Author: Smart City Memphis

Previously published in Memphis magazine’s City Journal column:Finally, Shelby County has the chance to have a “strong mayor” form of government.Through sheer force of personality, county mayors have created...

We live in a political time when legal traditions are regularly ignored in pursuit of political agendas, and each time, our system of government is diminished by it. That’s why we hope the Shelby County Board of Commissioners...

With 25-34 year-olds 30 percent more likely than other Americans to live in central cities, there’s a big opportunity for cities to capture new people and new money. But what happens when these young adults begin to couple...

While Memphis has never been categorized as an older industrial city, we’ve always thought that it had similarities – challenges, grittiness and demographics – that give us more in common with these cities than Sunbelt cities.We...

A few months ago, Melissa Anderson Sweazy emailed us with an interesting idea, which gave birth to the weekly “suggestion box” feature that we’ve added to our blog. It’s the weekly discussion topic and...

The great thing about our digital age is that we are able to create a community of interesting people who share our passions for new thinking and debate. We’ve been reminded of it this week with some emails from some citizens of...

We don’t find many occasions when we agree with Tennessee Representative Brian Kelsey.On his worse days, he comes across as an inveterate publicity hound, and on his best days, he comes across as youthfully doctrinaire. But in...

One of the best things about going to college is that we’re asked questions that lead us to see life in new ways and to ask our own provocative questions so we can make the best possible choices for ourselves.But, while these...

To help out the American Planning Association’s Great Places in America campaign to find America’s 10 great streets and 10 great neighborhoods, we are looking for the best of Memphis.Here’s what you suggested, so...

This week, we’re trying to help out the American Planning Association’s Great Places in America campaign to find America’s 10 great streets and 10 great neighborhoods. That’s why we’re asking...