Karen Camper
Learn more about my campaign here
My Blueprint for Change
Youth
How would you create more things for youth to do - including jobs and safe educational, fun places? Please be specific.
As Mayor, I would want to establish and fund Vocational Zones (VoZones) across the city. These zones would be used to address the lack of safe, educational and fun spaces for our youth. The VoZones programming would be centered around providing activities like how to write and record music, while also learning how the business side of the music industry works; it would incorporate the use of flying drones and the applications of how to use them but also how to build them and how they work; it would allow young people to learn how to create videos and content online but also how to monetize and market their creations.
On jobs, I would like to create a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce to open up opportunities for entry level positions with their members that young people will be able to fill so that they can gain experience in workplaces outside of restaurant or retail opportunities.
Careers
What do you believe is the appropriate local investment in post-secondary training, internship and apprenticeship opportunities?
Without a comprehensive budget review, I’m not able to assign a dollar amount to this question. However, if elected Mayor, I do plan on prioritizing job training and workforce development as an integral piece of my overall strategy to lift Memphians out of poverty and provide a path to upward mobility for our young people. I mentioned previously a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce with a focus on white collar job experiences for young people, but I would also look to our unions to satisfy a partnership where they begin accepting pre-apprenticeship opportunities for high school students and increasing apprenticeship opportunities for those out of high school but who prefer to learn a trade than go to college.
Wages
How would you impact wages or working conditions for Memphians, especially young adults?
I believe that if our investments in job training and workforce development are successful that Memphians who have obtained certifications, apprenticeships or degrees will be able to land job opportunities that will pay living wages and more. As for Memphians who are working in historically low wage industries, I would advocate for a $15 minimum wage, paid time off, health insurance and paid child care from employers. I would take a hard look at the city budget to see if there is a way that the city with the help from our state and federal partners could provide some subsidy for paid child care for working Memphians.
Predatory Policies
How would you address companies that take advantage of poor people, for example slumlords and predatory financing companies?
As Mayor, I would work with our city council to create tighter regulations and fines on landlords who are not providing for the needs of their tenants. I would ask for the council to designate rent controls throughout the city limiting the ability for landlords to raise rents to exorbitant levels that price tenants out of housing.
Predatory lending companies that are charging extremely high interest rates and that also draw fees from clients will have to be more closely regulated. I will work with the General Assembly to pass legislation with a similar ordinance to be passed by the city council capping interest rates on payday loans, capping charges for late payment and eliminating fees associated with transactions. This should allow for access to credit for subprime applicants as well as acknowledging that their loan will not be a cycle that keeps them in poverty.
