“Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?” asked the 18th century writer Voltaire.
That sentiment can easily extend to America’s cities as well. Examining the policies that have succeeded and failed across municipalities allows us pursue optimal governance and perfect the great experiment of Democracy.
Enter the latest study of good governance conducted by nonprofit Living Cities and Governing. The researchers invited 321 cities to participate in a 92-question assessment that helped them determine which cities are performing best, in what ways, and how they can improve in the future.
“The survey actually not only renewed my faith but reminded me of how functional local government is, especially compared to state and federal government these days,” said Living Cities’ Steven Bosacker. Most of the cities surveyed were considered high-performing, for instance, with adequate long-term strategic plans, open data portals, public input systems, and evidence-based spending practices.
Phoenix, Arizona was considered the best performing city overall. Also recognized on a variety of high performance measures were the cities of Las Vegas, NV; San Diego, CA; Riverside, CA; San Jose, CA; El Paso, TX; Fayetteville, NC; San Antonio, TX; Philadelphia, PA; Louisville, KY; and Long Beach, CA.
Read the entire 20-page report here.