The Nation's Mayors to Examine Issues of Transportation, Housing, Income Inequality

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Monday, March 23, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh will host mayors from across the country for a meeting of The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Cities of Opportunities Task Force at the Omni Parker House in Boston. 

Mayor Walsh, who serves as Vice Chair of the Task Force alongside Task Force Chair New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, will join USCM Vice President Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in convening more than twenty mayors from cities large and small. The Mayors will discuss municipal best practices in the areas of transportation and housing, and ways that federal policy can help close the wage gap and lift individuals and families out of poverty by providing reliable transportation options, access to affordable housing and expanded employment opportunities. 

The meeting is CLOSED to press attendance, but the Mayors will hold a PRESS CONFERENCE at Faneuil Hall at 12:30 p.m. to call attention to the need for Congress to pass a long-term federal surface transportation law, which is due to expire May 31st.  Specifically, mayors are urging Congress to increase resources to the program, with more locally-directed funding.  They will also discuss transportation as a tool to address inequality and local efforts to create more economic opportunity and better serve our nation's working poor. In their afternoon session, Mayors will discuss federal housing policy that can address inequality and innovative local housing strategies that leverage resources for affordable housing in light of diminished federal funding.

During the meeting, Mayors will hear from Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren on income inequality, and U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez will discuss reauthorization of the surface transportation bill.

Established at the Conference's Annual Meeting last June by Conference President Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, this Task Force aims to bring mayors from across the country together to leverage the power of local governments to advance a national common equity agenda with policies and best-practices that will help expand opportunity for all.  The inaugural meeting of the group was held in New York City in August 2014 to examine issues around improving early childhood education, expanding broadband access and addressing income inequality.

WHAT: PRESS CONFERENCE with mayors from across the country, led by:
Host - Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, USCM Cities of Opportunity Task Force Vice Chair
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, USCM Cities of Opportunity Task Force Chair
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, USCM Vice-President
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray

WHEN: Monday, March 23 at 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Faneuil Hall | 1 Faneuil Hall Square | Boston, MA 02109 | 617-635-4500

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SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors