Each year, mayors across the country prepare to give a very meaningful speech: The State of the City. This is a time for local leaders to communicate about the health, stability and future of their communities. This year, however, mayors are making dramatic changes due to the impact of COVID-19, including postponing or altogether canceling
In advance of our annual State of the Cities report, which will be released later this year, this blog series captures speeches given by mayors in 2018 and shares their sentiments around the fiscal responsibility of their cities and the retirement needs of their workforces. Amid decelerating property, sales and income tax revenue growth, mayors
Every year, mayors from cities of all sizes share their visions for the upcoming year in their state of the city speeches. NLC has analyzed trends in these speeches for the last five years, and it should surprise no one that economic development has remained the most popular topic. But this year, the subtopic of
In his early February state of the city address, Mayor Steve Schewel of Durham, North Carolina, was blunt with his constituents: “Here is a hard truth we must face: Despite our best efforts, Durham will not reach its true greatness while our state government weakens environmental protections, drops teacher pay to the bottom of the
In advance of our annual State of the Cities report, which will be released later this year, this blog series captures speeches given by mayors in 2017. This blog is part two of a four-part series focused on mayoral dialogues and sentiments around the fiscal responsibility of the city and the retirement needs of the
This is the last post in a seven-part series about US mayors’ 2012 State of the City speeches. Ten years ago, if you looked far and wide, you may have heard the word “sustainability” in one- possibly two- mayors’ State of the City addresses. Five years ago, a few more mayors, especially those with a
This is the sixth in a seven-part series about mayors’ 2012 State of the City Speeches. As the rest of America waits for the Federal Government to get its act together and pass a comprehensive transportation bill, cities across the country are recognizing the opportunities that continued infrastructure improvements are having in their cities. Leslie
This is the sixth in a seven-part series about mayors’ 2011 State of the City speeches. Mayor John Monaco of Mesquite, Texas quoted late President Ronald Reagan in his 2011 State of the City speech when he said, “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job…a depression is when you lose yours.” While neighboring
This is the second in a seven-part series about mayors’ 2011 State of the City speeches. In a nation where fiscal responsibility is in the spotlight, and groups are grappling for funding, the “State of the City” addresses we read clearly show that city governments are in search of ways to balance their budgets. Unfortunately,
This is the first in a seven-part series about mayors’ 2011 State of the City speeches. From our office in Washington, D.C., NLC staff address local issues on behalf of city leaders from across the country. We think we know where city leaders’ heads are, but how do they actually view their cities’ progress? And
