October 7, 2002

Wilmington (DE) Mayor James M. Baker has launched a campaign to educate the public about predatory lending. The new campaign, "Don-t Borrow Trouble," features brochures in English and Spanish, billboards, bus signs, and radio and television advertising to alert the public of the tactics of predatory lenders and to provide reliable information.

"Many of our citizens, particularly the elderly and those struggling to provide for their families, are prey for these scams," Mayor Baker said. "This campaign provides us with a powerful weapon-helpful information for our citizens."

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created the "Don-t Borrow Trouble" campaign several years ago.

A monthly television program, run on San Leandro television, featured Mayor Shelia Young on three episodes. One on the city's disaster preparedness won a Telly Award. The 23rd Annual Telly Awards were announced in Cincinatti earlier this year. Two other programs received Telly finalist awards. Said Mayor Young: "This is a real thrill for us. I know that "City Limits" has a broad audience in San Leandro and we always provide a message of importance to the community."

Henry Cisneros, former Mayor of San Antonio and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton, received the Medallion of Excellence for Leadership at the 25th annual gala during the Congressional Hispanic Congress (CHCI) black tie event in Washington Sept. 24th. Nearly 2,200 attendees donated $2.3 million for the event that benefits Hispanic youth with college scholarships and summer internships.

Elizabeth (NJ) Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, CEO of his city since 1993, is the subject of a lenthy profile in the August 18, 2002 Newark Star-Ledger. The article credits the mayor's leadership with the revival of a downtown once replete with vacant storefronts, trash in the streets and boarded-up windows. The article notes that the city suffered badly in the 1970's and 1980's—from recession, high property taxes, competition from malls and the loss of more affluent residents who left for the suburbs.

A Sept. 26 news release from Marriot International added to the good news about Elizabeth. The hotel chain announced that the mayor presided over a ribbon ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of a new Courtyard by Marriot and Residence Inn by Marriot Elizabeth/Newark Airport hotels.

CNN's late edition for Sept. 3 featured three mayors discussing homeland security issues just one week before the nation geared up to commemorate the tragic events of 9/11.

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams were all interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on steps in emergency preparedness and other changes in security operations. Mayor Brown made the point that every city in the U.S. has changed the way they operate and that each of the three mayors interviewed were in record with security and safety recommendations of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Like many other mayors reaching out to the growing Hispanic presence in their cities, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, has created, with the Indianapolis Police Department, a 24-hour crime hotline where callers can anonymously report criminal activity in their neighborhoods using English or Spanish. The mayor noted that the effort is designed to help the Latino community report crime in their neighborhoods.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson joined with Utahns Against Hunger recently in a city-wide appeal for donations to help food banks and pantries facing wevere shortages of food. The special appeal was made after estimates were made that the city noted a 25 to 40 percent increase in requests for food over this time last year.

San Juan (PR) Mayor Jorge A. Santini has been appointed by President George W. Bush to The National Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The committee makes recommendations regarding the security of the cyber and information systems of critical U.S. national security and economic infrastructure.

Mayor Santini is an Advisory Board member of The Conference of Mayors.

Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard was elected Sept. 17 to serve as the President of the Indiana Metropolitan Mayor's Alliance. The Alliance is made up of mayors from Indiana's 20 largest cities, and represents the collective interests of those cities to the Indiana General Assembly.