Thursday, October 23, 2008

A progressive city: Memphis unveils brave, new crime-fighting plan; what is Nashville doing?

Memphis and Shelby County representatives continue to show themselves to be progressive leaders, this time with a 14-point crime-fighting plan promoting early intervention and making the case to the people of higher costs of incarceration versus programs before offenses are committed.

The crime-fighting plan is just the next in several moves being made the past several months in Memphis to bring leaders together in a common, progressive vision.

Its schools are NOT under No Child Left Behind penalties for failure to fairly edcuate all children. Schools also under the leadership of an educator, not chamber of commerce officials. Elected representatives there are preparing a new school funding plan to be approved by the General Assembly to get around last-minute budget funding cuts and cutbacks that interfere with educators' critical plans in the classroom.

Leaders there are moving toward the consolidation of county and city government into a single entity. That saves taxpayer money and critical programs, particularly those for education. Nashville is facing a $1 million shortfall in school funding for the ongoing fiscal year.

If Nashville wants to see a way out of its growing problems, it should look west to Memphis for direction.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/oct/22/memphis-area-get-15-million-new-funding-fight-crim/

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