Metro Ideas Project

06/11/2019

The Metro Ideas Project has weighed in on the conversation surrounding a proposed 34-cent property tax increase to fund public education in Hamilton County.

06/10/2019

NEW: We are really excited to release our School Budget Calculator ahead of the Hamilton County Commission vote. Find out how much the proposed $34 million tax increase will cost your household and even amend the budget to include unfunded items, like school facility maintenance or more art teachers.

Our tax calculator breaks down how changes to the Hamilton County school system would impact your household budget.

07/27/2018

Metro Ideas Project has been working on research around Opportunity Zones since the most recent tax bill was passed. In this report, we've profiled the designated Opportunity Zones in Tennessee.

This guide is designed to help residents, investors, and key community stakeholders guide opportunity funds to projects that will help foster thriving communities. While a high-level overview, this guide can be used to assess the individual strengths and gaps of an opportunity zone relative to the potential investments that opportunity funds may pursue.

Download our report profiling opportunity zones in Tennessee.

07/13/2018

Early voting for state primaries and county offices open today across Tennessee. We've put together a slate of policy recommendations to consider as you approach the ballot box.

Most importantly- get out there and vote! Local elections matter.

Practical ideas and solutions to confront Hamilton County's challenges head on.

07/09/2018

Steal this Platform: Accountability

Hamilton County collects and catalogues compelling data about Chattanooga and surrounding cities. Metro Ideas Project believes this data should be available to the public via an open data platform.

Read more about what other policies we are advocating for here- https://metroideas.org/projects/steal-this-platform-2018/

07/02/2018

Elections for Hamilton County are only one month away. Metro Ideas Project has assembled a platform of ambitious policies to implement including transparency for tax incentive programs, modernized school spending, workforce development. We hope this agenda will spark meaningful dialogue about the direction of our county.

What would you like to see implemented at the county level?

Practical ideas and solutions to confront Hamilton County's challenges head on.

05/30/2018

Here's the photos from Public Assembly 2018! Thanks again to everyone who attended.

Thanks to our speakers, The Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, EPB of Chattanooga, Chattanooga Whiskey, Velo Coffee Roasters, Tiny Giant, Swayyvo, and all who attended! Also thanks to Abigail Grey Photography for these great photos.

05/30/2018

Thanks to our speakers, The Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, EPB of Chattanooga, Chattanooga Whiskey, Velo Coffee Roasters, Tiny Giant, Swayyvo, and all who attended! Also thanks to Abigail Grey Photography for these great photos.

05/22/2018

On May 18th, the approved Opportunity Zone designations for Tennessee were announced by the US Treasury and IRS. This is an exciting tool for spurring development. Check out Hamilton County's designated census tracts here:

Opportunity Zones are a new community development tool established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This new tool is designed to drive long-term capital to low-income communities. The new law provides a federal tax incentive for investors to re-invest their capital gains into Opport...

05/16/2018

Looking for somewhere to get some work down in the morning? Our office is open for community hours Wednesday-Friday from 8am-2pm! We've got coffee, tea, couches, and wifi. Stop by this week!

05/16/2018

Thanks to everyone who came out to Public Assembly 2018! We were blown away by the speakers' breadth of knowledge, and the ideas that have come out of exploring the Urban-Suburban-Rural divide. Keep posted for more photos and video from the event coming soon.