A petition calling for the reversal of the annexation of Cordova by Memphis has surpassed 1,100 signatures, and its organizers told The Tennessee Star they are “thrilled” with the progress.
“We’re thrilled to announce that our petition has recently surpassed 1,000 signatures,” the organizers told The Star, adding that much of the support has come through social media platforms including Nexdoor, Facebook, and X.
The organizers told The Star they do not have a set goal of signatures for their petition, but said it would “ideally” contain “up to ten thousand” before they present it to Memphis or Tennessee officials.
Should the effort be successful, the organizers envision Cordova would have stricter police, better roads, and improved schools, when compared to Memphis.
“If Cordova were to become its own municipality, we envision a future with stricter law enforcement policies, improved infrastructure, and a local school system similar to surrounding suburbs,” the organizers told The Star. “We’d also focus on litter cleanups, better-maintained public spaces, and stronger code enforcement.”
They also noted, “residents could see financial benefits by paying county taxes instead of city taxes.”
The organizers of the petition are anonymous, and The Star was connected with the group by change.org, the platform which hosts the de-annexation petition.
Explaining their decision not to reveal their identities, the petition organizers told The Star, “We understand that some media outlets are frustrated by our decision to keep the petitioners anonymous for now, but we believe it’s important for the safety and privacy of those involved.”
The group behind the petition “consists of longtime Cordova residents who have been part of the community since its peak development in the 1990s,” the organizers told The Star, explaining the group members observed “significant changes” since their community was annexed in a period that lasted from the 1990s until 2012.
“While crime is our primary concern, we’ve also spoken to numerous neighbors who voiced their frustrations with a range of issues, from deteriorating city services and the quality of education to high taxes and lack of infrastructure improvements,” the organizers explained.
Ultimately, they told The Star the annexation has not proved to be “mutually beneficial,” and de-annexation would allow “Cordova to regain local governance, create tailored services, and restore our sense of community.”
While the organizers reported push back from local government officials and some residents, they suggested de-annexation could ultimately prove beneficial to both Memphis and a newly-established Cordova.
They told The Star some residents have “expressed skepticism, believing it’s too late to reverse Cordova’s trajectory. They cite crime, blight, and neglect, and also believe it’s the hood. We understand their concerns, but we believe that change is still possible.”
They argued, “With local control, we could focus on addressing Cordova’s specific needs and challenges, allowing Memphis to better focus on its own priorities.”
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Cordova Community Center” by Thomas R Machnitzki. CC BY-SA 3.0.
