contributions by Mississippians. Mississippians have benefitted greatly from Memphis ability to recognize and nurture those talents.
I would like to point out that Sam Phillips, instrumental in the creation of the Memphis music scene, hails from Florence, AL. I am not attempting to take anything from Memphis. Even much of the musical talent from Mississippi has African influence.
To touch on another statement in your post, it is true that Elvis, BB King, Fred Smith, and others were born in Mississippi and got their start in Memphis, but their talent and vision were a product of their Mississippi roots, they were recognized and displayed to the rest of the world in Memphis.
Serious question and don't want to cause hard feelings, but why do SOME Memphians have contempt for North MS? I think each area has been good for the other. Memphis provides a regional hub for shopping, employment, culture, etc. for North MS, and North MS has provided much of the musical talent that Memphis is known for, as well as Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Many North MS people also shop, eat, etc. in Memphis, which generates revenue for the city.
I do know there are negatives as well, such as crime spillover into North MS from Memphis, and Mississippi not giving an adequate amount of support to The Med for the number of North MS people that use the facility.
Why is West Memphis, Millington, Arlington, etc. not viewed with the same disdain? What can be done to help relations?
My main issue with N. Mississippi (Desoto in particular) is the fact that 70% of the people that live there work in Memphis, but pay virtually nothing to Memphis and Shelby County in tax revenue. People that live there will tell you that they shop in Memphis or buy lunch in Memphis while they are at work, but I think that is mainly lip service. The sales tax in MS is cheaper so who in their right mind would live in say Southaven and go shop in Whitehaven or Hickory Hill and pay more in sales tax? I would say that Memphians shopping and eating out in Desoto County has a much bigger economic impact on that community than the reverse. I would bet money that Memphians shopping in Desoto generate more revenue for Desoto than Desoto residents shopping in Memphis generate for Memphis. With Tennessee having no state income tax, MS benefits greatly from Desoto County's close proximity to the Memphis employment centers (i.e. Airport, Downtown, Presidents Island/ Industrial areas. Companies may relocate to the Memphis area because of the favorable tax structure in TN, but MS gets to partake in the economic growth without really having to do anything to attract the companies. Memphis, Shelby County, and the state of TN have spent MILLIONS of dollars attracting companies like Electrolux and Mitsubishi to the Memphis area, but I would bet you a months salary that nearly half the people that eventually work at these plants will live in north MS. In this scenario the state of MS will get additional revenue in the form of state income tax from these companies when they paid absolutely nothing to get the companies to the area. I think it is fundamentally wrong that MS can get income tax revenue from jobs the state of TN paid big money to attract. I know the TN state legislature will never pass a state income tax, but they need to create some kind of law that requires (MS, AR, MO, KY, GA, NC, AL) residents who work in Tennessee to pay something in the form of an income tax. If they pay their home state an income tax for income they earn in TN, they should have to pay TN something as well (IMHO). See MS gets it both ways. If you live in MS and work in TN you pay MS an income tax. If you live in TN and work in MS you pay MS an income tax. This is just wrong in my opinion and unsustainable for TN's border cities.
I don't begrudge anyone who chooses to live in north MS. It is really one of the best options for people who work in the Airport area or SW industrial areas of Memphis since the neighborhoods around the airport and the SW part of town are generally not very desirable. I just wish there was some way to collect revenue from the north MS residents. Memphis is a very poor city and the tax base (Memphis and Shelby County) is forced to pay a very high tax rate to support the infrastructure that north MS residents rely on for employment with really no help from those in north MS. I also hate the fact the north MS always tries to entice Memphis companies to move across the state line instead of trying to attract new business to the metro area.
While I recognize and appreciate your point about the musical entreprenuership and music dynamism of Memphis, it seems to suggest that only Mississippians benefitted from this partnership. The ability to recognize and nurture talent is a valuable commodity, so is talent, but neither can prosper without the other. Mississippi has been instrumental in shaping the music we listen to today, so has Memphis, but to downplay Mississippians contributions is akin to a member of a team claiming sole credit for a job well done.
Mississippi is not without entreprenuership and ability. It is true that Fred Smith set up shop in Memphis, but he deserves credit for having the vision to recognize a need and make that vision a reality.
