In the wake of the recession, “we find a national government which, like Elvis, has essentially left the building,” explained the Brookings Institution’s Bruce Katz, co-author of The Metropolitan Revolution, at a panel discussion hosted by Next City, The Academy of Natural Sciences, Brookings and The Reinvestment Fund in Philadelphia last month. “What [co-author] Jennifer [Bradley] and I see around the country are cities and metropolitan areas stepping up and doing the hard work to grow jobs and make their economies more prosperous. And they’re able to do that because they’re incredibly economically powerful.”
Moderated by Next City’s Diana Lind, the panel had Katz and Bradley joined by Philly Mayor Michael Nutter and Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moody’s Analytics. The group discussed how pragmatic metro leaders are repairing the foundations of their economies by investing in infrastructure, restoring manufacturing as a national priority, connecting small businesses with potential funders, and helping workers get the training needed to do their jobs. With or without help from Washington, cities are coming back, stronger than ever.
In keeping with the theme of the event — “Philadelphia as a Model for the Nation” — Nutter talked about his administration’s own strategy of creating quality new jobs that keep local college graduates in the city.
To see the full discussion, check out the video below. Scroll down for a slideshow of images from the evening.
Interested in reading more? Check out an edited excerpt from Katz and Bradley’s book, which was released in June.