Paul Young (American politician)

Paul Young
File:Paul Young 2023.jpg
65th Mayor of Memphis
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2024
Preceded by	Jim Strickland
Personal details
Born	(1979-10-07) October 7, 1979 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Tennessee (BS) University of Memphis (MS, MBA)

Paul Young (born October 7, 1979) is an American politician who has served as the Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee since January 2024. He is the 5th African-American to serve as mayor of Memphis.

Early life and education

Paul Young was born on October 7, 1979, in Memphis, Tennessee. After graduating from East High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee, followed by a Master of Science in urban and regional planning and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis.

Career

From 2003 to 2006, Young served as a planner for the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development. From 2006 to 2010, he worked as a financial analyst for Community Capital Memphis. Young held several positions in Shelby County government before serving as director of the Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development. Since 2021, Young has worked as the president and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission.

Mayoral Campaign

Paul Young’s 2023 mayoral campaign focused on strengthening Memphis's economy and creating more jobs. Despite lacking prior experience in elected office, Young leveraged community outreach and endorsements from local figures such as community leaders, business owners, and former public figures to build a broad coalition of support. Young envisioned Memphis as a hub for innovation and economic growth. His platform also highlighted advancements in technology and development. Young’s platform addressed systemic issues such as poverty and crime, focusing on neighborhoods safety and expanding opportunities.

Campaign Strategy

Young’s campaign employed a multi-step strategy to raise his profile among voters. The campaign worked with VoteShift, a firm that specializing in strategies for candidates promoting racial equity and justice. Content was distributed across multiple platforms, including YouTube and story ads. In a Reddit AMA on October 3rd, 2023, Young communicated with Memphians and answered their questions regarding the future of Memphis. During the AMA, Redditors asked for his thoughts on Memphis's current state, particularly from his perspective as an active resident.

Election Results

In the 2023 Memphis mayoral election, Paul Young had received 24,408 votes from 98 precincts, 4,500 more votes than his nearest competitor, Floyd Bonner Jr. His second closest competitor was Willie Herenton, a former Memphis mayor. The vote was split due to the high number of candidates, with 17 individuals on the ballot, adding to the competitive nature of this mayoral race. This was the first election since 1971 where an incumbent was not seeking re-election. Public interest was high, with 88,699 votes cast, representing 23.8% of registered voters.

Mayor of Memphis

Young was elected mayor of Memphis in the 2023 Memphis mayoral election. He was sworn in on January 1, 2024. Since taking office, Paul Young has implemented several key initiatives to increase public safety, transportation improvements, and economic growth.

Public Safety

Mayor Paul Young has prioritized public safety through initiatives such as Operation Code Zero [1]. Operation Code Zero was introduced to reduce crime by increasing police presence in high-crime and high-traffic tourist areas. Young is also overseeing the installation of $10-15 million worth of AI-powered cameras across Memphis to address concerns over crime and shootings [2].

Transportation and Infrastructure

To improve the city's transportation system, Young replaced the MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority) board to create a clean slate for better oversight [3]. This comes after the system had a large deficit. Public approval of MATA has declined significantly, dropping from 75% in 2018 to 38% in recent years [4]. Reports indicated that the board failed to adequately explain its financial decisions. An overwhelming majority of buses required some sort of engine repair. Young ordered a forensic audit of MATA’s finances to increase efficiencies and identify key issues that are utilizing unnecessary funding.

Fiscal Responsibility

To address the needs of Memphis, Young implemented several tax increases aimed at improving city services and infrastructure, including a 49-cent property tax hike, a $30 increase in vehicle registrations, and a $12 increase on solid waste fees [5]. Young believes that these increases are necessary to ensure the city can effectively fun essential services while addressing pressing issues including public safety and housing. Young's administration emphasized government transparency, with a commitment to increasing accountability through public dashboards tracking city performance and spending [6]. This initiative is designed to foster trust between residents and their administration by making information readily available. One example of a public dashboard is one from the Memphis Police Department which highlights key data points such as homicide rates [7]. Data can be filtered by zip code and other key properties. His administration aims to create a system that not only meets the current needs of Memphians but also prepares the city for future growth.

Economic Development and Housing

As mayor, Paul Young placed a strong emphasis on economic development and housing, focusing on creating a thriving environment for businesses and residents alike. His administration aims to foster an inclusive economy that benefits all Memphians, with more focus on those in underserved communities. Young's approach includes leveraging his previous experience as the president and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission, where they successfully led initiatives to revitalize the downtown area through strategic partnerships with local businesses and developers [8]. Young's administration supported financial incentives to encourage investment in affordable housing. Young has also committed to increasing funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to ensure all residents have access to viable living options [9]. Additionally, Young’s transition team has recommended establishing a small business support network to help accelerate the growth of local businesses, recognizing that small businesses are vital to the continued success of Memphis [10]. In August 2024, Paul Young and police Chief C.J. Davis announced a $3 million to compensate businesses recovering from crime [11].  By promoting economic diversity and supporting local businesses, Young envisions Memphis as a hub for innovation and opportunity.