November 12, 2024 • 17 mins
Thousands of city officials from around the nation are gathering in Tampa for a City Summit hosted by the National League of Cities. They're networking and also looking at some of the ways that Tampa has addressed challenges with affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure, and finding money to address those issues. We speak with the league's CEO, Clarence Anthony, who's also the former mayor of South Bay, Florida and father of former Florida Gator and retired Buccaneers wide receiver Riedel Anthony.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gordon Bird here Beyond the News, Tampa is going to
play host to around four thousand city elected officials and
administrators from around the country starting on November thirteenth and
running through the sixteenth. The National League of Cities is
bringing a big event. Here. We have the CEO of
the National League of Cities, Clarence Anthony with us and
(00:22):
clare and Santhony welcome to Beyond the News.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, Gordon, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I'm excited to talk about our national conference, which we
are celebrating one hundred years of impact to for America
from the National League of Cities and our members.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now I have to ask why, other than obviously the
good November weather not so good in September but pretty
good right now, why other than that, did you choose
Tampa as the place to host what you are calling
the twenty twenty four City Summit.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
You know, I think my members, who are members from
all over America post that question to me often, and
sometimes I think they think it's because I'm a Floridian. Originally,
I was born in Florida, educated in Florida, went to
(01:20):
undergrad at Florida Atlantic University.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
And grad school.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
They may have even thought it was because my son
played football for the Buccaneers Reedale Anthony.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Oh, yes, we remember him.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
But it wasn't those things. It was because it is
an amazing city that's doing great things through great leadership
that I know our members will enjoy learning about as
they come to Tampa because what happens at our conference
(02:00):
by solutions, technical assistance, great speakers, but we also allow
our members and the city to provide tours of the community.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So there's a lot of great.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Things to see and do in Tampa, a lot of learning,
but also again, great leadership. So it's the right city
for the right time, and we are just excited to
be able to welcome over four thousand municipal officials from
throughout the country and even a few global leaders will
(02:40):
be coming as well.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Now, Tampa has grown phenomenally over the last let's say
five years or so, but that's not been without its problems.
We've had issues with infrastructure and trying to keep up
things like roads and transit keep up with growth, and
issues dealing with affordable housing or lack of affordability in housing,
(03:03):
and people sometimes also being homeless as well. So we've
had a number of issues to deal with as the
city has developed over the last few years. And Tampa's
kind of a one off case. But are these some
of the issues that other cities of your member cities
are dealing with, and do they see in the way
(03:27):
Tampa's handling these things some ideas for the way they
can address them in their own towns.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Well, first of all, what we find is most cities,
no matter the size, and that's our membership. You could
be a city of a thousand people, and then you
can be a city as large as New York City, Washington,
d Chicago, or you can be Tampa, which is the
(03:54):
forty ninth largest city in the country. The size may be,
but the issues really are the same. And as you
talk about housing, which is probably one of the major
issues that cities are facing throughout America, that's going to
be a main focus of our.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Conference. We also you've talked about infrastructure.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yes, Tampa is challenged like every other community, it is
challenged with that issue. But sometimes because you're right there
in it every day, you don't recognize the great things
that your city is doing in the area of infrastructure.
