University of
Toronto business professor Richard Florida wrote in his
best-selling book The Rise of the Creative Class that
a large gay presence helps a city’s economic
performance. So we asked the mayors of five cities:
“Why should young gay professionals move to your
city?”
Tom Barrett
Milwaukee
“Milwaukee
has undergone a tremendous renaissance in recent years, due
in large part to the growing emergence of the creative
class. As mayor, it’s important to me to foster
that relationship between young professionals and the
city because of the significant impact their investments and
commitment have on Milwaukee. Milwaukee has a lot of the
amenities that other cities have when it comes to a
vibrant nightlife, strong performing arts, and a
booming downtown. Combine that with great companies to work
for, affordable housing, and the lakefront, and you have a
great place for young, urban, progressive people to
have a high quality of life.”
Tom Leppert
Dallas
“As the
ninth-largest city in the United States, Dallas is a richly
diverse city with a melting pot of cultures and creativity.
Professionals from all backgrounds continue to choose
Dallas as a place to live because of our sensible cost
of living and because our city is filled with
opportunity, optimism, and an outpouring of hospitality.
This is certainly the case with the GLBT community.
City hall is working hard so Dallas is recognized
around the world as a vibrant city where our
government is known for good business judgments, putting the
interests of our people first, and being operated in a
way that simply reflects the goodness, quality, and
values of the people of this city.”
Mark Funkhouser
Kansas City, MO.
“There are
tons of reasons why young gay professionals should move to
Kansas City, but the best one I can think of is that for the
cost of rent on a 900-square-foot condo in Chicago or
San Francisco or even Seattle, you can own a
three-story Victorian house right in the middle of the
hippest part of Kansas City. We’ve got all the
amenities you’d expect from a major metro
area—world-class museums and restaurants, a vibrant
economy, and one of the best art scenes in the country. But
they’re all packaged in a livable, homey place.
And like they say, there’s no place like
home.”
Cory Booker
Newark, N.J.
We are the
fastest-growing city in the Northeast, with new housing
rising all across our neighborhoods and a world-class
arena in our downtown. But the true strength of Newark
comes from the incredible diversity, resilience,
faith, and commitment of every single one of our residents.
We are proudly adding the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender community. Their struggle for civil
rights, acceptance, and dignity mirror many of the
struggles of our own city. Their dynamic energy and
creativity are finding welcome support and a home in Newark,
evidenced by the election in 2006 of our first openly
gay municipal council member, Dana Rone.”
Tom Potter
Portland, Ore.
“A young
gay professional can actually afford to own a nice home,
live in an urban center or near nature, and still be
close enough to ride their bike to work. Portland also
has a very active LGBTQ community and support services
and a strong presence in local electoral politics, including
a gay city commissioner. Not to mention [one could]
have a safe and active social life if you’re
single, coupled, or married. For its size, Portland is
second to none for young gay professionals.”
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