Our public tax dollars must go to COVID-19 relief, education, healthcare, community programs and good jobs. They must not go to corporations that take advantage of our community, by putting workers at unnecessary risk for COVID-19, deny sick-time and healthcare, or make large profits while workers suffer.

I urge the County Commissioner, and all local elected officials, to immediately implement a 180 day moratorium on new 'PILOT' tax-breaks for corporations.

***More about PILOTs***

PILOT stands for Payment In Lieu of Taxes. They are property tax-break program extended primarily to large corporations that locate in Memphis and Shelby County.

PILOTs account for close to $100,000,000 in annual tax giveaways per year.

There are few checks and balances PILOT recipients. A company is eligible for PILOTs, even if it does one or all of these things:

• Force employees into temporary status
• Pay poverty wages
• Deny benefits and sick-time
• Refuse training or advancement
• Maintain dangerous, unhealthy or discriminatory workplaces
• Has a record of EPA, EEOC, or NLRA violations