Local and Metropolitan Governance: Lessons from the U.S.

In this presentation, Bruce Katz summarizes the various forms of municipal and metropolitan governance that exist (both formal and informal); discusses the current fiscal condition of American cities; and offers various takeaway lessons for Britain as it continues to experiment with devolution and governance reform. Katz concludes that successful local government depends less on picking the “right” form of governance and more on ensuring that local governments possess sufficient fiscal powers to operate effectively.

The metro program hosts and participates in a variety of public forums. To view a complete list of these events, please visit the metro program’s Speeches and Events page which provides copies of major speeches, PowerPoint presentations, event transcripts, and event summaries.