City Mayors: Mayors running the world's cities

Cities are shaping today's social, cultural, economic and technological agendas. They compete, learn from each other and act together

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Brazil’s city minister resigns
over corruption allegations
News (Brazil): Brazil’s Minister of Cities resigned yesterday amid allegations of corruption. Mario Negromonte, who held the office since Dilma Rousseff succeeded Lula da Silva as president, is a member of the Progressive Party, which is allied to the country’s ruling Workers’ Party. Negromonte is accused of awarding public work contracts to companies that had financed his party. In a statement he denied all accusations. More

Decline of segregation has not led
to a more equal society in the US
News (USA): Segregation of African Americans in US urban neighbourhoods has declined to its lowest level for more than a century, says a report published this week by the Manhattan Institute. The study’s authors wrote that the most standard segregation measure showed that American cities were now more integrated than they had been since 1910. But the decline in physical segregation has not led to a more equal society. More

Dianne Watts
Mayor of Surrey
Mayor of the Month: Dianne Watts has been mayor of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada since 2005. She has won election three times. In November 2011 she secured a third term with 81 per cent of the votes.

Dianne Watts was an architectural consultant before she was elected to the City Council in 1997. When first elected as mayor in 2005 she became the first woman to hold the post in Surrey. Her vote and her majority have increased at each election. In 2008 she had a majority of 43,000 votes. In 2011 it was over 48,000. More

Latin American cities are the
most dangerous in the world
Security: Latin America's cities are the most dangerous in the world, with certain cities - especially Honduran and Mexican ones - leading the list of world cities with most murders. San Pedro Sula, a city of some 720,000 people in northern Honduras is thought to be the most dangerous city in the world with 160 murders per 100,000 inhabitants per annum. The murder rate in Ciudad Juárez, on the Mexican-US, border is estimated at 148. New Orleans, with a murder rate of 58, is the world’s most murderous city outside Latin America. More

London 2012 elections:
Issues and candidates
Politics: The fourth set of elections for the Mayor of London and London Assembly since 2000 will take place on 3 May 2012. All three main candidates from the 2008 race are standing again in 2012. Since the 2008 elections, the London mayor has acquired significant new powers, particularly over policing. Voting for the mayor takes place under the preferential Supplementary Vote system. City Mayors takes a look at the race and the declared candidates. More

Czech municipal government
and mayors of largest cities
Government: In the Czech Republic members of municipal councils are directly elected using a proportional electoral system. Every citizen of the Czech Republic over eighteen years of age has the right to vote and to run for municipal office. The term of a municipal council is four years. Mayors are elected by and responsible to their councils. More

Britain’s rural community rail projects
increasingly popular with passengers
Transport: Whilst mainland Europe leads on local and regional government commissioning of rail services, the UK leads on community engagement. In the last decade close to 30 community rail partnerships have been established across the less well-served areas of the country and 18 of these are now backed by designation within the Government’s 2005 community rail strategy. More

Black barbershops offer
health care in US cities
Health: In cities across the United States, African-American barbers are receiving accolades, not for cutting hair, but for improving health outcomes for African-American men. Their barbershops are functioning as informal health clinics and challenging American notions about how health care is delivered. More

Songs written for
American cities
Culture: It is said there is a song for every city in America. While some songs never got much further than the city limits others became international hits. Gerard Kenny’s 1978 ode to his hometown ‘New York, New York - So Good They Named It Twice’ spelled the re-birth of America’s largest metropolis after it almost went bankrupt in 1975 and one year after a city-wide blackout shut it down for 25 hours. The song ‘If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair’ sung by Scott McKenzie in 1967 became the anthem for the worldwide flower power movement. More

Confronting organized crime and
urban violence in Latin America
Security: Public safety is increasingly determined by crime and security in urban spaces. How the public safety problem in urban spaces is dealt with in the 21st century as urbanization intensifies will determine citizens’ perceptions of the accountability and effectiveness of the state in upholding the social contract between the citizens and the state. Major cities of the world and the provision of security and order within them, will increasingly play a major role in the 21st century distribution of global power. More

