Assessing the role of CAOs in strong-mayor governments

Cities with elected executives require professional guidance in policy choices and professionally run government operations. A long-standing approach to meeting these needs—appointment of a chief administrative officer (CAO)—is still relevant for organizing urban government. This article examines whether and how the largest cities in the United States have incorporated this feature in their governmental structure and assesses the level of professionalism among appointed senior executives in mayor-council governments. By comparing CAOs with city managers in comparable cities, it is possible to draw conclusions about the relative professionalism and authority of CAOs in major U.S. cities.