FAST FACTS:
(Memphis 1/13/2010) The battle over funding Memphis City Schools heats up.
The school district won round two of this fight Wednesday. However, the city says this match is far from over. It plans to take this case all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Kriner Cash told reporters he lost sleep last night after discovering the city council voted to delay funding the district.
"I felt somewhat embarrassed for the city yesterday, to have our leaders not doing anything in the interim," said Dr. Cash.
But what a difference a day makes. Wednesday the Tennessee Court of Appeals released its opinion, siding with MCS. It ruled the city must fork over the cash.
"Members of the council are really disappointed with the ruling," said Council Member Myron Lowery.
But he says the ruling doesn't change anything yet, because the city plans to take this case even higher. He says nothing will be decided until they hear from the TN State Supreme Court.
"There remain several issues the court of appeals did not address, so now we move onto the supreme court," he said.
However some council members are already looking at ways to come up with the $50 million it owes MCS for this year. Council member Jim Strickland says the money the city saved last year when it cut school funding, is now gone.
"We're gonna have one to two things, we're going to have increased taxes, or reduce expenses," he said. "I want to cut expenses to pay for the school funding."
"At the right time, we will look at every possible avenue should we lose at the state supreme court, but now is not the right time," said Lowery.
There's no telling how long it could take to hear from the supreme court. It's possible they may not even hear the case.
Stay tuned to WREG for the latest developments.
- Appeals Court Upholds Chancery Court's ruling
- MCS says it will move forward, expecting money from the city
- City plans to take the case to the State Supreme Court
(Memphis 1/13/2010) The battle over funding Memphis City Schools heats up.
The school district won round two of this fight Wednesday. However, the city says this match is far from over. It plans to take this case all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court. In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Kriner Cash told reporters he lost sleep last night after discovering the city council voted to delay funding the district.
"I felt somewhat embarrassed for the city yesterday, to have our leaders not doing anything in the interim," said Dr. Cash.
But what a difference a day makes. Wednesday the Tennessee Court of Appeals released its opinion, siding with MCS. It ruled the city must fork over the cash.
"Members of the council are really disappointed with the ruling," said Council Member Myron Lowery.
But he says the ruling doesn't change anything yet, because the city plans to take this case even higher. He says nothing will be decided until they hear from the TN State Supreme Court.
"There remain several issues the court of appeals did not address, so now we move onto the supreme court," he said.
However some council members are already looking at ways to come up with the $50 million it owes MCS for this year. Council member Jim Strickland says the money the city saved last year when it cut school funding, is now gone.
"We're gonna have one to two things, we're going to have increased taxes, or reduce expenses," he said. "I want to cut expenses to pay for the school funding."
"At the right time, we will look at every possible avenue should we lose at the state supreme court, but now is not the right time," said Lowery.
There's no telling how long it could take to hear from the supreme court. It's possible they may not even hear the case.
Stay tuned to WREG for the latest developments.
