WREG.com

Memphis Council: County Can Fund Emission Inspection Centers

(Memphis) Almost half the cars on the road in Shelby County are from people who live in the county, not Memphis.

That’s according to city councilman Jim Strickland, who wants the county to take over the emissions testing centers, “It’s an entire county problem, and therefore the entire county should pay for it. It shouldn’t just be Memphians.”

Strickland says the cut would save almost three million dollars in next year`s budget.

Tuesday, the council voted to cut funding for the emissions testing centers and ask the county to pick up the hefty tab.

“We can`t force the county commission to do it, but we just want to ask them if they would,” said Strickland.

Shelby County Commission Chairman Sydney Chism tells News Channel 3 based on the reaction of the commission at the last meeting, the majority does not want to take over the funding.

Chism says he believes the commission would vote to pass that funding requirement over to the state.