Just two weeks ago, I had the honor of
representing the City of Emeryville at the U.S. Conference of Mayors
(UCSM) Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. The group is the official
non-partisan organization of larger cities, creating a forum in which
mayors can share ideas and information. USCM also promotes the
development of effective national policy, strengthens federal-city
relationships, and strives to ensure that federal policy meets urban
needs.
I attended a meeting of the Environment
Standing Committee, where Gina McCarthy, the head of the
Environmental Protection Agency, gave an overview of the Clean Power
Plan – our nation’s first-ever set of national standards that
address carbon pollution from power plants. While appreciating that
we are moving away from carbon-intensive energy production here in
the U.S., I pressed McCarthy to address the transit of coal by rail
that is destined for other countries. She confirmed that there are
many conversations at the federal level concerning the safety of
hazardous materials by rail. There are many proposed projects that
may be exporting coal from the Western seaboard, and McCarthy pointed
out that the EPA’s role is to make sure there is a complete
disclosure in terms of environmental impact. She remarked, “We’ll
certainly be at the table to make sure that environmental impacts are
considered and well analyzed.” The tragedy over drinking water in
Flint, Michigan was at the top of everyone’s minds, and McCarthy
did not shy away from this topic. “Our first priority has to be and
is to make sure that the water in Flint is safe,” she said. Later
that same day, it was publicized that McCarthy accepted the
resignation of the EPA regional administrator in charge of Flint.
 |
| Emeryville Mayor Dianne Martinez with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti |
The mayors in attendance were also
witness to a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama, who talked about
the successes and continued efforts to end veteran homelessness in
American cities. And finally, we mayors had an audience with the man
himself, President Barack Obama. In the East Room of the White
House, the President discussed the role of mayors in American
government. “Mayors can’t wait for congress. Mayors can’t get
stuck in partisan gridlock. We’ve got Republican mayors here and
Democratic mayors, but frankly if you’re a mayor, nobody cares what
your party is. They care what you’re getting done.” The
President remarked on the 40 cities and counties that have taken
action on the minimum wage and on paid family leave. Among other
topics, he also touched on the water crisis in Flint, criminal
justice reform, the scourge of opioids and heroin, building new
housing in our growing cities, and making it easier for people to
vote.
While it was definitely a perk to be in
the company of the President and the First Lady, the lasting benefit
of the U.S. Mayor’s Conference is the opportunity to connect with
mayors whose cities are exploring new ways to combat the major
problems of our time. For instance, after accepting the First Lady’s
Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, Salt Lake City, Phoenix
and New Orleans have effectively done so. I’d like to learn from
the leadership in these communities and apply the lessons learned
from taking on these huge challenges.
In addition to networking with
officials from other cities, I was able to connect with members of
the Small Business Administration – notably, it’s administrator,
Maria Contreras-Sweet. I hope that this connection proves to be
fruitful in leveraging federal resources for our small businesses
right here in Emeryville.
I look forward to
representing our fair city as your mayor for the remainder of this
year, and I hope you’ll share your thoughts and concerns with me at
dmartinez@emeryville.org.
Links:
President Obama’s remarks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors - http://www.c-span.org/video/?403576-1/president-obama-remarks-us-conference-mayors
Environment Standing Committee - http://www.c-span.org/video/?403512-1/us-conference-mayors-discussion-carbon-emissions
Thanks for going to bat for us Mayor Martinez!
ReplyDelete