Austin, Texas, is one of America's fastest-growing cities. Managing that growth is the job of Will Wynn, the city's mayor. Now in his third year, Mayor Wynn brings his experience as a developer of historic properties and his degree in environmental design to the task of balancing the city's quality of life with its growth demands. To protect the city's air quality - and air quality of cities across America - he has started Plug-In Partners to encourage automakers to make hybrid electric cars. Mayor Wynn is our guest this week on Smart City.

Brian Fabes heads Chicago's Civic Consulting Alliance. The organization works to improve local government by bringing the city's best consultants together to provide management advice free to the city's agencies. He's saved the city of Chicago a billion dollars and counting, and we'll find out how when we talk to Brian Fabes this week.

Plus, Steve Goldsmith and Hank Helton will tell us how Nashville is solving the affordable housing problem cities everywhere are wrestling with.

We're asking the "good questions" here on Smart City.