Data Points: Poverty Rates for Memphis ZIP Codes
The indispensable Memphis Poverty Fact 2025 features a wealth of data that are equal parts...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 13, 2025 | Data Points, Poverty
The indispensable Memphis Poverty Fact 2025 features a wealth of data that are equal parts...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 10, 2025 | Criminal Justice, Shelby County government
Frankie Dakin said it perfectly in a recent Facebook post: Shelby County Jail is now a human...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 4, 2025 | Data Points, Economic Development, Poverty
The singular failure of economic development plans in Memphis is their inability to reduce the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 30, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Downtown Revitalization, Federal Government, Memphis History, Parks and Greening
Grit and grind began as a slogan that aptly defined the Memphis Grizzlies’ identity during the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 27, 2025 | Books, Leadership
Memphian Lauren Ready’s book, Ask Like A Leader, is a treatise for our times. With the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 23, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Federal Government
On May 12, this blog warned of the rippling impact of federal cuts in three areas – nonprofit...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 20, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Federal Government
LA Photo: Only bad guys wear masks. The National Guard members who appear to be wandering...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 16, 2025 | Arts and Culture, Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Tourism
Leave This Blank:Leave This Blank Too:Do Not Change This:Your email: BVO, aka Baron Von...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 13, 2025 | Economic Development
The top economic development opportunity for Shelby County is arguably one that gets little...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 9, 2025 | Arts and Culture, City of Memphis Government, Parks and Greening
Memphian Carol Coletta, Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow at Bloomberg Center for Public...
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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 →
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, City Journal columnist at Memphis magazine, author of two books and a museum exhibition, and consultant on public policy and strategic planning. He has written articles for MLK50, The Commercial Appeal, and USA Today. The blog was called one of the most intriguing blogs in the U.S. by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal said it “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 solve 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.