Memphis has benefitted greatly from both of the above mentioned contributions by Mississippians. Mississippians have benefitted greatly from Memphis ability to recognize and nurture those talents.
I would like to point out that Sam Phillips, instrumental in the creation of the Memphis music scene, hails from Florence, AL. I am not attempting to take anything from Memphis. Even much of the musical talent from Mississippi has African influence.
To touch on another statement in your post, it is true that Elvis, BB King, Fred Smith, and others were born in Mississippi and got their start in Memphis, but their talent and vision were a product of their Mississippi roots, they were recognized and displayed to the rest of the world in Memphis.
Not to prolong this, but there was no "team" which produced the entreprenuerial and musical successes fomented and developed in Memphis. The city was a magnet for those who had the inspiration and ideas from all over the Memphis extended market area from Arkansas to North MS, to North Alabama, having no way to do what they did in their childhood hometowns. They all became a part of Memphis success as citizens in conjunction with locally born Memphians. The regional spot in which they were born had less to do with anything: it was more about being a part of the city's incubating atmosphere.
I live in Senatobia and work in Memphis, but I really do spend alot of money in Memphis on shopping, food, etc.
The main reason people from North MS shop in Memphis is because of variety. While DeSoto county has most things, there are things you just can't get. We may have to pay an extra 2% tax. My wife and I go to Wolfchase Galleria, Whole Foods on Poplar, the Memphis Zoo, etc. because to get those things in Mississippi would require a 2.5 hour drive to Jackson for us.
I understand your concern about Mississippians working in Memphis, but many of those Mississippians working in Memphis are former Memphians. As for the casinos in Tunica, there are some benefits for Memphis. About 8,000 Memphians work in Tunica, many out of state visitors to Tunica plan side trips to Memphis, and gaming companies are relocating their headquarters to Memphis. Harrah's, a Memphis based gaming company benefits from Tunica.
Let It Ride? | BusinessTN (http://businesstn.com/content/let-it-ride?page=0%2C3 - broken link)
I know many Tennesseeans didn't want the casinos nearby for moral reasons, etc. but many Mississippians didn't as well. It is what it is.
My whole point for this thread is that DeSoto County and Memphis should be working together instead of against, and recognize the merits of each other. If DeSoto County is attempting to draw business away from Memphis and into DeSoto County it needs to stop. One should promote the other if a particular industry they are wooing decides not to locate in their town. Memphis should promote an alternate site in DeSoto County and vice versa.
My whole point for this thread is that DeSoto County and Memphis should be working together instead of against, and recognize the merits of each other. If DeSoto County is attempting to draw business away from Memphis and into DeSoto County it needs to stop. One should promote the other if a particular industry they are wooing decides not to locate in their town. Memphis should promote an alternate site in DeSoto County and vice versa.
I think this will help the entire area.
Memphis in general has always been appreciative of the support and patronage of Mississippians over decades past, and I think most of us love the same iconic features of Memphis which are a part of its identity like the world class zoo, art galleries and festvals, sports, the Orpheum and The Peabody Hotel, etc. I can wish for a good lifestyle and health for our friends in MS, but I can't support your big business growth at the expense of the average citizen's economic decline in Memphis, which is what happens when businesses lured by MS incentives hold Memphis hostage for more tax breaks. You're wlcome to the minor league hockey team and the Fair; they probably will survive there, but I can't root for more large plant and distribution facilities breaking ground just over the state line.
Mississippi is not without entreprenuership and ability. It is true that Fred Smith set up shop in Memphis, but he deserves credit for having the vision to recognize a need and make that vision a reality.
To touch on another statement in your post, it is true that Elvis, BB King, Fred Smith, and others were born in Mississippi and got their start in Memphis, but their talent and vision were a product of their Mississippi roots, they were recognized and displayed to the rest of the world in Memphis.
Fred Smith isn't really "from" Mississippi beyond just having been born there. He grew up and went to high school in Memphis private schools, and then went to college at Yale, and lives in Memphis now. The few times I've met him I've never heard him say anything at all about Mississippi.
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