(Memphis) Memphis is finding tens of millions of dollars to pay for the Sears Crosstown project and now Mayor A C Wharton says he has $25 million to pay for AutoZone Park, but the city can’t come up with one percent of that for Christmas decorations in Frayser.
For six years, Frayser and Raleigh have been hosting a Christmas parade and they say some lights up and down the poles on Watkins and Frayser Boulevard would do a lot to add to the Christmas Spirit and bring the community together, but community leaders say the city of Memphis won’t come on board.
“Frayser is really gone…but we’re trying to bring it back,” said Frayser Neighborhood Council member Jessie Binion.
Binion says Christmas lights, like the ones on the poles in downtown Memphis, would add a lot to the community to unite it and ignite hope and spirit.
“(We want) Christmas lights so we can spirit our community up so it will look like Christmas out here instead of looking like we’re just out here,” said Binion.
Binion says he’s been trying to get the lights and $25,000 to pay for them for a year.
Councilman Lee Harris represents Frayser and says he sent a letter to Wharton asking for the funds.
He got a letter back saying there isn’t enough money in the current budget and it is highly unlikely they will be able to transfer any funds for the project because the money has already been obligated.
Binion finds it ironic the city can come up with the money for projects like buying AutoZone Park leaving one of Memphis’s largest communities in the dark.
“We should be able to get something out here, Christmas lights or the money to do a lot of things out here with. We need that out here,” said Binion.
Binion says the city did say it will try to include the light request in next year’s budget.