You know, the water Street area, the fifteen minute city
(04:44):
model that you guys have created where you got your
transportation available downtown through Ybor City, you got your job opportunities,
you got restaurants, you've built housing, you built sustainable water
systems down in that area.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Our members want to see that because it truly.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Is recognized as a major model for American cities. And
there are other issues, you know that we're going to
be looking at. We're going to be looking at the
issue of artificial intelligence. You know, what are the implications
of AI on transparency and sharing information and how do
(05:35):
we use that to make our communities more.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Efficient and affected?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
And all of these key accomplishments that have been historic
investments in infrastructure by the mayor is again recognized. You've
been able to get three billion dollars in investment and
water infrastructure, ninety million in transpit to mobility, and there's
(06:02):
so many other things that our members are eager to
see that. Wow, Tampa has this issue as well, and
look how they are addressing these issues and have addressed.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
The issues is what we want to uplift.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
But again, a lot of communities are facing a lot
of challenges and we're here to learn, share and network
in a way that our members leave Tampa inspire to
go home to say, wow, we learned something in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
We saw what challenges they had.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
We have the same ones, and I think I can
work hard to make my community better because Tampa has
also done some amazing things.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
All right. Now, if you're somebody who's not in city
government and not just a citizen or taxpayer looking on,
you might be looking at an event like this and
any of the other events that city officials go to
throughout the year and say, well, this is just another
way for bureaucrats and politicians to get themselves a free
(07:19):
trip to Florida on my dime. So what's the value
that these officials carry home from actually seeing a city
deal with these issues in practice and at a summit
like this, as opposed to just reading about it online
or watching a video.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, I think that's a challenge that most elected officials,
whether they are at the federal, state or at local level,
are challenged with as they get elected. And then they
know and they recognize that they need to even strengthen
(07:59):
their noveg We focus to make sure that we have
great pals that they can learn from each other as
well as experts from throughout America. They also, again the
(08:21):
tours that they're going to take, they're going to see
it in action, and like any other profession, the role
of being an elected official and the benefits of attending
these conferences is that they're going to go back home
being more informed. They're going to see the value of
(08:43):
their mayor and council member once they get back home
with these ideas, and they're also going to see how
great ideas are being created not just in their community
but throughout America. And I think actually some of the
(09:04):
best leaders are those that continue to push their knowledge,
learn and share, and I think that's what we do,
and that's the value of attending any conference. Now, I
also say that it's important to recognize and many people
(09:24):
don't frame it in this way.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Mayors and council members are CEOs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
They're board members of their local communities, and they employ
and control a budget larger than many corporations, or they
could be the largest employer. And if we're going to
get the best, brightest, and the well trained leaders, we
(09:55):
need to be able to get them the resources they
need to lead. Now, finally, I'll say to you, Gordon,
and I've said this when I was an elected official.
The easy part is getting elected. The difficult part is governing.
And if you're going to really serve your community, and
(10:18):
you may have started as a volunteer, you didn't go
to college, You just wanted to serve your community. NLC
is the place where you come to learn how to serve.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
We're speaking with Claire and s Anthony, CEO of the
National League of Cities. One more question I wanted to touch
base with you on, and that is since we talked
about taxpayers, cities across the nation have the challenge of
making things work and making things happen with their budgets.
And one of the ways they've been able to stretch
(10:54):
their dollars is to bring in money from the state
and federal level. And that's a landscape that's changing now
with the wind down of the pandemic funding. So I
assume you're going to be spending a lot of time
talking about how to leverage those dollars and how to
take advantage of funding opportunities.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Well, you know that during the pandemic it was one
of the most challenging times for local communities and leaders.
It was a time where one day you look out
your window and you see empty streets, you see empty stores,
(11:35):
you see nobody working.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
But one of the things.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
That we knew and we recognize was that one sector
of business that did not shut down was local government cities.
The water still was provided, the sewer system still work,
the clerks were still there, public safety employees were there
(12:03):
responding every day. This was also a moment where local
leaders stepped up. We were able to work to get
the American Rescue dollars in the hands of local communities,
the CARES money, in the Bipartisan Infrastructure dollars in local communities.
