State of the City address

Last updated
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer delivering the 2009 State of the City address Wichita State of the City address.jpg
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer delivering the 2009 State of the City address

The State of the City Address - or State of the City Speech - is a speech customarily given once each year by the mayors or city managers of many cities in the United States and Canada, and commonly called as State of the City Address (SOCA) or State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) in the Philippines. Other international cities have also adopted the tradition; for example, the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg has delivered a State of the City Address since 2002. In Corning, New York the "State of the City Address" has been replaced by the "Status of the Administration Address" given by the City Manager who serves as the City's Chief Executive Officer rather than the Mayor.

The timing, venue and purpose of a State of the City Address can vary significantly depending on local history and practice. Most State of the City Addresses are held early in the calendar year, but some mayors deliver their address as late as December of each year. In many American and Canadian cities, by law or tradition, the State of the City Address is delivered to the city council of the city. Just as often, the presentation is given to - or even given at the invitation of - members of a local business organization or a prominent local charity. Either way, the Address is usually used to outline the mayor's legislative proposals and policy directions for the upcoming year.

The analogous address given by the president of the United States is known as the State of the Union address and the address given by a governor of a U.S. state is known as the State of the State address. The mayor of the District of Columbia gives a State of the District address.

Since Canadian provincial legislatures and the Parliament of Canada begin legislative sessions with a Speech from the Throne delivered on the government's behalf by the Lieutenant Governor or the Governor-General of Canada, there is no formal equivalent for the federal government or regional governments in the Canadian system. However, on occasion, local business organizations have invited their province's Premier to deliver a State of the Province Address.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of the Union</span> Annual report by the president of the United States

The State of the Union Address is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The State of the Union Address generally includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, progress, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local government</span> Lowest tier of administration within a sovereign state

Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically localised and has limited powers. While in some countries, "government" is normally reserved purely for a national administration (government), the term local government is always used specifically in contrast to national government – as well as, in many cases, the activities of sub-national, first-level administrative divisions. Local governments generally act only within powers specifically delegated to them by law and/or directives of a higher level of government. In federal states, local government generally comprises a third or fourth tier of government, whereas in unitary states, local government usually occupies the second or third tier of government.

A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a governor may be either appointed or elected, and the governor's powers can vary significantly, depending on the public laws in place locally. The adjective pertaining to a governor is gubernatorial, from the Latin root gubernare.

In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as the means by which a mayor is elected or otherwise mandated. Depending on the system chosen, a mayor may be the chief executive officer of the municipal government, may simply chair a multi-member governing body with little or no independent power, or may play a solely ceremonial role. A mayor's duties and responsibilities may be to appoint and oversee municipal managers and employees, provide basic governmental services to constituents, and execute the laws and ordinances passed by a municipal governing body. Options for selection of a mayor include direct election by the public, or selection by an elected governing council or board.

The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council government form, and is common in Ireland. The council–manager form is also used in New Zealand for regional councils, and in Canada and many other countries for city and county councils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speech from the throne</span> Monarchs speech outlining governmental agenda and opening the legislative session

A speech from the throne, or throne speech, is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign, or a representative thereof, reads a prepared speech to members of the nation's legislature when a session is opened, outlining the government's agenda and focus for the forthcoming session, or in some cases closed. When a session is opened, the address sets forth the government's priorities with respect to its legislative agenda, for which the cooperation of the legislature is sought. The speech is often accompanied with formal ceremony and is often held annually, although in some places it may occur more or less frequently, whenever a new session of the legislature is opened.

Lord mayor is a title of a mayor of what is usually a major city in a Commonwealth realm, with special recognition bestowed by the sovereign. However, the title or an equivalent is present in other countries, including forms such as "high mayor". Aldermen usually elect the lord mayor from their ranks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Honolulu</span>

The mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu. An office established in 1900 and modified in 1907, the mayor of Honolulu is elected by universal suffrage of residents of Honolulu to no more than two four-year terms. The City and County of Honolulu's elected officials include the mayor, the prosecuting attorney, and councilmembers representing nine districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by the President of the Philippines

The State of the Nation Address is an annual address by the president of the Philippines to a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. Mandated by the 1987 Constitution, the speech is delivered every fourth Monday of July at the Plenary Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council,town council, town board, community council, rural council,village council, or board of aldermen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal government of Toronto</span> Local government of the City of Toronto

The municipal government of Toronto is the local government responsible for administering the city of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. Its structure and powers are set out in the City of Toronto Act.

The State of the State Address is a speech customarily given once each year by the governors of each of the states of the United States, although the terminology for this speech differs for some states: in Iowa, the speech is called the Condition of the State Address; in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia it is called the State of the Commonwealth Address. The speech is customarily delivered before both houses of the state legislature sitting in joint session, with the exception of the Nebraska Legislature, which is a unicameral body. The speech is given to satisfy a constitutional stipulation that a governor must report annually, or in older constitutions described as being "from time to time", on the state or condition of a state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Oklahoma</span> Government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The government of the U.S. State of Oklahoma, established by the Oklahoma Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the federal government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. Through a system of separation of powers or "checks and balances," each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Manitoba</span> Political system of Manitoba

The Province of Manitoba, similar to other Canadian provinces and territories, is governed through a Westminster-based parliamentary system. The Manitoba government's authority to conduct provincial affairs is derived from the Constitution of Canada, which divides legislative powers among the federal parliament and the provincial legislatures. Manitoba operates through three levels of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. The executive branch—the Executive Council of Manitoba—consists of the Premier, who is the head of government and the President of the Executive Council. The legislative branch—Manitoba Legislature—consists of the Speaker and elected members, who are served by the Clerk, the Officers of the Legislative Assembly, and the employees of the legislative service. The Legislative Assembly consists of the 57 members (MLAs) elected to represent the people of Manitoba.

The government of Virginia combines the executive, legislative and judicial branches of authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The current governor of Virginia is Glenn Youngkin. The State Capitol building in Richmond was designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the cornerstone was laid by Governor Patrick Henry in 1785. Virginia currently functions under the 1971 Constitution of Virginia. It is Virginia's seventh constitution. Under the Constitution, the government is composed of three branches: the legislative, the executive and the judicial.

Local government in New Jersey is composed of counties and municipalities. Local jurisdictions in New Jersey differ from those in some other states because every square foot of the state is part of exactly one municipality; each of the 564 municipalities is in exactly one county; and each of the 21 counties has more than one municipality. New Jersey has no independent cities, or consolidated city-counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community boards of New York City</span> Structures in New York Citys government

The community boards of the New York City government are the appointed advisory groups of the community districts of the five boroughs. There are currently 59 community districts: twelve in the Bronx, eighteen in Brooklyn, twelve in Manhattan, fourteen in Queens, and three in Staten Island.

The Government of Quebec is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Quebec. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the Crown-in-Council; the legislature, as the Crown-in-Parliament; and the courts, as the Crown-on-the-Bench. The powers of the Crown are exercised on behalf of three institutions—the Executive Council (Cabinet); the National Assembly; and the judiciary, respectively.

The Honourable or The Honorable is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain people, usually with official governmental or diplomatic positions.

This local electoral calendar for 2023 lists the subnational elections held, and scheduled to be held, in 2023. Referendums, recall and retention elections, and national by-elections are also included. Specific dates are given where these are known.

References