By Ed Somers
June 18, 2007

The nation’s mayors will gather in Los Angeles June 22-26 for the 75th Annual Conference of Mayors, presided over by Conference President Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer and hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa.

In plenary sessions, committee meetings and workshops, the mayors will continue to highlight the priorities contained in The Conference of Mayors 10-Point Plan: Strong Cities, Strong Families for a Strong America. Major issues contained in that plan include an energy and environmental block grant/climate protection, crime prevention, doubling the Community Development Block Grant, housing, homeland security, education and workforce, infrastructure incentives, and unfunded mandates.

Confirmed speakers include three presidential candidates: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), Governor Bill Richardson (NM) and Representative Dennis Kucinich (OH). Presidential candidates from both parties are invited to address the meeting, but at press time no others had confirmed.

Many other speakers are confirmed including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA), Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, FEMA Administrator David Paulison, Children’s Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman, and many others.

The work of the Conference’s new Mayors Climate Protection Center will be featured in a special luncheon on Saturday, during which the first Climate Protection Awards will be presented. And on Monday, the 28th City Livability Awards will be presented during the 75th Annual Luncheon.

Palmer will honor the past Presidents of the Conference of Mayors during both a plenary session and a special evening celebration on Sunday.

Also, there will be an inaugural breakfast on Tuesday honoring Palmer, and installing new officers.

The policy committees of the Conference will meet on Friday and Saturday to consider 107 submitted resolutions. Resolutions that are passed in committee will be presented to the entire membership for consideration on Monday.

The standing committee schedule is as follows:

Friday morning: Criminal and Social Justice
Friday afternoon: Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports; Membership, International Affairs
Saturday morning: Community Development and Housing; Energy; Jobs, Education and the Workforce
Saturday afternoon: Children, Health and Human Services; Environment; Transportation and Communications, Urban Economic Policy

• New Mayors Orientation

• Travel and Tourism Roundtable

• City Employee Retirement Workshop

• Mayors Water Council

• Women Mayors Meeting

• Climate Protection Task Force

• Hunger and Homelessness Task Force

• Homeland Security Task Force

• High School Dropout Crisis Workshop

• Joint Meeting of Community Trees and Sustainable Development Task Forces

• Sustainable Freight and Goods Movement Task Force

• 311: The Mayor’s Dashboard Workshop

• Census 2010 Workshop

• Mayors/CIOs Roundtable

• Building a Walkable City Workshop

• Council for the New American City

• First Climate Protection Awards, sponsored by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.- Saturday lunch

• 28th City Livability Awards, sponsored by Waste Management, Inc. - Monday lunch

• USCM/DuPont CUSP Lead'safe… For Kids’ Sake Grant Awards – Saturday

• Excellence in Community Trees Awards, sponsored by The Home Depot Foundation – Saturday

• Leadership in the Arts, sponsored by Americans for the Arts and Conference of Mayors – Sunday

• 2007 Water Taste Test Awards, sponsored by Veolia Water North America – Monday

Villaraigosa has arranged a series of wonderful events that include:

• Friday morning: Interfaith Service – A Prayer for Peace in America’s Cities

• Friday evening: Act I: Poolside at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel

• Saturday evening: Act II: The Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland (Black-Tie Optional)

• Sunday: informal lunch at Century Plaza Hotel

• Sunday afternoon and evening: Act III: Universal Studios Hollywood

• Monday evening: It’s A Wrap: Griffith Observatory

There will also be host-city workshops on Monday afternoon:

• Enhancing Modern Urban Leadership

• Homeownership Preservation Strategies Presented by Wells Fargo

• A waterside tour of America’s largest port

• Investing in Youth, Building Bright Futures

More information on these events, as well as spouse and children events, can be obtained by going to usmayors.org.