BALTIMORE, Oct. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Under the leadership of U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM)
President Baltimore Mayor Stephanie
Rawlings-Blake, the nation's mayors today urged the
Presidential Candidates and Congress to recognize the critical role
cities play in shaping America's future, developing their
Compact for a Better America, which calls for a focus on
policy issues that are important to people living in cities and
their metropolitan areas.
Rawlings-Blake and a bipartisan delegation of mayors who serve
in the organization's leadership presented points they believe
people in this country – over 80 percent of whom live in cities and
metro areas -- consider a top priority at a press conference during
the USCM Fall Leadership Meeting in Baltimore this weekend.
The Mayors Compact for a Better America: A 2016 Call to
Action concentrates on issues such as investing in
infrastructure, workforce training, innovation, water, air and
clean energy, public safety, healthcare and addressing unfunded
mandates.
While Rawlings-Blake will elaborate on the Mayors' Compact at
the National Press Club in Washington,
D.C. on Wednesday, October 7,
she urged, "It is clear that people across the country are
frustrated that this campaign has not really focused on issues that
matter to working families. Mayors see residents everyday who
are in need, so we want a real target on the things that matter
most to the people who live in our cities and metro areas," said
Mayor Rawlings-Blake. "Gridlock strangles Washington, and the consequences are passed on
to cities to the detriment of Americans who not being served.
No serious candidate for President or Congress can or should allow
this to continue. The next President needs a national agenda
for our cities."
According to IHS Global Insight, cities and their Metro Areas
are drivers of the national economy -- accounting for over 90
percent of Gross Domestic Product and wage income, and 87 percent
of jobs in the country. And in the coming years, 92 percent
of U.S. economic growth will be generated in cities and Metro
Areas.
However, data also shows the jobs that were regained during the
recovery have lower wages than those lost during the recession, and
those going back to work had lost over $93
billion in wages by mid 2014 (U.S. Metro Economies Report:
Income and Wage Gaps, USCM/IHS, August
2014). The same report projected that income
inequality will remain a long-term problem that will worsen unless
addressed through national policies. Shortfalls in opportunity,
equity, jobs, community development, and education combine to pose
major challenges that can impact public safety and only compound
these disparities further.
"Mayors cannot and have not waited for Washington to act," said USCM Vice President
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick
Cornett. "But strengthening the federal-city
partnership is critical because, while we have taken the lead, we
are clear that we cannot solve our nation's biggest challenges
alone."
Cornett continued, "As Presidential candidates travel around the
country to America's cities, we have an opportunity to press them
to put take a page from the 'Book of Mayors' and put ideology aside
to focus on real results for American families. … Our cities
have growing needs and the broadening gap between the wealthy and
not so wealthy must be addressed. We need a President who is
willing to hear from us, work with us and direct funding to
cities. We have loud voices and we will express them."
"Mayors are uniquely positioned to influence the national
dialogue, and we intend to hold Washington – and those who aspire to the White
House – accountable to put the issues of urban America front and
center," said Mayor Rawlings-Blake.
Video of the mayors' press conference can be found on the USCM
website at www.usmayors.org -- or -- http://mayo.rs/1FMIN5j
USCM Fall Leadership
Meeting Attending Mayors:
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake,
Baltimore, MD – USCM President
Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City, OK – USCM Vice President
Elizabeth Kautz, Burnsville, MN – USCM Past President
Bryan Barnett, Rochester Hills, MI
Shane Bemis, Gresham, OR
David Berger, Lima, OH
Virg Bernero, Lansing, MI
Mike Bodker, John Creek, GA
Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C.
Joy Cooper, Hallandale Beach, FL
Hardie Davis, Augusta Richmond
Cty, GA
Bill de Blasio, New York, NY
Bill Finch, Bridgeport, CT
Greg Fischer, Louisville, KY
Karen Freeman-Wilson,
Gary, IN
Javier Gonzales, Santa Fe, NM
Sylvester James, Kansas City, MO
Harry Larosiliere, Plano, TX
Maher Maso, Frisco, TX
Kim McMillan, Clarksville, TN
Jonathan Mitchell, New Bedford, MA
Frank Ortis, Pembroke Pines, FL
Ed Pawlowski, Allentown, PA
Mike Rawlings, Dallas, TX
Kasim Reed, Atlanta, GA
Pedro Segarra, Hartford, CT
Paul Soglin, Madison, WI
Brian Wahler, Piscataway, NJ
Nan Whaley, Dayton, OH
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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