In an announcement on the morning of Halloween, Memphis Mayor Paul Young revealed plans to raise the minimum salary for city employees to $40,000 annually and grant a 2% increase in wages to Fire Division staff. Local Memphis reported that the move comes amidst a federal government shutdown threatening to slash SNAP benefits.
According to the Mayor’s office and following confirmation from city officials less than a day earlier about Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat's retirement, Young's declaration was made while a recently dismissed ethics complaint against Sweat continued to fuel discontent among the ranks. Amidst the cutbacks in SNAP benefits that could impact millions, Young stated, "all full-time City of Memphis employees will receive at least $40,000 a year." This statement was further detailed by WREG as part of the Mayor’s efforts to seek approval from council members in November.
The City of Memphis has also committed to assisting affected families by pledging a $500,000 donation to a local food bank, aiming to provide food boxes to those in need. The initiative ties into broader community support, with WREG noting that information about mobile food pantry events managed by Mid-South Food Bank is available to local residents.
In addition to the base salary hike, Mayor Paul Young is pushing for a 2% raise for the fire department which, as obtained by FOX13 Memphis, he stated, "It's why I am also announcing a 2% raise for our represented fire Division staff."
