Washington, DC— New Orleans Mayor and President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Mitch Landrieu issued the following statement on the passing of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee:
“We are shocked and saddened by the heartbreaking news today that our good friend and colleague, Mayor Ed Lee, has passed away. It is a devastating loss and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
“As mayor of the great city of San Francisco, he spearheaded the creation and proudly served as the Chair of the Conference’s Technology and Innovation Task Force. He provided invaluable insight and thoughtful leadership on the ever-changing, and often times challenging, landscape of the field. His passion knew no bounds and we all greatly benefitted from his determination and steadfast commitment to the issues that mattered most to him, including civil rights and climate change. He hosted the 83rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors Meeting in 2015 with great exuberance taking great pride marking the 100th Anniversary of San Francisco City Hall and showcasing great examples of innovative best practices that he proudly shared with our nation’s mayors.
“He is remembered fondly by his fellow mayors who admired his compassion and humility. His gentle demeanor belied his strong and resilient voice, which he effectively raised not only for the city of San Francisco, but for the entire international community as well. We are all deeply grateful for his exemplary service.”