by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | October 13th, 2011 12:53am CST | 19 Comments
It’s a tale of two cities, and only a short drive is needed to come face-to-face with the telling. In Nashville, the drive takes you to Williamson County, the 11th wealthiest county in the U.S., with a median family income that’s a staggering $95,470. Four nearby counties shatter the $55,000 mark. Outside of Fulton County, [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Economic Development, Neighborhoods, Regionalism | September 23rd, 2011 12:05am CST | Comments Off
About 50% of the metro population lives in Memphis, dwarfed only by San Antonio’s 62%. The population density of Los Angeles, is four times more than Memphis – 8,092 people per square mile compared to 2,053. The density of the L.A. MSA is 10 times greater than the Memphis MSA. The cost of transportation and [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | February 22nd, 2011 12:41am CST | 38 Comments
The reason we are so exorcised about I-269 and other sprawl-inducing highway projects are because they deepen the economic segregation that holds back Memphis’ progress. Memphis is #1 in economic segregation among the largest 50 metros in the U.S. Here’s the kicker: sprawl is a major cause of economic isolation, and economic isolation in turn [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | November 4th, 2010 12:11am CST | 28 Comments
More and more, regionalism is a distraction from the things that really matter for cities. That’s certainly the case in Memphis, and it’s why we’re swearing off any regional plans and programs until it’s proven clearly that there’s something in them for Memphis, because it’s been shown that regional economic development plans do little to [...]
by John Lawrence (RSS) Regionalism | February 18th, 2010 12:04am CST | 14 Comments
Planning in the Memphis area is being done, in some cases at a high level and by everyone. Chambers, governments and community groups. Mayors, business leaders and developers. Everyone has a plan for something. But what is guiding these plans to ensure they are complementary? Who is coordinating efforts to ensure they don’t conflict? Aerotropolis [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | November 23rd, 2009 6:45pm CST | 6 Comments
Regionalism is all the rage. The Obama Administration is betting big on regional planning as a way to make smarter decisions on transportation, climate, the economy—all those things that don’t respect political boundaries. The Administration plans to reward communities that work together across jurisdictions toward common goals and, by implication, punish those that do not. [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | October 4th, 2009 11:50pm CST | 3 Comments
This may surprise you but we’ve got to say it: we’re tired of hearing about the paramount importance of regions and how regionalism is the road to a successful future for Memphis. And we admit that we were some of the earliest people who talked about regionalism and the need for every one in the [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | July 16th, 2009 10:48pm CST | Comments Off
Kip Bergstrom, former executive director of the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council and now head of Stamford, Connecticut, Urban Redevelopment Commission, is one of the smartest people we know, and always bears listening to. But his words resonate especially in today’s politically charged environment. “Leadership is about telling stories,” he said. We were reminded of [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Regionalism | February 15th, 2009 10:42pm CST | Comments Off
It’s a tale of two cities, and only a short drive is needed to come face-to-face with the telling. In Nashville, the drive takes you to Williamson County, the 11th wealthiest county in the U.S., with a median family income that’s a staggering $95,470. Four nearby counties shatter the $55,000 mark. Outside of Fulton County, [...]
by Smart City Memphis (RSS) Economic Development, Regionalism, Taxation | February 4th, 2009 1:18am CST | Comments Off
Now that the chief administrative officers have fired off letters claiming that the other one’s government owes his government money, let’s hope they now schedule a time to get in the same room and talk seriously about the tax equity issues that bedevil Memphis taxpayers. In fact, it’s been a good week to remember that [...]
by Bill Day. Memphian Bill Day is two-time winner of the RFK Journalism Award in Cartooning. His cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons. Cartoons Archive →
Photograph by Amie Vanderford
Memphian Amie Vanderford is a photographer for peace and justice. Her portfolio includes photographs from Peru, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Indian, and her hometown.
