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Editor’s Note
Moving forward together Sarah Wright | Editor
W
hile swapping a single digit isn’t likely to change much in the grand scheme of things, it will be a little rewarding to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. All years hold their challenges, but 2020 felt like it was on another level, with one wrench after another being thrown. To top it off, it was a presidential election year, and this one, like 2016, was polarizing. Writing this on Election Day, I have no clue how it all went — if there have been any court cases or even who won. All I can hope for at this junction is unity no matter the final tally. Unity will help propel economic recovery in the face of COVID-19, which has impacted some sections of the country harder than others. Economists have different schools of thought on our current recession, featuring several alphabet terms like V-shaped, K-shaped, L-shaped or U-shaped recovery. Some, instead, favor terms like checkmark recovery. Meanwhile, Gabriel Mathy, an assistant professor of economics at American University, told Money.com our recovery could very well be Nike swooshshaped, where “we would see an initial fast recovery that then slows down.” COVID-19 remains an omnipresent factor that will determine the ultimate shape of recovery. The actions of the federal government will also impact it, as will the actions of state and local governments — perhaps more so. As noted by Candace Cannistraro, management and budget director for the city of Mesa, Ariz., in writer Denise Fedorow’s article this month, city officials are usually more attuned to the needs of their community members and businesses, thus better suited to aid them. This proves to be a general theme that carries into Amanda Demster’s article, “Mayors reflect on 2020, plan for 2021,” where both mayors interviewed — Joyce Craig of Manchester, N.H., and Knox White of Greenville, S.C. — have emphasized supporting local businesses in ways that best suit their communities. Tied into the
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mayors’ focus on economic development is affordable housing, a topic Demster further explores in “Cities search for workforce housing solutions,” which highlights two very different housing programs from Florida and Indiana. COVID isn’t the only issue faced by the U.S. and municipalities in 2020 that will carry over into 2021. Protests are likely to continue, and many cities will continue to grapple with racial tension. Writer Ray Balogh highlights how Ferguson, Mo., has moved toward healing following the death of Michael Brown in 2014 with the election of its first Black mayor in 2020 and the implementation of a federal consent decree, which was adopted in 2016. Additionally, for cities grappling with race, he outlines steps the National League of Cities and the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice have recommended to reduce tensions. 2021 is bound to have its turbulence, but with all things, it will pass. What matters is we pull together and face the challenges before us together. As always, the staff of The Municipal wishes all of our readers a happy holiday season and a happy new year! Stay well, everyone!
