1,500 new homes built each year, a stable crime rate, increased high school graduation rates and higher attendance rates, jobs returning to the city, and new retail investment.

Q&A WITH THE MAYORS

• What separates good cities from great cities? Mayors of the region's major cities answer Enquirer questions on how to become "great" cities. • How have you defined success for your city? • What does it take to raise a good city into a great city? • Do you try to run your city as a business? What investments are needed in housing, commercial development, industrial development, technological development and tourism to make a great city? • What do you need from partners to make a great city? • How do you reduce city vs. suburban rivalries and build a more united metro area? • Who is your competition for development and tourism? Each other? Out-of-state cities? Who are your benchmarks? • Would additional mayoral powers help you make your city more successful, and if so, what powers? • What action do you need to take if city "product lines" (housing, etc.) don't meet their goals? • What's your impression of Cincinnati, and what advice would you give Cincinnati? • Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken • Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell • Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman • Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson • Louisville Mayor Jerry E. Abramson • Enquirer editorial: Great development strategies

Increasing the number of new residents moving into the city; creating and retaining jobs; making residents feel safe and secure; and reinforcing key engines of our local economy, such as health care and research, manufacturing and universities.

Yes. When I was elected, we faced a budget deficit, and needed to make difficult decisions, including layoffs. But we made the right decisions to bring our fiscal house in order. Today, we are on the right track financially. I believe that our tough financial decisions are providing the groundwork for economic growth in the city of Cleveland.

We need the state to recognize that the Ohio big cities are the economic engines for this state. The state needs to partner with its big cities to provide the right incentives and resources for these vital engines to thrive. Without the state's full participation and partnership, we will continue to face economic challenges locally as well as statewide.

We must work to achieve common goals, including creating and retaining jobs, attracting new residents and building new housing. But we must enhance the image of the center city if we want to enhance the image of the entire region.

Our regular competitors include the second-level big cities, such as Pittsburgh, Columbus, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

We must redesign the strategy and continue working to meet our goals.

The city should use its successful opening of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as a framework to begin an honest and open dialogue about race relations.