US mayors unveil new figures on economic growth

New research highlighting the growing economic revival of cities in America has been published to coincide with the US Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

According to a new economic report released by the USCM, 371 of the nation’s 381 metropolitan areas are experiencing real economic growth. More than three quarters of metropolitan areas are projected to achieve economic growth above 2 percent. The report also states that in 2014 cities were home to 90.7 percent of real GDP, 91 percent of wage income and 87.5 percent of jobs.

Unveiling the research, Kevin Johnson, outgoing USCM President and Mayor of Sacramento, California, said: “Cities are driving the recovery in this country, creating jobs and growing the economy. Cities are coming back from the recession in a major way.”

He added: “This recovery continues because of the economic strength of our cities because mayors understand better than many elected official at any level that our competition for investment is global, not just local. Cities in metro areas are the ones who get our country moving forward in a real way and it’s why mayors have been supportive of the recent trade legislation trying to make its way through Washington.”

Nine of the world’s 40th highest producing economies are US metropolitan areas. But the report also forecast that 130 metros (34 percent) will enter 2017 with fewer jobs than they supported almost a decade ago.

Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director, said: “The conference continues to push Congress to support key investments in infrastructure, workforce training and community development to ensure that all cities participate in the recovery.”

He told Cities Today: “We’re in ground zero for Silicon Valley and we’re doing more innovations than in the past. We’re now looking at cities without taxis with Uber, cities without hotel, bikes we never had before and new forms of entrepreneurship in the digital age with Google and Lyft. There’s a whole new way for the millennial dweller that we’re exploring.”

The USCM Annual Meeting comprises speakers and panel discussions covering transport, trade, sustainability, environment and social issues. Cities which have received monetary awards at the meeting include Boston, Massachusetts, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

However Joseph Riley, Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, since 1975 who has won re-election ten times, was not present to receive the USCM Award for Distinguished Public Service following the gun massacre in Charleston earlier this week at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church that claimed the lives of nine church members. Johnson said: “Joseph Riley would say,’The show must go on.'”

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, incoming USCM President and Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, who managed the aftermath of the riots last April that erupted in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, said: “At a time where cities call on leaders the most, the USCM stands head and shoulders above so many others because of our advocacy for leading, and not just talking, in America.

“There are so many issues facing our country right now that require mayors to be on the frontlines every day…the USCM develops and implements a common sense agenda to address the major issues that face our cities such as job creation and healing the divide between the community and the police.”

Baltimore was additionally a Large City Winner at the USCM Conference’s 2015 CommunityWINS grant program funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation. US$300,000 was awarded to Civic Works, Inc. for its work with Growing Green Tracks Team, which has sought to improve train passengers’ experience along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

Johnson said of Rawlings-Blake’s response to the Baltimore riots: “She handled an incredibly difficult situation very deftly and I want to commend her for her leadership.”

On a lighter note, Johnson said of the bipartisan organisation’s annual meeting list of keynote speakers that includes President Barack Obama, Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley and Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the US House of Representatives, “We invited the Republicans but we couldn’t quite get them here.” Mick Cornett, Republican Mayor of Oklahoma City and Second Vice President of USCM, interrupted him to joke: “I don’t think the hotel is big enough!”