“Weak” vs. “Strong” Mayors: Which Type is Better for Policymaking?
During the first lecture, I found myself struck by the differences between Mayor John Tory of Toronto and Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. I am, of course, not referring to differences in their personal character or in their political ideology. Rather, I was intrigued by how fundamentally different these two mayors are in terms of their executive power. In this context, Mayor Tory is an example of a “weak” mayor, and Mayor de Blasio is an example of a “strong” mayor. After learning about these two concepts, I was left wondering a simple question: Which type of mayor is better for the purposes of passing and implementing policy?
This seems like a natural question to ask, especially given the notable disparity in official powers between these two types of mayors/mayoral systems. Generally speaking, “strong” mayors—which are more prevalent in the United States— can appoint department heads, veto decisions made by city council, and enjoy greater control over the city budget. “Weak” mayors—(which includes all Canadian mayors) can do none of this, but they can appoint committee chairs—which is the one power not available to so-called “strong” mayors.
What are the implications of these differences for the purposes of policymaking? I can’t answer this question definitively, but I wonder if “strong” and “weak” mayoral systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. Might a “strong” mayor be better positioned to expedite the policy process and implement his or her desired policy in a much more rapid manner than a “weak” mayor could? Would the presence of a “weak” mayor necessitate greater deliberation and compromise in the policymaking process? Or maybe neither mayoral system is inherently better—whatever that means in this context—for policymaking. Kate Graham said that “mayoral power in Canada is really a question of mayoral leadership”; perhaps its this factor, not the mayoral system, that really matters for policymaking. Again, I can’t answer these questions, but I would be interested in hearing about any literature that explores the impact of “weak” and “strong” mayors.
