Focus on Metro Centers

In 2002, American metro centers lost over 646,000 jobs.  More than two-thirds of all cities – 213 of the country’s metro areas – lost jobs during that year. Six of our metro areas -- New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Jose, Boston, and Seattle-- lost more than 40,000 jobs each. Four additional metro areas -- San Francisco, Detroit, Denver, and Los Angeles-- lost more than 20,000 jobs each.

Metro centers generate more than 80 percent of the nation’s employment, income, and production of goods and services. They drive U.S. growth during good times, and their continued weakness has stalled the nation's recovery in this jobless economy.  As power has trickled from federal – down to state – and now to our metro centers, city and county government has become the key to starting any vehicle that travels the high road. Metro center leaders administer over our urban infrastructure, including parks, hospitals, airports and roads. 

They are the main decision makers on high road policy issues, including:

• Economic Development
• Employment Training
• Workforce Development
• Community Development
• Housing Code Enforcement
• Child Welfare
• Planning & Land Use
• Mass Transit
• Natural Resource Protection
• Property Tax Assessment
• Election Administration
• Pollution Control
• Other Social Services

While metro centers are important for driving growth, rural portions of our country cannot be ignored.  ALICE understands the importance of this sector, and will work with other organizations to compile a comprehensive rural futures agenda.

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