Author: Smart City Memphis
Katrina Blows In New Brand Of Civic Activism in New Orleans
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 27, 2005 | Uncategorized
Linda, a 64-year-old teacher, is hardly the stereotype of a civic reformer. But the winds of Hurricane Katrina that swept away so much of New Orleans also swept away the lethargy that has for so long been a fundamental part of...
Read MoreChina and Elvis — At Home In The Memphis Airport
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 22, 2005 | Uncategorized
From Salon comes this positive post about Memphis International Airport:The FedEx/Northwest Airlines hub makes it easy to be a tourist from Asia. by Andrew LeonardDec. 19, 2005 | Concourse B of the Memphis International Airport...
Read MoreNew Orleans Fights For Its Life
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 21, 2005 | Uncategorized
It’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon a few days before Christmas and the line of customers waiting to order po-boys at Domilise’s is winding out the front door. One of those ramshackle New Orleans po-boy joints that are...
Read MoreTrends Call For Long-Term Tax Solutions
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 19, 2005 | Uncategorized
The more that you scratch the surface, the clearer it seems that an adequate facilities tax or impact fee is not the answer to Shelby County Government’s financial woes. The real answer seems to lie in a tax proposal that works...
Read MoreSigns Of The Times, Hopefully
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 16, 2005 | Uncategorized
You’ll never find this in the annual reports of the Center City Commission or the Riverfront Development Corporation, but in our book, one of their most noteworthy achievements is their construction signs. They’re the first...
Read MoreThe Bartlett Christmas Drama Fits Into A National Context
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 15, 2005 | Uncategorized
The controversy about the nativity display at the Bartlett Library is beginning to look as orchestrated as “The Singing Christmas Tree.” More and more, it appears to be a three-act play co-written by Broadmoor Baptist Church and...
Read MoreDead Man Walking (And Voting)
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 14, 2005 | Uncategorized
On the surface, it looks like a battle between Ophelia Ford and Terry Roland. In truth, it’s a battle about the credibility of the Shelby County Election Commission.The Senate hearing on the complaint filed by Roland is the sort...
Read MoreRiverfront Blog Posts Evoke Thoughtful Reply
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 13, 2005 | Uncategorized
We receive regular responses to our blog posts from a reader who always contributes to the quality of the discussion, as proven by this post to the commentary about the riverfront. We pull it from its buried position to give it...
Read MoreStudies Offer Reality Check On Memphis’ Urban Core
Posted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 12, 2005 | Uncategorized
If Memphis is anything, it is ever a tale of two cities, as we were reminded from three recent studies on the core city. The reports – one by the Brookings Institution and the other two by the U. S. Economic Development...
Read MoreLatest Bill Day Cartoon

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 →
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About Smart City Memphis
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 at Memphis magazine, author of two books and a museum exhibition, and consultant on public policy and strategic planning. 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: “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.