Partnership with region key for cities

April 17, 2007

By John Hickenlooper
Mayor of Denver

Five decades ago, I was a Narberth-born diehard Phillies fan growing up east of the Main Line. My career as an exploration geologist eventually brought me to Denver, where the oil bust of the mid-'80s left me with a healthy severance check and an entrepreneurial spirit.

In 1988, I opened the first brewpub in the Rocky Mountain West and began a career involving multiple restaurants, downtown real estate development, and service on many civic boards. With absolutely no political experience, I was deemed the unlikeliest of candidates in 2003, when I threw my hat in the Denver mayoral race against six seasoned political veterans. Thanks to a platform based on common-sense solutions, an emphasis on systemic change, and an understanding of the need for collaboration, the underdog from Philadelphia prevailed.

One of the reasons I ran for mayor was that I was frustrated by Denver's long history of animosity with its suburban neighbors and rural communities across the state. My experience in the restaurant business taught me there is no margin in enemies, and it seemed as though our region's interests could be easily aligned.

Municipalities are not bound by the antitrust laws of corporate America. There is nothing to prevent cities from working as closely as possible with their regional neighbors. After all, a strong urban core requires strong suburbs, and vice versa. Our prosperity is inherently interdependent.

This collaborative ethic has infused our administration and ushered in a new era of mutually beneficial partnerships in our region, creating lasting benefits for residents and businesses throughout metropolitan Denver. But our partnerships don't start and end within the public sector. Through active collaboration with the business, philanthropic and nonprofit communities - and a commitment to public participation and civic engagement - our shared endeavors are creating shared successes much larger than anything we could accomplish alone.

As a native Philadelphian, I want the very best for the hometown that sparked my lifelong love of cities. With your coming municipal election, you have a chance to evaluate the direction in which you want to head. My advice to you, based on our experiences in Denver and my observations of other metropolitan areas, is that progress - whether on transit, safety, education or arts funding - ultimately requires strong partnerships.

These partnerships work best when they include neighboring jurisdictions and active participation and diverse representation from the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and the community at large.

Transit is one area where these partnerships have been especially invaluable to us. Metro Denver has a history of making bold transportation choices. In the 19th century, it was railroads. In the 20th century, it was Denver International Airport. And, now, it's FasTracks, one of the most ambitious transit build-outs in American history. Our regional commitment to economic growth and quality of life can find no greater expression than the 119 new miles of commuter and light rail that FasTracks will provide to connect the metro region.

But our Regional Transportation District could not make this happen alone. Voter approval for the required regional sales-tax increase was made possible by the unanimous support of 30 municipalities in eight counties and 15 regional chambers of commerce. The business and environmental communities worked together toward a shared vision, creating lasting partnerships and good will that have since benefited statewide budget-reform initiatives.

The collaborative funding model we used for FasTracks got its start two decades ago with the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), our regional approach to arts and cultural funding. Through a regional sales tax first approved by voters in 1988 and reauthorized several times since, the SCFD produces more than $30 million a year for more than 300 cultural institutions throughout our region. In turn, these entities not only enrich our quality of life, but also generate more than $1 billion for the region each year, employing more than 7,000 people, and attracting both tourists and businesses to Metro Denver.

These are just two examples of Denver's regional commitment to build partnerships based on the understanding that the prosperity of each of our communities and sectors is inherently linked. Like Denver, Philadelphia's most important challenges and opportunities transcend geographic and political boundaries. All American cities must understand that success or failure will be determined by our ability to build and sustain lasting partnerships with our neighbors throughout our respective regions and states. Our successes will not come at the expense of others; instead, they will add to the prosperity of all.

John Hickenlooper was named one of Time magazine's Top Five Big-City Mayors in 2005. He will be the first subject of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia's "Profiles in Leadership: America's Great Mayors" series at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. For more information on the event, visit http://www.economyleague.org or call 215-563-3640, ext. 21.