Got A “Memphis As You Know It” Submission?
In the wake of our recent post, Memphis: All Things Are Possible, we were asked how we’d describe the city as we know it. The following is what we wrote, but that...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 27, 2015 | Trends and Issues
In the wake of our recent post, Memphis: All Things Are Possible, we were asked how we’d describe the city as we know it. The following is what we wrote, but that...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 23, 2015 | City of Memphis Government, Downtown Revitalization, Shelby County government
It’s difficult, taking into account the shapeshifting that now transforms the Memphis persona for about half of each year, to remember how improbable it looked in 2001 that the Grizzlies would ever come here. There was the push...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 21, 2015 | Uncategorized
Kevin Woods wears two hats, but regardless of which one he’s wearing, the importance of early childhood development is never lost on him. He’s executive director of the Workforce Investment Network (WIN) and Vice-Chairman of the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 17, 2015 | Downtown Revitalization, Livability, Parks and Greening
Now that we are intent on burying one racist artifact by sending Nathan Bedford Forrest back to the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 15, 2015 | Downtown Revitalization, Transportation
If the Tennessee Department of Transportation had set out to intentionally fumble the process for construction of the $60 million I-55/Crump Boulevard interchange project, it could not have done it any better. TDOT says that...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 13, 2015 | Civil Rights, Politics and Government, Trends and Issues
Often, in the midst of the diatribes by opponents of the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, it is difficult to remember that the (Protestant) Bible has 31,173 verses and 807,361 words. After all, opponents to equal...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
Our May 27 blog post, Memphis: All Things Are Possible was the most read post in the 10-year history of Smart City Memphis. It began this way: For about 15...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 8, 2015 | City of Memphis Government, Economic Development, Taxation
It seems like both sides in the controversy about possible appeals by City of Memphis of 200 commercial property tax assessments find themselves with less than winning...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 6, 2015 | Arts and Culture, City of Memphis Government, Economic Development
It is hard to think of a better fulfillment of the “Heart of the Arts” vision for Overton Square than the addition of Ballet Memphis’ new headquarters on the site of the decrepit French Quarter Inn at 2144 Madison Avenue. No...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Jul 2, 2015 | Poverty
A large number of Americans do not have or use traditional mainstream financial products like checking or savings accounts. In many cities, such as Los Angeles, almost every family has a checking or savings account, but...
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, 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.