The most expensive cities in
the world, Asia and Europe
Economics: Tokyo remains the most expensive city in the world according to new research by human resources consultants ECA International. Oslo is ranked second, while Karachi is said to be the least expensive city. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva occupy places three and five in the ranking. The top four costliest cities in Asia are all Japanese, with the Korean capital Seoul placed fifth. In Europe, Norwegian and Swiss cities are to be avoided by the budget conscious. Intro | World table | Asia table | Europe table |

German-speaking cities occupy
top places in best-cities survey
Environtment: Vienna has again been named as the ‘best’ city in the world, with the Austrian capital’s perennial Swiss rival, Zurich, in second place. Auckland, Munich and Düsseldorf complete the top five. Overall, German-speaking cities occupy six places in the top ten in this year’s Quality of Living Survey by Mercer Consulting. More

Mayor Monitor
Praise. Criticise. Write.
Mayor Monitor: How mayors dealt with the Occupy movment dominates the latest comments received by Mayor Monitor: Robert Doyle's attack on the Occupy Melbourne protest was one of the worst things I have ever witnessed. • Mayor Johnson's response to Occupy London has shown that when he says he cares about Londoners he means his City of London chums • NYC Mayor Bloomberg sat by and let what once was a pleasant downtown park be occupied by smelly idiot protestors • Portland Mayor Adams created and implemented a plan for Occupy Portland that deflected any violence and confrontations with law enforcment. Write

Reunification with mainland China
has not hurt the Hong Kong brand
City branding: The reunification of the former British colony and the Chinese mainland in 1997 was seen by some as the death knell for the investment hub as a global city. Yet careful branding and a robust economic offer underpinned by legal and political stability have seen Hong Kong prosper in its declared aim to be ‘Asia’s world city’, rivalled only by Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. The city also serves as an exemplar in smart city growth and urban living, with high standards of design and an educated workforce. More

Discipline and civil rights
in American state schools
Education: Discipline may be necessary for ensuring responsible student behavior, but “the application of discipline is unfair and unequal” in American state schools. Moreover, many student disciplinary practices employed by local state school systems may result in violations of US Civil Rights Law. Those are the findings of Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice, a report by Dan Losen of The Civil Rights Project of the University of California at Los Angeles. More

The participation of citizens
in German local government
Government: For historical and constitutional reasons, the organisation of the local community in Germany is first and foremost the domain of local people. Through political and civic engagement of citizens in their community, municipalities embody the living, breathing foundation of the state. The local polity has at its core a system of representative democracy, which traditionally forms the main area of political participation. More

The most expensive and
richest cities in the world
Economics: Oslo, Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen, Stockhom, Tokyo and Sydney have emerged as the world's most expensive cities based on a standardised basket of 122 goods and services surveyed by UBS. The basket costs the least in Delhi, Manila and Mumbai. People in Zurich, Geneva and Copenhagen earn the most in the world, while the highest purchasing power is enjoyed in Zurich, Sydney and Luxembourg. More

London 2012 elections:
Issues and candidates
Politics: The fourth set of elections for the Mayor of London and London Assembly since 2000 will take place on 3 May 2012. All three main candidates from the 2008 race are standing again in 2012. Since the 2008 elections, the London mayor has acquired significant new powers, particularly over policing. Voting for the mayor takes place under the preferential Supplementary Vote system. City Mayors takes a look at the race and the declared candidates. More

American abortion debate characterizes the
relationship between city, state and the Union
Society: Few issues in the United States are more polarizing than abortion - President Obama once called the opposing camps on abortion “irreconcilable” - yet it is difficult to find a mayor of a large American city that is entirely against abortion. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents usually disagree about taxation, policing, housing, social welfare, and other policies. But the right of a woman to choose her own method of reproductive health is something upon which, say, Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego, Democratic Mayor Vincent Gray of Washington, DC, and Independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City all agree. More

