The Memphis Table sat down with long-time state representative, minister, and candidate for Shelby County Mayor, Rev. John DeBerry Jr. Known across Tennessee for his commanding presence and measured, deliberate cadence, DeBerry didn't hold back when addressing the fiscal instability, population loss, and political infighting currently gripping Shelby County.

1. The Fiscal Crisis: "Who Has Not Been Responsible With the People's Money?"

Less than 30 days into the current fiscal year, Shelby County requested up to $125 million in emergency loans. For DeBerry, this isn't just an administrative oversight—it’s a fundamental breach of the oath of office.

"When you find something that has gone as far awry as the budget in Shelby County, you can't help but ask: Who is it that has not been responsible with the people's dollars?" DeBerry stated. "We know who the finance chairs are. We know who is on those committees. They have to accept responsibility for this mess—either by commission or omission."

DeBerry outlined his strategy for his first 100 days in office around three core words: Inspect, Detect, and Correct.

"Critics say you're just acting like a thermometer telling us how hot it is, but a thermostat actually cools the room," DeBerry noted. "My response is simple: I’ve got to find out how deep in debt we are, what contracts we’ve signed, and whether every job on the payroll is essential. We have to take Shelby County government apart and rebuild it piece by piece, the way you do any major renovation."

2. Stopping the Population Exodus

Shelby County holds the title of the largest county by land mass in the state of Tennessee. However, it also holds a far more troubling statistic: it is the only county in the state actively losing population.

Over the past two years alone, more than 30,000 residents have moved out of the county, taking their families, businesses, and tax dollars with them into neighboring areas.

"Responsible mothers, fathers, business owners, and academics are choosing to live somewhere other than Shelby County," said DeBerry. "Why? Because bureaucratic issues, public safety concerns, and struggling schools pile up to create an environment that runs people away."

To reverse the trend, DeBerry’s platform focuses on:

• Equipping Law Enforcement: Ensuring the Shelby County Sheriff's Department is the best-paid and best-equipped force in Tennessee.

• Protecting the Tax Base: Stopping the practice of handing out taxpayer funds "like Monopoly money" to safeguard the county's credit and bond ratings for major infrastructure projects, including 800 miles of county roads and over 1,000 bridges.

• Education Accountability: Ensuring that the $1.2B to $1.9B sent annually for local education directly reaches teachers, classrooms, and school facility repairs.

3. Party Politics and "Elitist" Exclusions

Addressing critics who claim he abandoned the Democratic Party to run on the Republican ticket, DeBerry set the record straight regarding his 26-year legislative tenure representing District 90.

"The Democrats of District 90 did not throw me out. I never lost an election in Shelby County as a Democrat," DeBerry explained. "An elitist group up in East Tennessee—most of whom have probably never even stepped foot in Memphis—decided that my values, District 90's values, and the values of the majority of Memphis did not fit their party."

DeBerry argued that the party leadership didn't just oust him; they disenfranchised the voters who elected him 13 consecutive times.

"They said that the people of District 90 didn't have enough information to elect their representative and that they would have to do it for them. I spent 26 years fighting 200 miles up the road in Nashville for Memphis, for the zoo, for the shell, for our schools, and for our sheriff’s department. I held up my end of the bargain."

The Memphis Table sat down with long-time state representative, minister, and candidate for Shelby County Mayor, Rev. John DeBerry Jr. Known across Tennessee for his commanding presence and measured, deliberate cadence, DeBerry didn't hold back when addressing the fiscal instability, population loss, and political infighting currently gripping Shelby County.

1. The Fiscal Crisis: "Who Has Not Been Responsible With the People's Money?"

Less than 30 days into the current fiscal year, Shelby County requested up to $125 million in emergency loans. For DeBerry, this isn't just an administrative oversight—it’s a fundamental breach of the oath of office.

"When you find something that has gone as far awry as the budget in Shelby County, you can't help but ask: Who is it that has not been responsible with the people's dollars?" DeBerry stated. "We know who the finance chairs are. We know who is on those committees. They have to accept responsibility for this mess—either by commission or omission."

DeBerry outlined his strategy for his first 100 days in office around three core words: Inspect, Detect, and Correct.

"Critics say you're just acting like a thermometer telling us how hot it is, but a thermostat actually cools the room," DeBerry noted. "My response is simple: I’ve got to find out how deep in debt we are, what contracts we’ve signed, and whether every job on the payroll is essential. We have to take Shelby County government apart and rebuild it piece by piece, the way you do any major renovation."

2. Stopping the Population Exodus

Shelby County holds the title of the largest county by land mass in the state of Tennessee. However, it also holds a far more troubling statistic: it is the only county in the state actively losing population.

Over the past two years alone, more than 30,000 residents have moved out of the county, taking their families, businesses, and tax dollars with them into neighboring areas.

"Responsible mothers, fathers, business owners, and academics are choosing to live somewhere other than Shelby County," said DeBerry. "Why? Because bureaucratic issues, public safety concerns, and struggling schools pile up to create an environment that runs people away."

To reverse the trend, DeBerry’s platform focuses on:

• Equipping Law Enforcement: Ensuring the Shelby County Sheriff's Department is the best-paid and best-equipped force in Tennessee.

• Protecting the Tax Base: Stopping the practice of handing out taxpayer funds "like Monopoly money" to safeguard the county's credit and bond ratings for major infrastructure projects, including 800 miles of county roads and over 1,000 bridges.

• Education Accountability: Ensuring that the $1.2B to $1.9B sent annually for local education directly reaches teachers, classrooms, and school facility repairs.

3. Party Politics and "Elitist" Exclusions

Addressing critics who claim he abandoned the Democratic Party to run on the Republican ticket, DeBerry set the record straight regarding his 26-year legislative tenure representing District 90.

"The Democrats of District 90 did not throw me out. I never lost an election in Shelby County as a Democrat," DeBerry explained. "An elitist group up in East Tennessee—most of whom have probably never even stepped foot in Memphis—decided that my values, District 90's values, and the values of the majority of Memphis did not fit their party."

DeBerry argued that the party leadership didn't just oust him; they disenfranchised the voters who elected him 13 consecutive times.

"They said that the people of District 90 didn't have enough information to elect their representative and that they would have to do it for them. I spent 26 years fighting 200 miles up the road in Nashville for Memphis, for the zoo, for the shell, for our schools, and for our sheriff’s department. I held up my end of the bargain."