Washington, DC
May 11, 2012

Landrieu – Our "Minister of Culture"

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu led the first ever World Cultural Economic Forum for USA mayors in his city last week. International officials came from dozens of nations and a strong representative group of USA mayors came to join with leaders across the globe.

Conference President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa addressed the delegation on the opening day of the forum, and he stressed the importance of the economic aspect of music, arts, and entertainment in producing jobs in Los Angeles.

Conference Vice President Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Past Presidents Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic had prominent roles during the meeting.

All mayors present continue to appreciate New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's leadership as he pushes forward the financial strength of the cultural economy. Mayor Landrieu's presentation comes through to his mayoral colleagues because he is absolutely brilliant and most engaging when he talks about and teaches others about the impact of the cultural economy and what it means to the city's economic activity. His discussion goes quickly to the bottom line, the finances of his city and he has a way of talking about it that connects the listener. This is, in part, due to the fact that as the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, he had the Louisiana portfolio on arts, tourism, and culture. This was before he was elected mayor in 2010. Further, Mayor Landrieu is a Catholic University graduate, with a double major in theatre and political science and was involved as an actor and performer in his college days and since. So, he speaks from his experience across the board as he has experienced, and now he expresses the importance of culture and arts with a voice like no other political leader in the nation.

Years ago, when Miami Mayor Manny Diaz chaired our arts (TAPES) committee, the Conference of Mayors endorsed the need for our nation to have a Minister of Culture in the USA as in other countries. Mayor Diaz echoed former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's call for a Minister of Culture when she and President Kennedy pushed the arts and culture issue forward during the 1,000 days they lived in the White House.

I said in closing remarks at the New Orleans forum last week that I am jealous of other nations who had Ministers of Culture there because out nation doesn-t have a Minister of Culture. And I went on to say that, while our nation has not created the office, we do have a Minister of Culture today for our nation and his name is Mitch Landrieu, the mayor of New Orleans and the Chairman of The U.S. Conference of Mayors Standing Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment, and Sports. Thank you, Mayor Landrieu, for a great World Cultural Economic Forum. Let us continue! This New Orleans landmark meeting is the beginning of bigger things to come for The U.S. Conference of Mayors, our cities, and the economies of cities throughout America.

President Obama, in his radio address this past weekend after returning from Afghanistan, continues to say that what we have been spending on the two wars should be transferred by taking one-half to pay off our debt and one half to rebuild America. This is not the first time President Obama has said this. He's been saying it for months.

Last June in Baltimore at our Annual Meeting, incoming Conference President and Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa led the effort as the nation's mayors called for monies to be directed in the post-war era to jobs and economic development in USA cities. Mayors will support the President taking half to pay down the debt and half for rebuilding America as we gather in Orlando next month for our 80th Annual Meeting. We will have Democratic, Republican and Independent mayors supporting funds to be invested in our own infrastructure. The majority of Americans feel the time has come, after two wars, to turn our serious attention to what has been deferred here at home.

As we leave our Annual Meeting next month, we will have a bipartisan position supporting President Obama and we will be asking Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee, to support the position of overdue sound investments in those things we cannot afford not to invest in at this time.

Register now for our 80th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 13 – 16. You can register online at: usmayors.org/registration or call Carol Edwards at 202-293-7330.

It's the place you need to be next month! See you there soon!