By
November 3, 2003

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley spoke on October 14 at a conference in England about his efforts to clean up Baltimore's drug crime problem and to also promote his "Believe" campaign. Members of Prime Minister Tony Blair's administration sought O'Malley's help to support a new British government program to reduce drug crimes and the anti'social behavior in England. O'Malley's message stressed the need for persistence and a willingness to fight drug crime remembering to take the important first step of convincing people most affected by crime that progress is possible. Since 1999, Baltimore has led major US cities in drug crime reduction rates. O'Malley was the only American speaking at the conference, and afterward he appeared on BBC news programs and spoke to leading members of Parliament.

The October 30 Roll Call reports that Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, a former two-term California Governor, was back in Sacramento last week on a recruiting trip "to entice staffers of recalled Democratic Governor Gray Davis to fill vacancies at Oakland City hall." Davis was then Governor Brown's chief of staff. 100 people are due to lose their jobs when Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger takes office in mid-November.

Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas is one of three "candidates in waiting" for Florida Senator Bob Graham's decision as to whether he will run again in 2004. All three candidates said they would end their bids if Graham, who recently dropped out of the Democratic Presidential Campaign, decides to run for another term. The other two are Congressman Peter Deutsch and former state Education Commissioner Betty Castor. Graham is expected to make his decision November 3.

Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, President of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors, delivered the Democratic radio address to the nation October 18. The address is the weekly response to President Bush's address to the nation. Palmer's address included remarks critical in proposed cuts in the COPS program, lack of full funding for the "No Child Left Behind" act, and the fact that 40 million Americans have no health insurance.

California Mayors Named to Schwarzenegger's Transition Team

California mayors, past and present have been named to the 65-member transition committee by Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The list includes Freson Mayor Alan Autry, San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., longest serving speaker of the California State Assembly, Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn, elected mayor in June, 2001, a former LA city attorney and a prosecutor for 20 years, and Long Beach Mayor Beverly O-Neill, head of California's 5th largest city since 1994 and Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Advisory Board.

Former mayors joining the transition effort include: Frank M. Jordan, mayor of San Francisco and a former city Chief of Police, Tom McEmery, mayor of Jan Jose, America's 11th largest city, from 1983 to 1990, Richard Riordan, mayor of Los Angeles from 1993-2001, and Pete Wilson, 36th Governor of California, a former U.S. Senator and mayor of San Diego.