(12:25):
So now we're here, the dollars are out there, our
leaders are now deploying those dollars, and you're seeing all
these shovel ready projects and all of these ribbon cuttings
going on throughout America. You're getting water systems and the
quality better. You're seeing all of the interstates. Man, the
(12:48):
last time I was in Tampa visiting my grandson and
my son and his family, the traffic was crazy because
people were wor working and jobs were being created in
the interstate systems were being expanded. And so now where
(13:10):
are we. We're in a time now that we've created
initiative called the Local Infrastructure Hub where we're helping local
leaders to be able to access these dollars from the
federal government through a grant training program, and that has
been very, very very successful. Also, some of that money
(13:34):
is drying up and we're getting ready to make sure
that they continue to move forward.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
At finding other opportunities.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So I feel very very positive as we come out
of this pandemic environment and more of a resilient environment
and thought process.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That we're now shifting to the execution.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Of these projects and helping our communities create job opportunities,
opportunities for training and education, small businesses are getting back
to what we may say normal, which there's no new
normal yet.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And also our educational system.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
So we're really really high on where we're going in
the future as local leaders and to me, it's local leadership,
city leadership that's going to make our nation stronger and
we're continue to be committed to that.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
The other voice in this conversation is Clarence Anthony. He
is CEO of the National League of Cities and he's
going to be leading the City Summit twenty twenty four
that's taking place November thirteenth through sixteenth ares some four
thousand city officials from around the country and parts of
the world come to Tampa for that event and on
(15:06):
the dates of the thirteenth through the sixteenth. So if
you see a few extra people with badges wandering around
downtown Tampa over those days, that's what it's all about.
He's CLARENS. Anthony, CEO of the National League of Cities,
and Retell Anthony's dead. Who knew?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Who knew? I didn't. Yeah, No, that's it's exciting.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
It's exciting to come to town because I've seen since
nineteen ninety seven and beyond how great downtown and the communities,
and how you guys have come together to make Tampa
a vibrant, inviting, inclusive city.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
And obviously you've been here for more than a few
Bucks games and you've seen the growth over the years.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I can tell you.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
You know, your leadership with Mayor Grecco and you know
Bob buck Horn.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
I'm Maoria, and.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Now this amazing leader that we have in Mayor Caster
is to be admired.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And I hope.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
That your residents truly do understand that you guys got
great leadership, great community, amazing history, to share with Ibor
City and that connection to the Channel District, beautiful downtown
because sometimes when you see it every day, you don't
(16:32):
recognize it, but everyone that comes to Tampa it is
a new Tampa.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
It's a new day and it's so exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
We will enjoy and welcome having you all in town
for that summit coming up starting on November thirteenth. Clarence Anthony,
thank you again for joining us on Beyond the News.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Well, Gordon, thank you so much and I look forward
to seeing you. You need to stop by City Summit
and talk to us and share more information about what
we're doing there so that people will know that we're
here to work, learn and play.
Gordon Bird here Beyond the News, Tampa is going to
play host to around four thousand city elected officials and
administrators from around the country starting on November thirteenth and
running through the sixteenth. The National League of Cities is
bringing a big event. Here. We have the CEO of
the National League of Cities, Clarence Anthony with us and
(00:22):
clare and Santhony welcome to Beyond the News.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, Gordon, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I'm excited to talk about our national conference, which we
are celebrating one hundred years of impact to for America
from the National League of Cities and our members.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now I have to ask why, other than obviously the
good November weather not so good in September but pretty
good right now, why other than that, did you choose
Tampa as the place to host what you are calling
the twenty twenty four City Summit.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
You know, I think my members, who are members from
all over America post that question to me often, and
sometimes I think they think it's because I'm a Floridian. Originally,
I was born in Florida, educated in Florida, went to
(01:20):
undergrad at Florida Atlantic University.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
And grad school.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
They may have even thought it was because my son
played football for the Buccaneers Reedale Anthony.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Oh, yes, we remember him.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
But it wasn't those things. It was because it is
an amazing city that's doing great things through great leadership
that I know our members will enjoy learning about as
they come to Tampa because what happens at our conference
(02:00):
by solutions, technical assistance, great speakers, but we also allow
our members and the city to provide tours of the community.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So there's a lot of great.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Things to see and do in Tampa, a lot of learning,
but also again, great leadership. So it's the right city
for the right time, and we are just excited to
be able to welcome over four thousand municipal officials from
throughout the country and even a few global leaders will
(02:40):
be coming as well.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Now, Tampa has grown phenomenally over the last let's say
five years or so, but that's not been without its problems.
