Melvin Burgess
for Shelby County Mayor
BOLD LEADERSHIP
Melvin Burgess is a lifelong public servant who has forged a storied career serving Memphis and Shelby County. As Shelby County's Assessor of Property, Melvin Burgess enjoys the confidence of the county's electorate, evidenced by receiving the highest number of votes in any partisan contested county-wide race in 2022.
CONSISTENT VALUES
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2021 Tennessee Assessor of the Year (1 st African American to receive this
honor) -
Leader in equitable public sector budget and financing
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Eliminated the largest property valuation appeals backlog in state history
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Streamlined assessment review and simplified appeals case interactions to
benefit property owners -
Former Chief Internal Auditor, Memphis/Shelby County Schools
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Spearheaded initiative to rebuild community infrastructure, raise homeowner and
business equity, and enhance livability in Orange Mound, TN -
Founder—Shelby County Appraisal Institute (a regional assessment training
center for public-sector appraisers) -
Served two terms on Shelby County Board of Commissioners.
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Former Shelby County Board Chairman
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Founded Shelby County Commission’s Audit Committee
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Presided over the first Democratic-led property tax cut in the Commission’s history
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Spearheaded the public partnership of the private Crosstown Concourse
Redevelopment
ESTABLISHED TRUST
Experience Matters
Melvin Burgess’ impact on our community cannot be understated. As Assessor of Property,
Melvin Burgess reimagined more responsive constituent service and neighborhood
advocacy in Shelby County. Melvin Burgess expanded the Office’s presence in
communities and renovated facilities for more accessibility to constituents. Melvin
Burgess’ International Association of Assessing Officers certified Shelby County
Appraisal Institute is preparing the next generation of diverse, certified
Appraisers—more women and more people of color than ever. Through the
Assessor’s “Career Ladder” staffing model, Melvin Burgess is expanding
apprenticeships, internships, fellowships and creating lifelong career skills.
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Melvin Burgess’ policy reforms have yielded to property owners in ways that
benefit people. He pushed for changes to appraisal cycles whereby property owners
saw smaller valuation changes to their property. He helped local governments budget
better without defaulting to tax increases. And he successfully lobbied state
government to provide small locally-owned businesses support and streamlined
disaster relief for affected property owners.
Melvin Burgess tackled declining inner-city values, the appraisal gap and
appraisal bias in the first African American single-family residential subdivision in
America. As a result, his initiative saw the first property values increase in the area in
20 years. Out of this was born the first Neighborhood Development Corporation in
West Tennessee.
Additionally, in his elected life Melvin Burgess stood against the removal of
federal oversight from our juvenile and adult detention centers, for reformed and
enhanced minority contracting, to support community and neighborhood organizations,
and the civil rights of women, youth, and other marginalized groups.
Throughout his career in public service, Melvin Burgess represents You.
Melvin Burgess is a native of Memphis, TN and product of Memphis City
Schools. He holds an accounting degree from Grambling State University. He is a
member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the Delta Boule Chapter of Sigma Pi
Phi. He holds countless awards and honors and have served our community for over 4
decades. He has long invested in grassroots neighborhood efforts and built a home
with his wife Sandra in the then-emerging Evergreen Historic District of Midtown.
Having raised two daughters there, he is proud to continue the legacy of his father,
former Memphis Police Director Melvin Burgess, of valuing community and cherishing
his neighborhood as more than just a geographical place by serving one neighbor at a
time.