WASHINGTON, DC (KMJ) – Fresno and Merced mayors join hundreds of bipartisan mayors in Washington D.C. for the U.S. Conference of Mayors to address critical issues.
Fresno Mayor Lee Brand tweeted Thursday; “Attending the United States Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. and spending time with other local mayors. In this case, Merced Mayor Mike Murphy.”
Speaking to KMJ News by phone, Mayor Brand said it’s his third year participating in the Mayor’s Conference, now in it’s 87th year.
More than 85 percent of Americans are living in U.S. metropolitan areas, these mayors call on Washington to draw on mayoral expertise, and focus on issues ranging from Infrastructure, Immigration, Opportunity Zones, Climate, Automation, and Cities’ Economic Futures.
“I’m here on behalf of the City, lobbying to address the issues that affect the quality of life of everybody in Fresno from homelessness to getting our infrastructure done, where people can travel safely on roads,” said Mayor Brand. “Jobs and economic development — all of the things that affect the quality of life for people.”
Mayor Brand says last year, they were successful in getting $500 million to the cities and counties of California to fight homelessness, $3.1 million went directly to Fresno, $1 million dollars went to the Continuum of Care at the County of Fresno.
Merced’s Mayor Mike Murphy, joining Mayor Brand, spoke to KMJ News about a focus on infrastructure.
“Transportation is a big part of our future, and also things like opportunity zones, where investments in Merced can be very tax efficient, based on the new opportunity zones that the Administration put forward and the congress passed,” said Merced Mayor Mike Murphy.
Mayor Brand said on Wednesday, they met with Congressman Devin Nunes, and met Senator Diane Feinstein on Thursday.
On Twitter, Mayor Brand said “Great meeting with Senator Dianne Feinstein today. Advocated for Veterans Blvd and homeless funding.”
Both Mayor Brand and Mayor Murphy are participating in a meeting with the Big 13 — mayors from the 13 largest cities in California.
They are all lobbying for their specific needs, but homelessness and affordable housing are at the top of the list this year.
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. The U.S. Conference of Mayors runs from January 23-January 25 at the Capital Hilton, bringing together Administration officials, members of Congress, as well as business and community leaders to explore innovative solutions to the issues facing American cities today.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
