Memphis Bicentennial Moments: Native Americans and Fort After Fort
In observance of the Memphis Bicentennial in May, 2019, we will feature regular posts about Memphis as it moved toward its founding and the slow...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 26, 2018 | City of Memphis Government
In observance of the Memphis Bicentennial in May, 2019, we will feature regular posts about Memphis as it moved toward its founding and the slow...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 24, 2018 | Economic Development
In Monday’s blog post, Now What? Life After Amazon’s Rejection, we wrote: “But if you’re looking for a theme for the finalists, it is quality. Where the Memphis metro decided...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 22, 2018 | Economic Development
So, can we now turn lemons into lemonade in the wake of the Amazon announcement that our community didn’t make the company’s Top 20 list? The odds were always...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 18, 2018 | City of Memphis Government, Education
It’s impossible to criticize Memphis City Council’s support for pre-K for every child, and the collaboration between Patrice Robinson and...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 15, 2018 | City of Memphis Government, Parks and Greening
There are three proposals for zoo parking in Overton Park and we need a fourth, because all three of the officially submitted proposals are fatally flawed – they all unnecessarily devour three acres of parkland. There’s little...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 12, 2018 | Trends and Issues
Point2 Homes recently looked at the 50 most populous cities in North America to determine the affordability ratio for each. Based on the numbers, Memphis is...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
Memphis magazine managing editor Frank Murtaugh suggested a few days ago that while our attention is focused on statues, we should...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 8, 2018 | Criminal Justice, Poverty
We take the proponents for a Juvenile Assessment Center at their word: nothing final has been decided and they are open to suggestions. Based on that, it seems a good time, with a new...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 6, 2018 | Uncategorized
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Jan 4, 2018 | Economic Development
Following up our Data Points post from last week – Memphis Metro’s GDP Lags – economist David Ciscel posted data in the post’s comment. However, the data were garbled so we are posting...
Read More
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.