It’s been a tough few years for almost everybody, but it’s mayors who are on the front lines. They see how the recession has hit people, and they’re the ones who get the first complaints.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors gathered in Orlando to talk about how things are going. The New York Times focused its coverage of the event on the frustration and anger many mayors feel about the gridlock in Washington D.C.

“The word frustrated is too mild; it’s more like disgusted,” said Antonio R. Villaraigosa, a Democrat and the fiery mayor of Los Angeles who is also the departing president of the United States Conference of Mayors.

Scott Smith, a Republican who is mayor of Mesa, Ariz., which was hit hard by the recession, said the frustration over Washington cuts across party lines. Mayors take pride in their can-do approach to problems, which is not an attribute shared by Washington, he said.

Read the full story here: Mayors See Slight Gains, No Thanks to Congress