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FAST FACTS:
(Memphis, 7/6/2009) Memphis's in-coming interim mayor is calling for an investigation tonight, after WREG News Channel 3 Investigators uncover how much the city is spending each year on outside legal fees.
It took more than four months for the city attorney's office to finally hand over the figures.
When they did, the numbers were eye-popping.
Lawyers, lobbyists, and consultants are billing you, the taxpayers, more than $1 million a year.
It's a staggering figure to people like Ozzie Elliot.
Her Lucy Avenue neighborhood is a place where vacant homes, and dumped tires outnumber the people left on her block.
"It's not nice over here at all," said Elliot as she stood on her front porch. "Not to live. It's trouble. It really is."
The 83 year old great grandmother says she's called the city, looking for someone to clean-up Lucy Avenue.
"A lot of times," Elliot explained. When asked what the city told her, she said the voice on the other end of the phone promised to send somebody out there. "But they ain't sent nobody yet," Elliot said.
It's that lack of service, that makes it all the tougher to understand the figures uncovered by the WREG News Channel 3 Investigators.
A list of 22 law firms, consulting groups and lobbyists are cashing-in on contracts with the City of Memphis.
Combined, over the last four years, they raked-in just under $8 million.
It's a figure Elliot can't fathom.
"That would be a lot of money," she said. "I wouldn't know what to do with it."
The city has a team of 24 in-house lawyers according to the most-recent budget report.
Yet, when it comes to lawsuits ranging from missing monies on Beale Street, to funding fights with Memphis City Schools, to investigating MLGW shut-off policies, the city turns outside, and contracts with private law firms.
- City of Memphis spent $7.99 million on outside legal, consulting, and lobbying contracts from 2006-2009
- Spending on outside legal fees more than doubled during that time
- City Council Chairman calls for investigation after WREG News Channel 3 shows him the numbers
(Memphis, 7/6/2009) Memphis's in-coming interim mayor is calling for an investigation tonight, after WREG News Channel 3 Investigators uncover how much the city is spending each year on outside legal fees.
It took more than four months for the city attorney's office to finally hand over the figures.
When they did, the numbers were eye-popping.
Lawyers, lobbyists, and consultants are billing you, the taxpayers, more than $1 million a year.
It's a staggering figure to people like Ozzie Elliot.
Her Lucy Avenue neighborhood is a place where vacant homes, and dumped tires outnumber the people left on her block.
"It's not nice over here at all," said Elliot as she stood on her front porch. "Not to live. It's trouble. It really is."
The 83 year old great grandmother says she's called the city, looking for someone to clean-up Lucy Avenue.
"A lot of times," Elliot explained. When asked what the city told her, she said the voice on the other end of the phone promised to send somebody out there. "But they ain't sent nobody yet," Elliot said.
It's that lack of service, that makes it all the tougher to understand the figures uncovered by the WREG News Channel 3 Investigators.
A list of 22 law firms, consulting groups and lobbyists are cashing-in on contracts with the City of Memphis.
Combined, over the last four years, they raked-in just under $8 million.
It's a figure Elliot can't fathom.
"That would be a lot of money," she said. "I wouldn't know what to do with it."
The city has a team of 24 in-house lawyers according to the most-recent budget report.
Yet, when it comes to lawsuits ranging from missing monies on Beale Street, to funding fights with Memphis City Schools, to investigating MLGW shut-off policies, the city turns outside, and contracts with private law firms.
