In many cities, mayors give State of the City speeches—along the lines of the State of the Union address—to outline their priorities and vision for the future. These speeches help residents connect with the local government and hear about what is happening in their community.
In 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed to “stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors,” reopen libraries, make buses fast and free, and freeze the rent for regulated apartments. Hundreds of people cheered in support.
Cities are reviving blighted neighborhoods through a variety of means, including revitalizing and demolishing vacant properties. In 2018, and again in 2019, mayors spoke at length about the plight of these neighborhoods, with 26 percent of these speeches featuring significant coverage on blight and elimination.
More mayors are addressing issues affecting education. They have pledged to increase high school graduation rates and to address barriers that can impede student success, such as childhood trauma and chronic absenteeism. In 2019, 20 percent of these speeches addressed educational issues.
In some cities, the mayor is a ceremonial figurehead elected by direct universal suffrage in elections held every six years. In other cities, the mayor is a substantive position with a broad range of executive powers, similar to a governor or prime minister. The term mayor shares a linguistic history with the military rank of major, derived from French majeur, and Latin maior, meaning “bigger.” In the United States, the most common form of the municipal executive is that of the city manager (sometimes called the council president or town supervisor)—a position that has a long tradition in American local government.