Cities worldwide are turning to public-private partnerships to finance and deliver critical infrastructure — but these arrangements raise fundamental questions about accountability, equity, and who governs public goods. When do private firms complement local governments, and when do they substitute for them? Can mayors claim credit for projects jointly produced? And who takes the blame if things go awry?
Join a conversation with the Mayor of Raleigh (North Carolina), the Mayor of Halifax (Canada), and the Mayor of Lafayette (Louisiana) as they navigate these tradeoffs firsthand. Moderated by Alisha Holland, this discussion draws on the experiences of mayors working across different political and fiscal environments to explore how partnerships shape project design, delivery, distributional outcomes, and democratic governance. Attendees will also have the chance to engage directly with the mayors and ask questions about their approaches, challenges, and lessons learned.
Diana Ocampo Belloso
dianaocampobelloso@wcfia.harvard.edu
This event is cohosted by the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Bloomberg Center for Cities, Harvard University.
LOCATION:CGIS Knafel, Bowie-Vernon Room (K262) STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART:20260414T160000Z DTEND:20260414T171500Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR