His concern for the mentally ill in the criminal justice system resulted in the Jericho Initiative, which became a national model program.

His reforms attracted the attention of the United States Congress, where he was called to testify before the House Committee on Education, with many of his subsequent recommendations being incorporated as changes to public policy.

Based on unofficial returns, Wharton won election with 60 percent of the vote in a field of 25 candidates.

[16] In September 2013, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report recognized Memphis as a paradigm for a government focused on job creation, crime reduction, and economic growth.

[17] The Chamber cited development strategies created by Wharton's "Innovation Delivery Team" in praising Memphis.

Wharton has been criticized for awarding contracts to his friends,[18] underfunding Memphis City Schools,[19] underfunding the Memphis Police Department[20] and for cutting services for young people and the elderly,[21] while offering incentive packages to corporate interests.

[23] By 2013, four years into Wharton's tenure as mayor, Memphis no longer appeared on that Forbes list of miserable cities in any rank.

[25] Under Wharton's budget, all current city employees and retirees (under the age of 65) (including Police and Fire) would have to pay 24% in increased health insurance premiums.

[26] On October 8, 2015, A C Wharton lost his re-election campaign for a second term as Memphis Mayor and conceded to Jim Strickland, former city councilman.

In 2010, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation filed a joint federal lawsuit against the city administration for violating the Clean Water Act and the state Water Quality Control Act.