National League of Cities

The National League of Cities (NLC) is an advocacy organization in the United States that represents the country's 19,495 cities, towns, and villages along with 49 state municipal leagues. Created in 1924, it has evolved into a leading membership organization providing education, research, support, and advocacy to city leaders across America. Based in Washington, D.C., it is considered part of the 'Big Seven', a group of organizations that represent local and state government in the United States. The NLC provides training to municipal officials, holds conferences, lobbies and provides assistance to cities in educational issues.

National League of Cities
MottoCities Strong Together
Formation1924
Typenon-governmental organization
Location
Membership
2000+
CEO/Executive Director
Clarence E. Anthony
WebsiteNLC.org

NLC was first founded as the American Municipal Association in Lawrence, Kansas, by a group of 10 state municipal leagues seeking greater coordination and representation in national affairs. In 1947, the organization opened its membership to individual cities with populations of 100,000 or more. That membership threshold was gradually moved downward, and in 1964, to signal the organization's growing emphasis on cities as members, the American Municipal Association changed its name to the current. By 1977, the population requirement was eliminated.

Today, NLC represents over 1,900 member cities as a convening organization, support network, and representative in federal affairs. Leading priorities for the group include the economy, infrastructure, public safety, technology, education, and families.

History

The National League of Cities was founded in 1924 when 10 state municipal leagues banded together as the American Municipal Association.[1] Over time, the organization's membership expanded to include individual cities of all sizes.[2]

Over its decades-long history, NLC has played a prominent role in shaping federal urban policy and defining city issues in America. It was at a 1970 convention that William Ruckelshaus, Administrator of the newly created Environmental Protection Agency, announced an order against Cleveland, Detroit, and Atlanta to clean up their inadequately treated sewage discharges into rivers, thereby helping send a message that the young agency meant business.[3]

Programs

Federal advocacy

NLC lobbies Congress on multiple issues, including city infrastructure, particularly transportation; supporting local energy efficiency and conservation efforts; strengthening and stabilizing the housing market; helping build stable families; supporting community safety; and reforming the country's immigration system. NLC's core lobbying principles include avoiding unfunded mandates, preserving local authority and protecting the intergovernmental partnership.

Institute for Youth, Education and Families

The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families is an entity within NLC which assists municipal officials in providing services on behalf of the children, youth and families in their communities. The YEF Institute offers resources in five core program areas, including early childhood success, education and afterschool, benefits for working families, youth participation in local government and child and youth safety.

Conferences

NLC hosts the annual Congress of Cities & Exposition, at which municipal officials participate in workshops, general sessions, networking opportunities and leadership training seminars. NLC's other yearly conference is the Congressional City Conference, held each March in Washington, D.C. Thousands of municipal officials discuss NLC legislative priorities with Members of Congress and the Administration, share promising practices, discuss policy and participate in leadership training opportunities.

Center for City Solutions

NLC's Center for City Solutions offers information, research, training, and educational materials on issues cities face in the present and future. Its programs include an applied research group along with the Rose Center for Public Leadership, the Sustainable Cities Institute, the City Innovation Ecosystems initiative, and the NLC University divisions.

Publications

The National League of Cities oversees a range of publications including the blog 'CitiesSpeak', the newsletter 'The Weekly' (formerly Nation's Cities Weekly), and several social media channels. NLC also produces original research on topics such as technology, education, municipal finance, public safety, and mayors' priorities.

Leadership

The National League of Cities is overseen by a board of directors, which elects a president, vice president, and second vice president in annual elections. Each president serves a one-year term, typically choosing to focus on a single program or advocacy priority such as economic mobility or public safety. The current president of the NLC is Mark Stodola, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, who leads an initiative on the future of work.

National Association of Counties and National League of Cities doorway in Washington, DC.

Past presidents of the NLC have included:

Members
  • Alabama League of Municipalities, Montgomery, Alabama[6]
  • Alaska Municipal League, Juneau, Alaska
  • League of Arizona Cities and Towns, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Arkansas Municipal League, North Little Rock, Arkansas
  • League of California Cities, Sacramento, California
  • Colorado Municipal League, Denver, Colorado
  • Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, New Haven, Connecticut
  • Delaware League of Local Governments, Dover, Delaware
  • Florida League of Cities, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Georgia Municipal Association, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Association of Idaho Cities, Boise, Idaho
  • Illinois Municipal League, Springfield, Illinois
  • Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Iowa League of Cities, Des Moines, Iowa
  • League of Kansas Municipalities, Topeka, Kansas
  • Kentucky League of Cities, Lexington, Kentucky
  • Louisiana Municipal Association, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Maine Municipal Association, Augusta, Maine
  • Maryland Municipal League, Annapolis, Maryland
  • Massachusetts Municipal Association, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Michigan Municipal League, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • League of Minnesota Cities, St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Mississippi Municipal League, Jackson, Mississippi
  • Missouri Municipal League, Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Montana League of Cities and Towns
  • League of Nebraska Municipalities, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, Carson City, Nevada
  • New Hampshire Municipal Association, Concord, New Hampshire
  • New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Trenton, New Jersey
  • New Mexico Municipal League, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, Albany, New York
  • North Carolina League of Municipalities, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • North Dakota League of Cities, Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Ohio Municipal League, Columbus, Ohio
  • Oklahoma Municipal League, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • League of Oregon Cities, Salem, Oregon
  • Pennsylvania Municipal League, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, Providence, Rhode Island
  • Municipal Association of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
  • South Dakota Municipal League, Ft. Pierre, South Dakota
  • Tennessee Municipal League, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Texas Municipal League, Austin, Texas
  • Utah League of Cities and Towns, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Montpelier, Vermont
  • Virginia Municipal League, Richmond, Virginia
  • Association of Washington Cities, Olympia, Washington
  • West Virginia Municipal League, Charleston, West Virginia
  • League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Wyoming Association of Municipalities, Cheyenne, Wyoming

See also

Further reading

EPA Alumni Association, Protecting the Environment, A Half Century of Progress – an overview of EPA's environmental protection efforts over 50 years

References
  1. National League of Cities: State Municipal Leagues
  2. Josh Fecht, The National League of Cities speaks for more than 18,000 US communities, City Mayors website, accessed August 17, 2009
  3. EPA Alumni Association: EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus and his former assistants recall the dramatic announcement when the fledgling agency in 1970 ordered several cities to clean up their sewage discharges. Video,Transcript (see p5).
  4. Kimberly Miller, "Former South Bay mayor named executive director of National League of Cities", Palm Beach Post, December 7, 2012.
  5. Graham, A. Lee (2014-01-06). "Former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen dies". Fort Worth Business Press. Archived from the original on 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  6. "Member Directory". Washington DC: National League of Cities. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
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