NLC City Summit stresses the importance of local government

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens welcomed attendees to the 99^th National League of Cities (NLC) City Summit in Atlanta this week by saying it was a chance for mayors and city council members to come together and learn from one another, and return home with invaluable conversations about the betterment of their respective communities.

“Local leaders are on the front lines in these issues facing our residents, and we know better than anyone that we solve problems with drawing circles and not by drawing lines, and that is what the NLC will do this week, by drawing us together, by drawing circles.”

He added that he was looking forward to hearing what was working in other cities “because problems and their solutions really don’t have party affiliations, they don’t know any geographic boundaries and we’re all looking forward to see what each city has to offer.”

Other mayors and NLC leaders echoed Dickens’ sentiments about local government, and discussed the issues currently facing city mayors. David Sander, mayor of Rancho Cordova, Calif., and NLC first vice president, brought a problem for local leaders across the country— preemption, where state legislators and governors pass laws that take away power from local government. He said this year alone, more than 600 preemptive bills have been passed across the country, affecting things including education, housing and LGBTQ rights.

“Whether liberal or conservative, all communities deserve the right to be governed by the people they elect,” Sander said, adding that there are 19,000 cities and towns in the U.S, and no two are alike in every way, so the idea that one-size-fits-all policies can be forced onto local officials throughout an entire state undermines the will of the voters who elect their local leaders. “At the end of the day, local government is the form of government that is closest to the people. We are the most responsive to the people, we understand the people’s issues the best, because of our proximity. Mayors and council members are out in their communities every day. They know the needs of their residents.”

Sharon Weston Broome, mayor of Baton Rouge, La., and NLC second vice president, echoed Sander’s sentiment on the importance of local leaders, siting the Pew Research Center found that local government was still the most trusted level of government. “Sixty-seven percent, compared to just 32 percent for Congress,” she said. “That is because people count on local leaders to put their differences aside, to treat each other civilly and get things done.”

More than 3,500 representatives from cities across the nation attended the summit, along with 4,000 registered attendees, making it the largest summit on record, according to Sander. The summit featured networking opportunities and a full schedule of events, committee meetings and Solution Sessions that focused on issues facing cities today, from engaging the community and reimagining commercial space for housing, to technology issues including drones as first responders and using AI in government. Mobile workshops got attendees out and about in Atlanta, visiting sites and successful projects around the city.

The 100^th NLC City Summit will be held Nov. 13-16, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.,