Working Groups Overview

Under Conference President Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, the Conference has established five working groups to focus on the most pressing issues America’s mayors are working on today. The culmination of this work will be presented later this summer.

Police Reform and Racial Justice

Chair: Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot of Chicago
Co-Chairs: Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa and Mayor John Cranley of Cincinnati

Police-community legitimacy has never been more questioned in America. This working group will add to the learnings of President Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force to create new models for policing in America. This group will lead our discussions on reimagining public safety and the criminal justice system. They should also discuss how to allocate public safety resources to human and social services providers to better address issues like mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness.

COVID-19 Response and Health Equity

Co-Chairs: Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, Mayor Dee Margo of El Paso, and Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland

Members: Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond (VA), Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit, Mayor Jenny Durkan of Seattle, Mayor Rick Kriseman of St. Petersburg, Mayor Vi Lyles of Charlotte, Mayor Andy Ginther of Columbus (OH), Mayor Betsy Price of Ft. Worth, and Mayor James Hovland of Edina

Until there is a widely available vaccine or treatment, COVID-19 will continue to negatively impact the health and well-being of America. This working group will be tasked with examining federal, state, and local public health policies to mitigate spread, address trauma, ensure a safe reopening, and improve health outcomes, especially for disparately impacted communities of color. The working group will recommend how to deliver more equitable health outcomes with policy recommendations that improve access to affordable healthcare and address the underlying health conditions that exacerbate the negative impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. Note that the direct financial aid initiative from the Federal government is separate from this workgroup.

Eliminating Poverty

Co-Chairs: Mayor Michael Tubbs of Stockton, Mayor Michelle De La Isla of Topeka, and Mayor Bill Peduto of Pittsburgh

Members: Mayor London Breed of San Francisco, Mayor Steve Williams of Huntington (WV), Mayor Victoria Woodards of Tacoma (WA), Mayor Kathy Sheehan of Albany, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge, Mayor Acquanetta Warren of Fontana, Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose, Mayor Jamael Tito Brown of Youngstown, and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of Lincoln

The grind of poverty impedes the dreams and potential of our people. This working group will seek to eliminate poverty in America and increase upward mobility by considering policy reforms in the following areas: education, jobs, workforce disruption caused by COVID-19 and technology, opportunities for youth, affordable housing, community and economic development, banking, tax policy, and support for minority- and women-owned small businesses. The group will develop recommendations on the reforms, resources, and private and intergovernmental partnerships needed to implement economic models that create a growing and inclusive middle-class in the U.S.

Dismantling Systemic Racism

Co-Chairs: Mayor Christopher L. Cabaldon of West Sacramento, Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. of Augusta, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta

Members: Mayor Steve Schewel of Durham (NC), Mayor Steven Reed of Montgomery, Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester (NY), Mayor Lily Mei of Fremont, Mayor Robert Garcia of Long Beach, Mayor Jon Mitchell of New Bedford, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba of Jackson (MS), Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS of Newport News, and Mayor Regina Romero of Tucson

Systemic racism prevents America from realizing its full potential. This working group will recommend high-level solutions and a template for cities to support the national and local movements to dismantle systemic racism. The working group will examine the role of racism in public institutions and provide recommendations to reform the historic and current public policies – internal and external – that maintain white supremacy. This group will provide recommendations for USCM, member mayors, and federal and private sector partners to address racial disparities and ensure more equitable outcomes for people of color politically, socially, and economically.

Economic Recovery

Co-Chairs: Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston, Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, and Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles

Members: Mayor Melvin Carter of St. Paul, Mayor Adrian Perkins of Shreveport, Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Mayor Harry LaRosiliere of Plano, Mayor Dan Horrigan of Akron, and Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham

The pandemic pushed America into a quick and deep recession, at a time when the middle class was shrinking and the disproportionate distribution of wealth was already at an all-time high. This working group will offer short- and long-term strategies to facilitate rapidly recovering employment and more equitable distribution of income and wealth. This group will be tasked with advancing a federal agenda to secure immediate fiscal relief for ALL U.S. cities, especially those under 500,000 population left out of the initial Coronavirus Relief Fund, as well as long-term investments to promote economic recovery, including infrastructure investment.