Fake Outrage About Election Integrity Failed to Deliver
Well, now what? The voter ID gambit didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to in Shelby County with Democrats winning reelection to countywide offices. One thing’s for...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Aug 13, 2012 | Politics and Government, Tennessee Legislature
Well, now what? The voter ID gambit didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to in Shelby County with Democrats winning reelection to countywide offices. One thing’s for...
Read MorePosted by SCM | Aug 10, 2012 | Uncategorized
From bcg.perspectives: Move aside, U.S. baby boomers. The Millennial generation is bigger than you and growing in influence. (See Exhibit 1.) Now numbering 79 million (compared with the boomers’ 76 million), U.S....
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Aug 10, 2012 | City of Memphis Government, Shelby County government, Taxation
Memphis City Council rarely gets any respect, but it has produced the most significant public policy improvement in decades. It’s done it by shifting regional services...
Read MorePosted by SCM | Aug 9, 2012 | Parks and Greening
From Sustainable Cities Collective: “Parks are a part of our healthcare system,” said Dr. Daphne Miller, a professor of family and community medicine, University of California, San Francisco, at the Greater & Greener:...
Read MorePosted by SCM | Aug 8, 2012 | Transportation
From Governing: The typical Los Angeles area commuter with an hour round trip spends a combined 20 minutes delayed or sitting idle during Thursday rush-hour traffic, but only about 14 minutes on Mondays. In Chicago, congestion...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Aug 8, 2012 | Education
Pre-K Matters It’s a simple statement of fact, backed by the findings by hundreds of researchers over many years and the experiences of tens of thousands of educators. Pre-K Matters. They are two words that should be at the top...
Read MorePosted by SCM | Aug 7, 2012 | Economic Development
From Atlantic Cities: Major summer music festivals — like this past weekend’s Lollapalooza in Chicago, as well as Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee; Coachella near Palm Springs, California; Summerfest in Milwaukee; and the...
Read MorePosted by SCM | Aug 6, 2012 | Livability, Parks and Greening
From Natural Resources Defense Council: I am lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with many large, mature trees. Our bit of urban forest is one of our community’s greatest assets, if you ask me. But, loved though they are,...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Aug 6, 2012 | Civil Rights, Education
It seemed somehow fitting that the landslide school referenda in Shelby County towns and Chick-fil-A appreciation day happened in a 24-hour news cycle. They both...
Read MoreFrom Huffington Post: The high rate of teachers cycling in and out of schools is detrimental to the education profession and worse for students, decades of policy and research asserts. But a new report from an influential...
Read Moreby 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 →
Since 2005, this has been Smart City Consulting’s blog with the aim of connecting the dots and providing perspective on issues and policies shaping Memphis. Editor and primary author is Tom Jones, columnist, author of two books, and consultant on public policy. Smart City Memphis was called one of the most intriguing blogs in the U.S. by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal wrote that “Smart City Memphis provides some of the most well-thought-out thinking about Memphis’ past, present, and future you’ll find anywhere,” and the Memphis Flyer said: “This incredibly well-written blog sets out to solves the city’s ills – from the mayor to MATA – with out-of-the-box thinking, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ideas. If you have questions, submissions, or ideas for posts, please email Tom Jones, at tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.