New Menino Survey of Mayors, Supported By Citi and The Rockefeller Foundation Reveals Top Issues for Mayors
Mayors nationwide, from cities large and small, agree that housing availability and affordability are their most pressing concerns and the top reasons why people are moving away from their cities. In addition, they are deeply concerned by the consequences of climate change and agree that cities should play a strong role in mitigating its negative effects. And at a time when cutbacks in federal and state funding threaten to adversely impact infrastructure and education, mayors are willing to advocate for increased state and local taxes to close the budgetary gaps and enhance the quality of life for their constituents.
These are the key findings of the 2017 Menino Survey of Mayors released today by the Boston University Initiative on Cities. The annual survey, supported by Citi Community Development and The Rockefeller Foundation, details the most pressing needs and policy priorities of America’s mayors. 115 mayors from 39 states were interviewed throughout the summer of 2017, providing a representative sample of mayors and cities nationally.
“Today, the majority of Americans live in cities – and as our urban population continues to increase, so too does the demand for infrastructure and services,” wrote Mayor Betsy Price of Fort Worth, Texas and Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, California in the 2017 Menino Survey Foreword. “This survey serves as a platform to share our contemporary struggles and our sources of inspiration with a national audience. It gives mayors a voice to make our needs heard and highlights the importance we place on the physical, fiscal, and social infrastructure of our cities.”
The survey was released at the National Press Club on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, with a presentation of key findings and a moderated discussion with Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, KY...