Beacon Journal: Dan Horrigan: A plea for the survival of American cities

DAN HORRIGAN, MAYOR OF AKRON, OH

The survival of American cities hangs in the balance. What the federal government does next will make all the difference.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to sacrifice for the greater health and safety of our neighbors. Across the country, businesses are closing and millions of our residents are out of work, in fear for their futures and awaiting unemployment support. It has been said that this is the largest disruption to American life since World War II, which certainly rings true in the city I proudly serve.

During this crisis, my fellow mayors across the nation have been responding in Herculean ways to keep their communities safe and operating. Cities’ first responders, health workers, sanitation workers and front-line staff have been putting themselves in harm’s way to deliver needed services and connect people to resources, all at a great cost.

Last month, The Brookings Institute released a list of the 20 U.S. cities most at risk for immediate and severe financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohio’s five largest cities, including Akron, made the list. This is due in large part to Ohio cities’ unique reliance on income tax and the percentage of local workers in industries at high risk for decline. Because this list also contains some of the hardest hit cities from the last recession, the chances for further inequity within our economy is significant. I fear that our region cannot withstand another tidal wave of losses.

In Akron, we face the potential for a 20-35% reduction in municipal revenues in 2020 alone. In the 2009 recession, we reduced our staffing levels by 60%, a small percentage of which we’ve gained back over the past decade. But this time around, further reductions mean we would be cutting into bone, at a time when our constituents need us most. Losing city jobs and services will exacerbate existing economic disparities, harm the most vulnerable and stifle our recovery.

Read the full article here.