Hopefully, County Commissioners Are Serious About PILOT Answers
Thumbnail: City and county elected officials have for years ignored the impact of excessive PILOTs...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 14, 2020 | Uncategorized
Thumbnail: City and county elected officials have for years ignored the impact of excessive PILOTs...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 11, 2020 | City of Memphis Government, Poverty, Shelby County government, Taxation
EDGE Tax Subsidies For Apartment Developers: The following data are from MLK50.com articles about...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 9, 2020 | City of Memphis Government, Economic Development, Neighborhoods, Shelby County government
Thumbnail: Memphis is blessed to have passionate, committee leaders fighting for the future of their neighborhoods like Quincey Morris of Klondike/Smokey City. She speaks truth to power, she stands resolutely for neighborhoods, and she represents the kind of leadership found throughout Memphis.
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 7, 2020 | City of Memphis Government, Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Poverty
Thumbnail: It’s not like we haven’t been warned about the racial disparity in income, thje poverty, the economic segregation, etc. This blog post from 15 years ago also suggests that we shouldn’t allow our enthusiasm about downtown’s progress to obscure the sluggish economic growth that continues to be a drag on our trajectory. It also suggests that our rhetoric regularly outstrips our actions to improve things, or we wouldn’t still be talking about the need to address some of these issues today.
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 4, 2020 | Data Points
All data are for Memphis: Racial Breakdown of Memphis Population: In 1980: 47% African American...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Dec 2, 2020 | Civil Rights
Thumbnail: The always perceptive Joe Cortright of the City Observatory think tank pointed out that the car insurance rate paid by bad or aggressive drivers is less that what is paid by people living in an African American neighborhood. It’s why states should ban insurance rates being based on things like zip codes rather than on individual driving records.
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 30, 2020 | Leadership, Poverty
Thumbnail: One of the milestones in the age of Memphis momentum has been the entry of the Kresge Foundation into Memphis. Since 2013, it has provided funding of more than $23 million for nonprofit organizations working to create a culture of opportunity.
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 23, 2020 | Data Points
Thumbnail: Shelby County continues to have a net loss of population but people moving here from abroad keep the gap close between those moving in and moving out. Predictions are that Shelby County’s population is likely to grow 1% and Memphis’ is to decrease 1%, one of three lowest in the ranking of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 20, 2020 | Economic Development, Leadership
In 1986, minority business development was an afterthought – if thought of at all. That would all...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Nov 18, 2020 | Leadership, Planning and Urban Design
There are some deaths that are nothing less than a punch in the gut. Heartbreaking, defying...
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, 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.