Recent years have been a true test of the effectiveness of local leadership, from public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic to higher-than-average inflation and other issues like elevated homicide rates . Even during less difficult times, running a city is a tall order. The larger the city, the more complex it becomes to manage. Local leaders must balance the public’s diverse interests with the city’s limited resources. Leaders must carefully consider which services are most essential, which agencies’ budgets to cut or boost, and how much to charge in local taxes, among other decisions. But how do we measure the effectiveness of local leadership and how do we determine the best and worst-run cities in Arizona and the U.S.?

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