Halbert cites platform, past electoral success

As a parting off-camera request to assembled media members, first-term City Councilwoman and newly-declared mayoral candidate Wanda Halbert said, "Y'all can talk about the fact that no other candidate has offered a platform. Thank you."

While other candidates would take issue with that assertion, Halbert did personally pass around a "core platform" of seven key areas she says she will emphasize in the City of Memphis' special mayoral election. The four-page bullet-pointed memo listed government efficiency first followed in order by economic growth/development, public safety and health, education, tax equity, socio-economic challenges and tourism. Her opening remarks also included conspicuous mentions of three names -- former Memphis mayor Willie Herenton, FedEx founder and CEO Fred Smith (Halbert, 42, works at FedEx) and Robert Lipscomb, the city's housing director. 

Though she did not mention Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery nor Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton in her prepared statement, she hit on areas where she clearly disagrees with them (Lowery and Wharton are both running, too). She attacked the view promoted by Wharton (and Herenton) that consolidation of city and county government should include the city giving up its charter while other towns in the county retained theirs. As for Lowery, Halbert said she felt he has moved too fast on some issues, most especially his actions in his first day on the job attempting to fire city attorney Elbert Jefferson.

Halbert's entrance into the race brings the number of declared candidates to 10 -- seven of whom have won elections and six of whom are currently serving in elected office. Another elected official, City Court Clerk Thomas Long, has also given strong indications he plans to run. The election is scheduled for Oct. 27, but the Shelby County Election Commission is expected to vote Tuesday to move it ahead two weeks to mid-October to coincide with a special election to replace state Sen. Paul Stanley, a Germantown Republican who resigned last week because of an intern sex scandal. 

Asked about how she can compete with candidates who will likely raise more money and attract more media coverage, Halbert pointed to her successful 2004 re-election campaign for the Memphis City Schools board in which she defeated attorney Robert Spence (who now represents Herenton) and a prominent "Baptist preacher" -- Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr., another mayoral candidate who won a 2006 election for the City Schools board.

Halbert had her two grown sons, 25-year-old Kelvin Burrus and 20-year-old Stephon Woods, stand right behind her as she made the announcement, and she spoke of how "it has been difficult as young men to endure the life that has been thrust upon them," one that has included "character assassination." Halbert also said her family had been victims of "injustice."

On June 13, police called Halbert to the scene where Burrus had been handcuffed by police following a loud early-morning argument with his girlfriend. After officers at the scene initially planned to charge him for resisting arrest (which would have meant a trip to jail), a supervisor who arrived later ordered the officers to instead issue Burrus with a misdemeanor citation for marijuana possession and let him go.

Police later backed up Halbert by saying she did nothing improper, but demoted two high-level officers for their actions. Halbert has expressed her view that the incident was retaliation for her criticism of the police department, but MPD director Larry Godwin strongly denied holding any vendetta against her or her family.