Im keeping this brief and to the point. Local leaders have been sounding at definite alarm for months about the need for direct fiscal assistance from washington as the virus rages in our city. Our budgets are under extreme stress. Arts fences are skyrocketing. Our essential lifesaving services are strained. The need for public assistance is through the roof. This has been going on since the beginning of the pandemic since march of last year. Today, only 38 cities have received direct relief yet mayors everywhere continue to do what we do everyday. We get it done. We run our cities with a balanced budget which we are required to do by law. So what does that mean . How do we possibly do that in the face of this tremendous crisis . It means the cut jobs. It means eliminating services and staff at the same time. Our First Responders have been on the job since day one of this pandemic transporting those with covid to hospitals with Public Health initiatives keeping social and family order
I want to thank her for an sent the National League of cities in the National Association of counties for their sheer dedication to this issue on badly needed federal assistance as we continue to fight the covid19 pandemic. A quick note for members of the press joining us today, we will take questions after brief opening remarks. If you have a question, please put your name and media outlet in the chat and well call on you. Im keeping this brief and to the point. Im keeping this brief and to the point. Local leaders have been sounding at definite alarm for months about the need for direct fiscal assistance from washington as the virus rages in our city. Fences are skyrocketing. Our essential lifesaving services are strained. The need for public assistance is through the roof. This has been going on since the beginning of the pandemic since march of last year. Today, only 38 cities have received direct relief yet mayors everywhere continue to do what we do everyday. We get it done. We r
Away sounding the alarm this could be the worst fall its 8 00 on today. From a Public Health perspective weve ever had. Coming up, taking center stage a disturbing, new warning joe biden and Kamala Harris make their First Official appearance from the head of the cdc where your coffee cup was what he says every american must back at 7 30 on this thursday morning, august 13th, do right now to get the upper hand on the virus before its 2020 love it or not, guess what else is back . The Pumpkin Spice craze, ladies and gentlemen. Dunkin announcing theyre bringing back the flavor of fall coffee, donuts, and muffins next together as running mates. Your next Vice President of the united states, Kamala Harris too late. Coronavirus in the were live with the latest. Plus, coronavirus and the classroom. Classroom. Our special look at everything new outbreaks inside schools thousands of students and you need to know about the teachers told to quarantine. This morning, the government wednesday. We s
If youre interested in being recognized, raise your hand function. And if you have any technical issues, put them in the notes in the chat box. Im honored to be the chair this committee. And i recognize all those who are with us. And vice chair is here. In the vice chair from border policies. Also the vice chair, and vice chair for community policing. And vice chair for emergency management. Thank you all for being here. In the business of this committee is a core function of this role. The safety release communities. As although, as mayor, as the center of probably one of the Biggest Challenges we have faced not only is mayors, and communities but also as global communities. This year has been incredible roller coaster, the challenges and also opportunities. This many will take on the responses of the covid19. And since the date, our communities have changed. The aftermath of the murder of george floyd on may 25th. And the countries undergoing important conversations about the role of
The coronavirus pandemic. Chair neal thank you for joining me. I have the greatest personal and professional regard for the United States conference of mayors. In congress there is a small Alumni Association. A lot has to do with the fact that we had to make immediate decisions along the way that did not always receive a chorus of support from the citizenry. Days of being the mayor of springfield, at the time, the hundred largest city in the country. And i feel a great sense of personal and professional satisfaction from what we were able to do and the immediacy of it. I would start with one funny story because you have all had the same experience. I was in the office one saturday morning, i thought it was a good time to get things done. Signing letters, doing a review and there wasnt staffers rushing in or someone who insisted on talking to at the moment. And the phone rang. I was 32 at the time and full of myself. I answered the phone. It was a citizen who said to me, she was upset,