Memphis residents should brace for higher costs after the Memphis City Council passed a series of tax hikes in yesterday meeting. The new budget that aims to strike a balance against a backdrop of a $858 million deficit comes with an increased load for taxpayers.

Facing the fiscal year 2025, the property tax rate will see a 49-cent boost, marking the first property tax increase in over a decade, and swinging a tight economic rope that is not to be underestimated, as noted by Councilman Chase Carlisle in a statement obtained by The Commercial Appeal. Additionally, the solid waste and vehicle registration fees are also on an upward trend, with the former climbing by $12 and the latter doubling from $30 to $60 for the registration of passenger cars.

Amidst the suspense of budget approvals, Mayor Paul Young was quoted in an interview with FOX13 Memphis, saying, "There are a lot of tough decisions. We did not come at this lightly, knowing that we were asking the residents of our community to pay more." Even with the new fees that aim to buffer the gap, public services, and personnel face changes. The Interim Police Chief CJ Davis will see a $34,000 reduction in her annual salary even as the department gets a $15 million increase to address overtime costs.

In a budget that had its share of surprises, Council members like Jerri Green were caught off-guard as additional millions earmarked for police funding were introduced at the last moment, demanding heightened scrutiny over the information provided, according to a statement obtained by WREG News Channel 3. Nonetheless, the council managed to approve these last-minute inclusions alongside the persistent proposals meant to keep the fiscal machinery of Memphis running without imminent collapse.