The most expensive cities in
the world, Asia and Europe
Economics: Tokyo remains the most expensive city in the world according to new research by human resources consultants ECA International. Oslo is ranked second, while Karachi is said to be the least expensive city. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva occupy places three and five in the ranking. The top four costliest cities in Asia are all Japanese, with the Korean capital Seoul placed fifth. In Europe, Norwegian and Swiss cities are to be avoided by the budget conscious. Intro | World table | Asia table | Europe table |

Municipal bonds have been issued
by US local government since 1812
Finance: Infrastructure in the US is generally financed through subnational capital financing vehicles, termed municipal bonds, which encompass the issuance of bonds by state and local governments, their agencies and quasi-public bodies generically termed special districts. While the term comprises issuers other than municipalities, the first bond of this trail-blazing genre was issued in 1812 by New York City. More

Al Gore says Green energy
needs ‘patient’ investment
Green energy: The second Low Carbon Investment Conference at the end of September 2011 in Edinburgh focussed strongly on offshore wind energy – specifically unlocking investment and cutting the costs of production. This is seen by the Scottish Government as essential to its aim of re-industrialisation through renewable energy. Cutting the costs of offshore wind relative to other sources is imperative if Scotland is to make progress quickly enough to become a manufacturing and exporting country in this growing subset of renewable energy infrastructure and production. More

US cities threatened by storms,
floods, drought and rising seas
Environment: As the US grapples with a record year for storms, drought and weather-related devastation, a new report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reveals climate change is leaving American cities open to a range of water-related vulnerabilities – from drought to sea level rise and increased rainfall – regardless of region or size. The report looks at how communities facing these new extremes are trying to protect their water supplies and waterways. More

Gentrification poses a new
dilemma for many US cities
Development: Gentrification has been a characteristic of major American cities like New York and Boston for over a century, but in the past decade it has become part of the growth cycle of smaller cities as well. Minority and working class neighborhoods such as Pittsburgh’s South Side; Northwest Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and East Austin, Texas are being transformed as white and middle-class residents move in. More

London Olympics: The Games will be a success
but doubts over their long-term legacy remain
Development: For seven weeks, from 27 July to 9 September 2012, the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place in London. Since winning the 2005 bid against its competitors Paris, New York and Moscow, while promising that the 30th Olympiad would regenerate London’s East End, a lot has changed in England’s sixth-most deprived district of Newham and the surrounding areas of Stratford. More

World’s most famous slum must
be remodelled not redeveloped
Development: Dharavi is Asia’s largest and the world’s second-largest ‘slum’, made famous by the film Slumdog Millionaire. Maharashtra’s state government now has plans to re-develop large parts of it. City Mayors’ Urban Development Consultant Prakash M Apte describes the plans as perhaps well meaning but certainly misguided. He calls for a remodelling of Dharavi. Prince Charles agrees with him, arguing Dharavi offered a better model than western architecture for housing a booming urban population in the developing world. More

The London brand:
2000 years young
City Branding: London may have long survived on Dr Johnson’s well-worn dictum that “there is all in London that life can afford” but it was iconography, which established it as the world city during the 20th century. As a nexus for world trade at the peak of the British Empire, the city remains pre-eminent as global hub in the 21st century, despite the occasional wobble and dented prominence following its de-industrialisation and struggle to find its place in the world. More

Amsterdam, a brand that appeals
to tourists and business alike
City Branding: Ever since the late sixties / early seventies Amsterdam has been known as the city of ‘sex, drugs and rock-and-roll’. But since these flower power years, a lot has changed. Amsterdam still breathes its liberal and tolerant atmosphere. But there is more. In August 2010 the 17th-centrury Amsterdam Canal District was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List; hence the city is now recognized as an international icon of urban planning and architecture. More

Discipline and civil rights
in American state schools
Education: Discipline may be necessary for ensuring responsible student behavior, but “the application of discipline is unfair and unequal” in American state schools. Moreover, many student disciplinary practices employed by local state school systems may result in violations of US Civil Rights Law. Those are the findings of Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice, a report by Dan Losen of The Civil Rights Project of the University of California at Los Angeles. More

Black barbershops offer
health care in US cities
Health: In cities across the United States, African-American barbers are receiving accolades, not for cutting hair, but for improving health outcomes for African-American men. Their barbershops are functioning as informal health clinics and challenging American notions about how health care is delivered. More

Czech municipal government
and mayors of largest cities
Government: In the Czech Republic members of municipal councils are directly elected using a proportional electoral system. Every citizen of the Czech Republic over eighteen years of age has the right to vote and to run for municipal office. The term of a municipal council is four years. Mayors are elected by and responsible to their councils. More

The participation of citizens
in German local government
Government: For historical and constitutional reasons, the organisation of the local community in Germany is first and foremost the domain of local people. Through political and civic engagement of citizens in their community, municipalities embody the living, breathing foundation of the state. The local polity has at its core a system of representative democracy, which traditionally forms the main area of political participation. More

Mayor Monitor
Praise. Criticise. Write.
Mayor Monitor: How mayors dealt with the Occupy movment dominate the latest comments received by Mayor Monitor: Robert Doyle's attack on the Occupy Melbourne protest was one of the worst things I have ever witnessed. • Mayor Johnson's response to Occupy London has shown that when he says he cares about Londoners he means his City of London chums • NYC Mayor Bloomberg sat by and let what once was a pleasant downtown park be occupied by smelly idiot protestors • Portland Mayor Adams created and implemented a plan for Occupy Portland that deflected any violence and confrontations with law enforcment. Write

British city halls present a wide range
of neo-classical and neo-gothic styles
City Halls: The majority of British city halls of the 19th and early 20th century feature neo-classical and neo-gothic architectural designs. Bolton’s Town Hall is a fine example of 19th century neo-classical architecture, while Southampton’s Civic Centre was designed in a modern, spare classical style. In contrast, Bradford City Hall is an impressive example of Victorian neo-gothic architecture. David Jennings describes their history, features and current use. | Bolton | Southampton | Bradford |

Guangzhou Metro: From nought to
1.2 billion passengers in 20 years
World Metros: In the early 1990’s Guangzhou, China’s third-largest city, was becoming dysfunctional as economic and population growth was matched by pollution and gridlock growth. But the construction of the Guangzhou Metro has made the city one of the most mobility friendly metropolises in the world. More

Britain’s rural community rail projects
increasingly popular with passengers
Transport: Whilst mainland Europe leads on local and regional government commissioning of rail services, the UK leads on community engagement. In the last decade close to 30 community rail partnerships have been established across the less well-served areas of the country and 18 of these are now backed by designation within the Government’s 2005 community rail strategy. More

The largest cities in the
world and their mayors
Statistics: The mayors of the world’s twenty largest cities are each responsible for more people than most national prime ministers. For example, London, ranked 20th in the world, has more residents than nations like Paraguay, Denmark, New Zealand or Ireland, and if Karachi, globally the largest city, was a country it would rank above Greece, Portugal or Hungary. The combined population of the world’s eight megacities comfortably exceeds that of Germany. More

USA Census: Rust-belt
cities are still shrinking
Statistics: Results from the April 2010 census in the USA are being published during March and April 2011. The administrators are under time pressure because the census is used to revise the allocation of seats in the US House of Representatives. After publication of half the data, the key trends are: Overall, the US population is growing by one per cent p.a. The Latino population is spreading across the country. The country is becoming more urban/suburban. The rust-belt cities are still shrinking. More

Urban events, conferences
seminars and conventions
Events (International): City Mayors’ directory of urban events, conferences, seminars and conventions is aimed at city leaders, urban decision makers and those with an interest in cities worldwide. The directory provides specialists with comprehensive lists of events tailored to their areas of interest. More

The unknown violinist
Metro Mensch: In Washington DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about three minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. More