There are 74 article(s) tagged JB Smiley Jr.:

• January 2025

  • MATA has one month of expenses left, then it’s out of cash

    The Young administration could ask the City Council for additional money for MATA, and at least one council member does not like its current approach. 

    By Samuel Hardiman January 13, 2025

• October 2024

  • New MATA board approved as city tries to avoid bus cuts

    Mayor Paul Young told council members in a Tuesday, Oct. 15, committee discussion that the immediate task is to find short-term funding for MATA to avoid a set of bus route cuts and employee layoffs the old MATA board approved that take effect Nov. 3.

    By Bill Dries October 15, 2024

• September 2024

  • State won’t appeal ‘Memphis’ mistake,’ Tenn. attorney general says

    “These ballot questions are a fraud on the voters of Memphis,” General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement his office released about its decision to not challenge a court’s ruling allowing the gun-control referendum to continue.

    By Bill Dries September 20, 2024

• August 2024

  • Memphis v. Tennessee: A Republican majority meets a Democratic one

    How do groups who disagree work together? They go to court, if the lawsuit filed by the City Council against the Election Commission about not including a gun-control referendum on the ballot is any indication.

    By Bill Dries August 31, 2024

  • Local reaction to gun-control threat crosses party lines

    State reps. John Gillespie and Justin J. Pearson were some of the Memphis-area legislators pushing for local gun-control measures on the Nov. 5 ballot after a threat from state Republican leadership.

    By Samuel Hardiman, Bill Dries August 26, 2024

• July 2024

  • MLGW board ballot question clears first City Council votes, still faces opposition

    A new plan for expanding the Memphis Light, Gas and Water board to include two voting suburban seats is still an uphill battle to get on the November ballot.

    By Bill Dries July 10, 2024

• June 2024

  • City Council weighs 55-cent property tax hike with auto registration fee hike

    A budget season compromise emerged Monday, June 24, at City Hall. The council takes votes on that and other possible changes in Mayor Paul Young’s budget proposal during the Tuesday council afternoon session.

    By Bill Dries June 24, 2024

  • No decision yet on whether City Council will campaign for charter amendments, chairman says

    Now that five city charter referendums have moved to the November ballot, the Memphis City Council will probably consider whether it wants to spend city money on a campaign for the set of five proposals.

    By Bill Dries June 11, 2024

• May 2024

  • Alternatives to 75-cent property-tax hike kicked around at town hall

    City Council members talked Thursday, May 16, about at least whittling down the tax hike proposed by Mayor Paul Young, with discussing other revenue sources, during a town hall forum at New Salem Baptist Church in South Memphis.

    By Bill Dries May 17, 2024

  • Council members question proposed tax increase, fee hike

    The hike in the monthly solid-waste fee was passed on the first of three votes by the Memphis City Council. They heard there could be increases in the fee as they also weigh a property-tax hike.

    Related content:

    Shelby County solar-farm regulations issue comes to a close at City Council

    By Bill Dries May 08, 2024

• April 2024

  • Proposed public-safety foundation gets support from Young, Davis

    Mayor Paul Young and Interim Chief C.J. Davis support a Memphis City Council ordinance to create a philanthropic and research foundation that would take private donations and put them toward the city’s public safety efforts.

    By Bill Dries April 09, 2024

• March 2024

  • Comcast outage cripples City Council’s day

    The outage shortened the council’s meeting and hindered its online capabilities, including its Granicus and YouTube feeds and the body’s electronic voting system. Most of the council’s business was delayed to the April 9 meeting.

    Related story:

    City of Memphis internet affected by Comcast outage

    By Bill Dries March 19, 2024

  • City Council takes first step toward closer financial oversight of MLGW

    Council chairman JB Smiley Jr. is proposing lower dollar figures for contracts and pay contracts that must be voted on by the council after they are approved by MLGW’s board.

    Related content: 

    Ursula Madden’s MLGW salary vote punted to next meeting

    By Bill Dries March 06, 2024

• January 2024

  • What MPD Chief Davis’ interim status means

    Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis has gone from reappointment to interim status in a temporary compromise that is new ground in what is normally a smooth confirmation process before the City Council.

    By Bill Dries January 29, 2024

• November 2023

  • City Council rewrites broadband rules, Davis gets ‘aggressive’ on data, more

    JB Smiley is the new council chairman for 2024. And the council approved a $20 million loan to MATA as its federal funding is delaying by short-term funding resolutions in Washington, D.C.

    By Bill Dries November 21, 2023

• October 2023

  • Memphis postpones argument over extending sewer service to the county until February

    The Memphis City Council Tuesday, Oct. 24, postponed an ordinance dealing with the city extending sewer service into unincorporated Shelby County.

    Related stories:

    Comcast clashes with City Council, rival company in broadband discussion

    Crime is up more than 20% from 2022, MPD says

    By Samuel Hardiman October 24, 2023

  • City Council weighs election changes, including partisan primaries

    Council members JB Smiley Jr. and Chase Carlisle want the council to choose either a return of the runoff provision or allowing partisan primary elections. Both referendum ordinances are up Tuesday, Oct. 24, for the second of three readings.

    Related story:

    The runoff rundown

    By Bill Dries October 24, 2023

  • Chase Carlisle says Memphis needs more state money for stadiums

    City council members Chase Carlisle and JB Smiley Jr. on “Behind The Headlines” say they are ready for a more assertive city council in the new term that begins in January as well as a more collaborative mayor.

    By Bill Dries October 21, 2023

• September 2023

  • City Council staff shakeup leaves questions over possible retribution

    A former Memphis City Council staffer said a personal dispute with Councilman JB Smiley Jr. cost him his job.

    By Samuel Hardiman September 12, 2023

• May 2023

  • JB Smiley Jr. mulls run for U.S. Senate

    He would be a heavy underdog in the general election were he to win the Democratic nomination. 

    By Samuel Hardiman May 04, 2023

• April 2023

  • Police reform ordinances reach critical final votes at the Memphis City Council

    Under an amendment, the consolidated police reform ordinance on the Tuesday, April 11, agenda would stand alongside separate ordinances on the same general reforms.

    By Bill Dries April 11, 2023

• January 2023

  • Downtown protesters stand together for change

    The crowd at Handy Park heard Downtown Memphis Commission President Paul Young ask, “the question for our city is: what are we going to next?”

    By The Daily Memphian Staff January 28, 2023

• December 2022

  • Fairgrounds transformation to Liberty Park has more ground to cover

    As Mayor Jim Strickland formally opened the Memphis Sports and Events Center on Saturday, he had a contract on his desk for the commercial mixed-use development along Central Avenue.

    By Bill Dries December 13, 2022

• November 2022

  • City council elects Martavius Jones as official chairman

    Martavius Jones has been acting chairman of the body since Jamita Swearengen gave up her council seat in August. Council member JB Smiley Jr. remains council vice chairman.

    By Bill Dries November 16, 2022

• October 2022

  • Compromise on MLGW leadership fails in City Council vote

    Council member JB Smiley Jr. proposed that Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland appoint his pick, Doug McGowen, as interim leader of MLGW while a national search is conducted.

    Related story:

    City Council sends curfew enforcement proposal goes back to committee

    By Bill Dries October 19, 2022