The Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute hosted county executives from Prince George’s County, Maryland, Monroe County, New York, Shelby County, Tennessee and Salt Lake County, Utah on February 24, 2015 to share their experiences in confronting the complex challenges that arise in their jurisdictions. You may view the YouTube video below.

Far from an ideological debate, these practitioners provided their front-line perspectives on which areas of policy function well—and which areas are truly broken.

The Hon. Rushern L. Baker, county executive of Prince George’s County, MD; Hon. Maggie Brooks, county executive, Monroe County, NY; Hon. Mark Luttrell, mayor, Shelby County, TN; and Hon. Ben McAdams, Mayor, Salt Lake County, UT joined for a moderated panel discussion to examine the roles and responsibilities of a county executive, how county executives balance priorities within their jurisdictions, how states affect their behavior, how the federal government’s scale back has affected them, and the ways in which they have innovated in order to more effectively deliver on their governing mandate.

Bruce Katz, vice president and co-director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, moderated the discussion with the county executives. The discussion covered a broad range of issues, including the challenges county executives face, the innovative steps taken to better serve their populations, and where county governance fits in the larger body of American federalism.