Click here for a video link to "Urban Fiscal Challenges" - Panel Yesterday at the Brookings Institution

Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and the National League of Cities hosted a forum on city fiscal conditions, the responses being undertaken by creative mayors, and the implications for national economic recovery. Brookings Vice President Bruce Katz and National League of Cities Executive Director Donald Borut opened the event. Following reviews of current and projected trends in local government fiscal conditions by Chris Hoene of the National League of Cities and Steve Cochrane of Moody’s Economy.com, Wall Street Journal economics editor David Wessel moderated a panel of sitting mayors, including Michael Nutter of Philadelphia; Chuck Reed of San José, California; Scott Smith of Mesa, Arizona; and Elaine Walker of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Jared Bernstein, chief economist and economic policy advisor to Vice President Joseph Biden, will close the session. Speakers: Bruce Katz Vice President and Director, Metropolitan Policy Program Brookings Donald Borut Executive Director, National League of Cities Chris Hoene National League of Cities Steve Cochrane Moody’s Economy.com Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia Chuck Reed, Mayor of San Jose, CA Scott Smith, Mayor of Mesa, AZ Elaine Walker, Mayor of Bowling Green, KY Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor to the Vice President Moderator: David Wessel, economics editor, Wall Street Journal