Analyzing 2017's 'State of the City' Addresses

The National League of Cities has released its annual report aggregating the "State of the City" speeches from over 100 U.S. mayors, revealing the ambitions and concerns of the nation's local leadership.

1 minute read

May 31, 2017, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco City Hall. | glen photo / Shutterstock

Kelsey E. Thomas shares news of the latest release of the National League of Cities' annual report on 120 state of the cities speeches delivered in 2017.

From its analysis, the report finds one "abundantly clear" takeaway: "Mayors are taking a bigger lead on poverty, racial disparities and other social issues than ever before, and tackling projects such as after-school programs, paid leave, minimum wage and immigration."

There are several obstacles standing in the way of this new trend in mayoral agenda setting: namely the proposed federal cuts to social safety nets and efforts in some states to preempt local control.

Tracking mayoral sentiments on ten major issues, the report identifies slight shifts in priorities compared to 2016 speeches. According to Thomas there were a few important changes from previous years,

…including healthcare’s jump from the 10th concern to the eighth — potentially fueled by talks of repealing the Affordable Care Act, which inspired 60 mayors to warn Congress about possible negative impacts. Infrastructure and housing also moved slightly up in mentions, while budgets and education moved slightly down. Economic development remained the top issue, as it has since 2014.

The article also includes infographics from the report that help illustrate some of the report's biggest takeaways. Planetizen shared news of the annual report previously in 2016 and 2015.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 in Next City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

5 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

7 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine