Can Strong Mayors Empower Weak Cities? On the Power of Local Executives in a Federal System

Abstract

A B STR ACT. This Essay considers the historic weakness of the American mayoralty and recent reform efforts designed to strengthen it. The mayoralty's weakness has two grounds. First, the office's lack of power is a product of elite skepticism of urban democracy. That skepticism manifested itself in Progressive Era reforms that almost entirely eliminated the mayor's office in favor of a city council and professional city manager; the mayoralty continues to be a ceremonial office in most small-and medium-sized cities. Second, the mayoralty's weakness is a result of a federal system that devalues city-and, by extension, mayoral power. American-style federalism privileges regional governments rather than local ones; states, not cities, are the salient sites for constitutionally protected "local" governance. This structural fact has political consequences. The city's limited capacity to make effective policy reinforces the parochialism of its leaders; their parochialism, in turn, reinforces the city's subordinate status. The challenge for urban reformers is to alter this "constitutional" weakness of the mayoralty. I argue that the strong mayoralty is a potential instrument for democratic self-government to the extent that it is able to amass power on behalf of the city.

Gender, Political Rhetoric, and Moral Metaphors in State of the City Addresses

“…The rhetoric and content of speeches is particularly important for local leaders, including mayors. Americans believe mayors are central political leaders (Berman and Merrill 1976; Gerston 2010) and represent the “most accessible” of executives in the American system: Urban voters want mayors to provide leadership and to give a voice to underrepresented interests in the city (Schragger 2006). Yet, urban residents pay very little attention to the actual policy making by mayors.…”

Lost in America: Evidence on Local Sales Taxes from National Panel Data

“…(10) In an article mainly about Mayors, Schragger (2006) has some useful discussion about the powers and authorities of municipalities vis-à-vis states. For example, on page 2556:…”

“…For legal discussion of Dillon's Rule and the authority of local governments more generally, please seeCohn (1957),Schragger (2001), andSchragger (2006).…”

Strengthening Local Government Leadership and Performance: Reexamining and Updating the Winter Commission Goals

“…Mayors in large cities are likely to use different styles of leadership depending on form—more power based or more facilitative—but effective leaders share some important characteristics. They can be strong democratic leaders (Schragger 2005). To do so, they must be visionaries, they must be open to the ideas of others and to evidence, they must build partnerships, and they must be able to connect with their constituents.…”