August 11, 2014
Video available at: https://youtu.be/sJnnqrbhr7I
More than 30 mayors from across the country sign Commitment at Gracie
NEW YORK—The United States is a country that has long valued opportunity, fairness and equality. Yet, too many Americans, no matter how hard they work or try to find work, have stagnant or low incomes, dwindling wealth, and trouble affording life’s basic necessities, like housing, food and health care. As members of the Cities of Opportunity Task Force, we recognize that rising inequality and declining opportunity are threats to our fundamental values and to the nation’s economic growth.
We agree that bold action and a multifaceted approach are required to create more genuine opportunities for all residents and create more equitable cities. And today, we commit to work together to respond to this crisis and take action to leverage the power of municipal governments to advance local strategies and a national, common equality agenda.
We have agreed that the following principles will guide the work of the Cities of Opportunity Task Force:
We have agreed to support and advance this common agenda in our own cities, to the fullest extent possible and support other cities’ efforts to take similar actions. We will also build together a national urban agenda together. We have committed to begin by putting income inequality, early childhood education, and broadband at the center of the task force’s national equity agenda, and to grow it to include other critical issues, such as affordable housing and transportation.
We agree to advance at least one of the following strategies under each issue area:
Income Inequality
Early Childhood Education
Broadband
In support of the above efforts, we also agree to work together to achieve federal action on:
The following mayors signed the Commitment to Action at Gracie Mansion today:
Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York, NY
Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Boston, MA
Mayor Kevin Johnson, Sacramento, CA
Mayor Stephen Benjamin, Columbia, SC
Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Elizabeth, NJ
Mayor Byron Brown, Buffalo, NY
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, IL
Mayor Bill Finch, Bridgeport, CT
Mayor Steven Fulop, Jersey City, NJ
Mayor Javier Gonzales, Santa Fe, NM
Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Washington, DC
Mayor Charlie Hales, Portland, OR
Mayor Toni Harp, New Haven, CT
Mayor Sylvester James, Kansas City, MO
Mayor Mitchell Landrieu, New Orleans, LA
Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Austin, TX
Mayor John Marks, Tallahassee, FL
Mayor Gary McCarthy, Schenectady, NY
Mayor Stephanie Miner, Syracuse, NY
Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia, PA
Mayor Frank Ortis, Pembroke Pines, FL
Mayor Annise Parker, Houston, TX
Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Allentown, PA
Mayor Pedro Segarra, Hartford, CT
Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Albany, NY
Mayor Paul Soglin, Madison, WI
Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma, WA
Mayor Brian Wahler, Piscataway, NJ
Mayor Lovely Warren, Rochester, NY
Mayor Setti Warren, Newton, MA
Mayor Nan Whaley, Dayton, OH
Mayor Dennis P. Williams, Wilimgton, DE
Mayors Joy Cooper of Hallendale Beach, FL; Ed Murray of Seattle; Edwin Lee of San Francisco; and Michael Brennan of Portland, Maine were not present at the first meeting of the Cities of Opportunity Task Force, but have agreed to sign onto the Commitment to Action.
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