We've had issues with infrastructure and trying to keep up
things like roads and transit keep up with growth, and
issues dealing with affordable housing or lack of affordability in housing,
(03:03):
and people sometimes also being homeless as well. So we've
had a number of issues to deal with as the
city has developed over the last few years. And Tampa's
kind of a one off case. But are these some
of the issues that other cities of your member cities
are dealing with, and do they see in the way
(03:27):
Tampa's handling these things some ideas for the way they
can address them in their own towns.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Well, first of all, what we find is most cities,
no matter the size, and that's our membership. You could
be a city of a thousand people, and then you
can be a city as large as New York City, Washington,
d Chicago, or you can be Tampa, which is the
(03:54):
forty ninth largest city in the country. The size may be,
but the issues really are the same. And as you
talk about housing, which is probably one of the major
issues that cities are facing throughout America, that's going to
be a main focus of our.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Conference. We also you've talked about infrastructure.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yes, Tampa is challenged like every other community, it is
challenged with that issue. But sometimes because you're right there
in it every day, you don't recognize the great things
that your city is doing in the area of infrastructure.
You know, the water Street area, the fifteen minute city
(04:44):
model that you guys have created where you got your
transportation available downtown through Ybor City, you got your job opportunities,
you got restaurants, you've built housing, you built sustainable water
systems down in that area.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Our members want to see that because it truly.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Is recognized as a major model for American cities. And
there are other issues, you know that we're going to
be looking at. We're going to be looking at the
issue of artificial intelligence. You know, what are the implications
of AI on transparency and sharing information and how do
(05:35):
we use that to make our communities more.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Efficient and affected?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
And all of these key accomplishments that have been historic
investments in infrastructure by the mayor is again recognized. You've
been able to get three billion dollars in investment and
water infrastructure, ninety million in transpit to mobility, and there's
(06:02):
so many other things that our members are eager to
see that. Wow, Tampa has this issue as well, and
look how they are addressing these issues and have addressed.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
The issues is what we want to uplift.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
But again, a lot of communities are facing a lot
of challenges and we're here to learn, share and network
in a way that our members leave Tampa inspire to
go home to say, wow, we learned something in Tampa.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
We saw what challenges they had.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
We have the same ones, and I think I can
work hard to make my community better because Tampa has
also done some amazing things.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
All right. Now, if you're somebody who's not in city
government and not just a citizen or taxpayer looking on,
you might be looking at an event like this and
any of the other events that city officials go to
throughout the year and say, well, this is just another
way for bureaucrats and politicians to get themselves a free
(07:19):
trip to Florida on my dime. So what's the value
that these officials carry home from actually seeing a city
deal with these issues in practice and at a summit
like this, as opposed to just reading about it online
or watching a video.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, I think that's a challenge that most elected officials,
whether they are at the federal, state or at local level,
are challenged with as they get elected. And then they
know and they recognize that they need to even strengthen
(07:59):
their noveg We focus to make sure that we have
great pals that they can learn from each other as
well as experts from throughout America. They also, again the
(08:21):
tours that they're going to take, they're going to see
it in action, and like any other profession, the role
of being an elected official and the benefits of attending
these conferences is that they're going to go back home
being more informed. They're going to see the value of
(08:43):
their mayor and council member once they get back home
with these ideas, and they're also going to see how
great ideas are being created not just in their community
but throughout America. And I think actually some of the
(09:04):
best leaders are those that continue to push their knowledge,
learn and share, and I think that's what we do,
and that's the value of attending any conference. Now, I
also say that it's important to recognize and many people
(09:24):
don't frame it in this way.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Mayors and council members are CEOs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
They're board members of their local communities, and they employ
and control a budget larger than many corporations, or they
could be the largest employer. And if we're going to
get the best, brightest, and the well trained leaders, we
(09:55):
need to be able to get them the resources they
need to lead. Now, finally, I'll say to you, Gordon,
and I've said this when I was an elected official.
The easy part is getting elected. The difficult part is governing.
And if you're going to really serve your community, and
(10:18):
you may have started as a volunteer, you didn't go
to college, You just wanted to serve your community. NLC
is the place where you come to learn how to serve.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
We're speaking with Claire and s Anthony, CEO of the
National League of Cities. One more question I wanted to touch
base with you on, and that is since we talked
about taxpayers, cities across the nation have the challenge of
making things work and making things happen with their budgets.
And one of the ways they've been able to stretch
(10:54):
their dollars is to bring in money from the state
and federal level. And that's a landscape that's changing now
with the wind down of the pandemic funding. So I
assume you're going to be spending a lot of time
talking about how to leverage those dollars and how to
take advantage of funding opportunities.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Well, you know that during the pandemic it was one
of the most challenging times for local communities and leaders.
It was a time where one day you look out
your window and you see empty streets, you see empty stores,
(11:35):
you see nobody working.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
But one of the things.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
That we knew and we recognize was that one sector
of business that did not shut down was local government cities.
The water still was provided, the sewer system still work,
the clerks were still there, public safety employees were there
(12:03):
responding every day. This was also a moment where local
leaders stepped up. We were able to work to get
the American Rescue dollars in the hands of local communities,
the CARES money, in the Bipartisan Infrastructure dollars in local communities.
(12:25):
So now we're here, the dollars are out there, our
leaders are now deploying those dollars, and you're seeing all
these shovel ready projects and all of these ribbon cuttings
going on throughout America. You're getting water systems and the
quality better. You're seeing all of the interstates. Man, the
(12:48):
last time I was in Tampa visiting my grandson and
my son and his family, the traffic was crazy because
people were wor working and jobs were being created in
the interstate systems were being expanded. And so now where
(13:10):
are we. We're in a time now that we've created
initiative called the Local Infrastructure Hub where we're helping local
leaders to be able to access these dollars from the
federal government through a grant training program, and that has
been very, very very successful. Also, some of that money
(13:34):
is drying up and we're getting ready to make sure
that they continue to move forward.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
At finding other opportunities.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So I feel very very positive as we come out
of this pandemic environment and more of a resilient environment
and thought process.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That we're now shifting to the execution.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Of these projects and helping our communities create job opportunities,
opportunities for training and education, small businesses are getting back
to what we may say normal, which there's no new
normal yet.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And also our educational system.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
So we're really really high on where we're going in
the future as local leaders and to me, it's local leadership,
city leadership that's going to make our nation stronger and
we're continue to be committed to that.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
The other voice in this conversation is Clarence Anthony. He
is CEO of the National League of Cities and he's
going to be leading the City Summit twenty twenty four
that's taking place November thirteenth through sixteenth ares some four
thousand city officials from around the country and parts of
the world come to Tampa for that event and on
(15:06):
the dates of the thirteenth through the sixteenth. So if
you see a few extra people with badges wandering around
downtown Tampa over those days, that's what it's all about.
He's CLARENS. Anthony, CEO of the National League of Cities,
and Retell Anthony's dead. Who knew?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Who knew? I didn't. Yeah, No, that's it's exciting.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
It's exciting to come to town because I've seen since
nineteen ninety seven and beyond how great downtown and the communities,
and how you guys have come together to make Tampa
a vibrant, inviting, inclusive city.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
And obviously you've been here for more than a few
Bucks games and you've seen the growth over the years.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I can tell you.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
You know, your leadership with Mayor Grecco and you know
Bob buck Horn.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
I'm Maoria, and.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Now this amazing leader that we have in Mayor Caster
is to be admired.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And I hope.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
That your residents truly do understand that you guys got
great leadership, great community, amazing history, to share with Ibor
City and that connection to the Channel District, beautiful downtown
because sometimes when you see it every day, you don't
(16:32):
recognize it, but everyone that comes to Tampa it is
a new Tampa.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
It's a new day and it's so exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
We will enjoy and welcome having you all in town
for that summit coming up starting on November thirteenth. Clarence Anthony,
thank you again for joining us on Beyond the News.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Well, Gordon, thank you so much and I look forward
to seeing you. You need to stop by City Summit
and talk to us and share more information about what
we're doing there so that people will know that we're
here to work, learn and play.
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