MAYOR WALSH TO HOST
PUBLIC FORUM WITH MAYORS OF NEW YORK AND SEATTLE
Discussion will focus on how cities can
address income inequality
and financial empowerment
BOSTON - March 10, 2015 - Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced a
public forum on “Municipal Strategies for Financial Empowerment” that will
feature Mayor Walsh, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Seattle Mayor Ed
Murray as panelists, and an audience question and answer period. The event on
Sunday, March 22 from 3:30pm to 5:30pm will be held at the Campus Center at
UMass Boston and is part of a two day US Conference of Mayor’s Leadership
meeting being held in Boston. The event is sponsored by Citi.
“In Boston we are building an economy that works for everybody,
and putting programs and strategies in place to lift individuals and families
out of poverty, by giving them the tools to build financial security,” said
Mayor Walsh. “This forum is a place to talk to residents about their
experiences, and hear from peers in government about the work being done across
the country to put those seeking financial empowerment on the path to achieving
their dreams.”
“Research from FamilyAssetsCount.org shows that almost half of
nationwide households lack the necessary savings to cover the loss of a job,
emergency car repairs or even medical bills,” said Bill Mills, CEO of North
America for Citi. “Mayors across the country are stepping up to play a central
role in bolstering household financial security, and we are proud to join the
U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Cities of Opportunity Taskforce to support
and showcase their innovative initiatives.”
"Financial empowerment is a crucial topic in neighborhoods
throughout Boston and across the country," said UMass Boston Chancellor J.
Keith Motley. "We're proud that Mayor Walsh is leading the national
discussion on this issue, and we're pleased to contribute by hosting this
distinguished panel."
Mayors nationwide are leading efforts to address economic
resilience and systemic inequality, challenging issues gripping our cities and
our country. The 2-hour panel will be moderated by Dr. Eric Rosengren,
President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The Mayors will discuss
municipal strategies for credit building, wealth creation, consumer and family
protection, and financial empowerment, aimed at improving outcomes for low and
moderate income households. The program will include a 40-minute question and
answer period with the attendees. Participants are asked to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/municipal-strategies-for-financial-empowerment-forum-tickets-16087150099
Mayor Walsh is a national leader on these complex issues, serving
as Vice Chair of The U.S. Conference of Mayors Cities of Opportunity Task Force
alongside Chair Mayor DeBlasio. Established at the Conference’s Annual
Meeting last June, the Task Force aims to bring mayors from across the country
to together to leverage the power of local governments to advance a national,
common equity agenda with local policies and best-practices that will help to
expand opportunity for all.
"The nation’s mayors cannot stand idly by when Washington
does not act,” US Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran
about the ongoing work of the Conference's Task Force. “We have an obligation
to do what we can from where we sit to address issues of inequality and grow
economic opportunities for the people living in cities and their metropolitan
areas all across the country."
In 2014 Mayor Walsh launched the Office of Financial Empowerment
in Boston, which offers residents financial coaching and career development
tools, and signed an Executive Order for payment certification requirements for
vendors with city contracts to prevent wage theft.
