Paperwork problems, budget blunders local officials plan to tackle budget early this year to avoid funding setbacks [Video]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Shelby County has a budget problem, and it’s not the usual funding crisis. This problem is a paperwork and information issue. The State of Tennessee told county officials they haven’t submitted an accurate or timely budget in several years.

State law requires counties to submit their budgets to the state comptroller’s office each year for review. Failure to do so could hold up critical projects—like building a new school or renovating Regional One.

“We’ve got a lot of major projects coming through the pipeline,” Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told the audience at Thursday’s EDGE Awards, a celebration of economic development in Memphis and Shelby County.

Harris received the Leadership Award this year for his efforts to work with Memphis Shelby County Schools on a new $100 million high school and his push to secure funding for a significant transformation of Regional One into an academic …