The mayor of a city is the leader of that city. The responsibilities of the mayor vary from city to city and may include any combination of legislative, executive and judicial functions. The mayor may also have additional roles, such as chairing a committee or board.

The role of mayor has existed since ancient times; indeed, being the first citizen in a given town or city was once a position sought after by those who were ambitious.

A mayor is often responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of a city, including setting the strategic direction for the municipality and its various departments. This can include developing policies on such things as transportation, economic development and community safety.

Mayors also oversee many departments in their cities, including planning and zoning, public works and parks and recreation. They are responsible for ensuring that these departments have the resources they need to operate smoothly and effectively.

Mayors will often develop budgets for their cities each year that outline how much money each department should receive over the course of their term in office. They will also be responsible for presenting these budgets to council members (elected representatives) who will make final decisions about how much money should be spent on each item within it.

Last modified: September 6, 2022