The Nation's Mayors Gather In Sacramento With A Focus On Ferguson, Tech & Innovation, Economic Equality And More

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Under the leadership of U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) President Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a bipartisan delegation of more than thirty mayors who serve in the organization's leadership gathered in Sacramento on Sunday, September 28 and Monday, September 29 for the USCM Fall Leadership Meeting.

Mayors from cities large and small convened to discuss topics ranging from the economy, transportation, education, water infrastructure, housing, President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative, as well as the current situation in Ferguson and policing priorities to determine the policy direction of the Conference for the winter term.

One of the highlights of the meeting was a session focused on technology and innovation titled 'Cities 3.0' after the theme of Mayor Johnson's Presidency.  The session featured a discussion between UBER CEO and Co-Founder Travis Kalanick and Mayor Johnson, followed by a moderated panel with OpenGov Co-Founder and CEO Zachary Bookman, Lyft Co-Founder and CEO Logan Green, CityMart CEO Sascha Haselmayer and Box Co-Founder and CEO Aaron Levie.

The meeting also featured a dynamic Discussion on the Response to Ferguson and Policing Priorities with remarks from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, Attorney Benjamin Crump, Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and Gary (IN) Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson who serves at the Vice-Chair of the USCM Criminal and Social Justice Committee. 

Of the discussion on Ferguson, Mayor Johnson said, "We had an open and candid conversation about what I'm calling the four R's: Resident frustrations, Relationships between the community and police, Recruitment of police officers, as well as the issue of often talked about but not by name, Race."  Johnson also previewed a meeting of mayors and police chiefs set to take place at the Clinton Presidential Center in a few weeks, "We expect this conversation to continue in Little Rock, Arkansas with a larger meeting of mayors and police chiefs to mark the 20^th Anniversary of the landmark Crime Bill.  Coming out of that meeting, we plan to present an action agenda to the Justice Department to prevent another Ferguson from ever taking place." 

The mayors also released today the findings of a survey on mayors' efforts to promote and implement the goals of President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative.  The survey report compiles information provided by 15 cities whose mayors are on the Conference's My Brother's Keeper Task Force.  A summary of the findings was presented during the meeting by Task Force Co-Chair Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who, along with Birmingham Mayor William Bell, was tapped by President Johnson to lead the Task Force after establishing the subgroup within the organization this past June.   

"It is clear that opportunity has lagged behind for young men of color in this country.  That's why President Obama launched the My Brother's Keeper initiative earlier this year.  He issued a strong call to action to America's leaders to help provide young men of color with the skills they need to reach their full potential," said USCM President Johnson during the meeting.  “I am proud that many of the nation’s mayors have responded to the President’s call by joining the My Brother's Keeper Communities Challenge and have already been acting in communities across the country to change the long-term outlook for many of our young people.”  

At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Johnson and the assembled mayors reminded reporters of the group's bipartisan makeup.  "While we may all come from cities of different size and geographical location, and have different party affiliations, mayors work together to effect real change – change that you can see, touch and feel.  This is why we believe Washington -- Congress in particular -- should take a page from our book.  We are doing what they should be doing – working on both sides of the aisle to solve real problems for real people, not languishing in partisan ideology and dysfunction," said Johnson. 

"Mayors are unique in that we do not have the luxury of rhetoric.  Our jobs and the nature of what we do daily demand action.  We don't just talk; we get things done," Johnson concluded.

Mayors Attending Include the following:
Kevin Johnson, Sacramento, CA – USCM President
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore, MD – USCM Vice-President
Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City, OK – USCM Second Vice-President
Michael Nutter, Philadelphia, PA – USCM Past President
Greg Ballard, Indianapolis, IN
Bryan Barnett, Rochester Hills, MI
Shane Bemis, Gresham, OR
Stephen Benjamin, Columbia, SC
David Berger, Lima, OH
Virg Bernero, Lansing, MI
Richard Berry, Albuquerque, NM
Mike Bodker, Johns Creek, GA
James Brainard, Carmel, IN
Alvin, Brown, Jacksonville, FL
Michael Coleman, Columbus, OH
Joy Cooper, Hallandale Beach, FL
Karl Dean, Nashville, TN
Dennis Doyle, Beaverton, OR
Greg Fisher, Louisville, KY
Karen Freeman-Wilson, Gary, IN
Carolyn Goodman, Las Vegas, NV
Elizabeth Kautz, Burnsville, MN
Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans, LA
Brenda Lawrence, Southfield, MI
Mary Ann Lutz, Monrovia, CA
John Marks, Tallahassee, FL
Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana, CA
Helene Schneider, Santa Barbara, CA
Paul Soglin, Madison, WI
Mark Stodola, Little Rock, AR
Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma, WA
Brian Wahler, Piscataway, NJ
Setti Warren, Newton, MA
Chris Watts, Denton, TX

About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

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SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors