The structure of city governance in the United States determines the specific roles and powers of a mayor, leading to various types of mayoral positions. Many American mayors are formally addressed as His or Her Honor while in office. It is uncommon for mayors of large cities to serve for extended periods, as many cities have term limits or experience leadership changes due to elections and other factors.
Undercouncil–manager government, the mayor is afirst among equals on thecity council, analogous to ahead of state for thecity. They maychair the city council, lacking any speciallegislative powers, but in most cases able to set the legislative agenda. The mayor and city council serve part-time, with day-to-dayadministration in the hands of a professionalcity manager. The system is most common among medium-sized cities from around 25,000 to several hundred thousand, usually rural and suburban municipalities.[1]
In the second form, known asmayor–council government, the mayoralty and city council are separate offices. Under a strong mayor system, the mayor acts as an elected executive, with the city council functioning with legislative powers. They may select achief administrative officer to oversee the different departments. This is the system used in most of the United States' large cities, primarily because mayors serve full-time and have a wide range of services that they oversee. In aweak mayor or ceremonial mayor system, the mayor has appointing power for department heads but is subject to checks by the city council, sharing both executive and legislative duties with the council. This is common for smaller cities, especially inNew England (where most towns do not even have mayors at all).Charlotte, North Carolina andMinneapolis, Minnesota, are two notable large cities with a ceremonial mayor.[2]
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Four mayors of New York have served 12 years:Fiorello H. La Guardia (1934–1945),Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1954–1965),Ed Koch (1978–1989) andMichael Bloomberg (2002–2013).
Fiorello H. La Guardia was the mayor of New York City for 12 years from 1934 to 1945 during the Great Depression and World War II. He was a Republican who fought against the Democratic Party ofTammany Hall with a coalition of Republicans, liberals and leftists. He often collaborated with the liberalPresidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He is noted for his progressive policies and his anti-corruption efforts.[3]
When running for his third term,Robert F. Wagner Jr. broke with theTammany Hall leadership, ending the clubhouse's reign in city politics.
Ed Koch served as mayor from 1978 to 1989, a total of 11 years. He was known for his tough-talking style and his success in cleaning up the city's streets and reducing crime.[4]
During his tenure as mayor from 2002 to 2013,Michael Bloomberg established public charter schools, rebuilt urban infrastructure, and supported gun control, public health initiatives, and environmental protections. He also spearheaded a rezoning of large areas of the city, which facilitated new commercial and residential construction after theSeptember 11 attacks. Bloomberg is considered to have had a far-reaching impact on the city during his three terms. He has also faced significant criticism for the city's stop-and-frisk program and targeted surveillance against Muslims.[5][6]
Tom Bradley, who served as mayor from 1973 to 1993, is the longest-serving mayor in Los Angeles history. Bradley was the city's first African-American mayor.
Antonio Villaraigosa, a Latino leader, served as the mayor of Los Angeles, from 2005 to 2013, a total of 8 years. He was the first Hispanic in over 130 years to have served as Mayor of Los Angeles. He emphasized upgrading public transit and airports, and battled youth gangs.[7]
Richard M. Daley is the longest-serving mayor in Chicago's history, from 1989 to 2011. He focused on upgrading the Chicago infrastructure and the police, and diversifying the economy away from manufacturing toward services. He was criticized for greatly increasing the city's debt.[8]
Richard J. Daley, the father of Richard M., served as mayor of Chicago for 21 years, from 1955 until he died in 1976. He controlled the powerful Cook County Democratic machine, which generated votes and provided support in Washington and the state capital. He worked closely with the business community which flourished.[9]
Thomas Menino was the longest-serving mayor in Boston's history from 1993 to 2014, a total of 21 years. He was known for his efforts to improve public safety, expand public transportation, and revitalize the city's neighborhoods.[10]
Kevin White served as mayor of Boston from 1968 to 1984, a total of 16 years. He worked to revitalize the city's downtown area and supported public schools and universities. He came under criticism for his handling of racial tensions and police brutality.[11]
Coleman Young was the longest-serving mayor in Detroit's history, serving as mayor from 1974 to 1994, a total of 20 years. He was the city's first African American mayor and was known for promoting racial justice and economic development.[12]