Mayors strikingly pessimistic about post-COVID cities

Source: Smart Cities Dive Published: December 3rd, 2020

Mayors nationwide are sounding the alarm about inevitable budget cuts forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are showing widespread pessimism about the long-term impacts of the crisis, according to the annual Menino Survey of Mayors. The survey collected responses from 130 U.S. mayors in cities with populations over 75,000.

Forty-five percent of mayors expect to see dramatic budget cuts for education as municipalities try to plug financial gaps, while at least one-third expect to see drastic cuts in parks and recreation, mass transit and roads, according to the survey. Ninety percent also expect the remote work trend to continue — which could make downtowns less appealing and vibrant — while around 80% expect that existing racial health disparities in cities will continue.

Most survey respondents are also pessimistic about the long-term recovery of small businesses in their cities, with only 36% of mayors expecting to see a replacement of the businesses that shuttered due to COVID-19. Mayors overwhelmingly said that federal aid through the CARES Act was insufficient and did not address their cities' needs. In the absence of further federal help, mayors said they will look to new grant and loan programs and regulatory relief in a bid to protect vulnerable small businesses.

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