U.S. Conference of Mayors Launches The Mayors & Business Leaders Center for Inclusive and Compassionate Cities

As National Discourse Becomes More Divisive, Mayors Take the Lead in Promoting Tolerance, Equality and Unity During its Annual Meeting in Boston, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) announced the establishment of the Mayors and Business Leaders Center for Inclusive and Compassionate Cities. The Center will focus on creating a strong and committed partnership between mayors and business leaders, identifying…

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As Trump Administration Considers Reduction of Refugee Cap for 2019, Nation’s Mayors Push for Increase

Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), led by USCM President and Columbia (SC) Mayor Steve Benjamin and USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to increase, not decrease, refugee admission levels in 2019. The most recent policy adopted by USCM on this issue calls for admitting at least 100,000 refugees per…

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Why mayors are ‘completely baffled’ by loss of advance refunding

The beginning of Infrastructure Week 2018 presents us with the perfect opportunity to highlight a major blow to community control and to local government infrastructure investment: the repeal of advance refunding of municipal bonds in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I deeply appreciate that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act maintained the century-old tax exemption for municipal bonds. State…

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Mayors’ Group Tries Novel Idea: A Bipartisan Agenda

Governing When Columbia, S.C., Mayor Steve Benjamin, a Democrat, became the new president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Monday, he announced that his priority areas would be infrastructure, innovation and inclusion. Focusing on those particular issues isn’t really remarkable for a local leader these days. But there’s one thing about the platform that is noteworthy: It’s the first…

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Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said he’ll champion diversity as head of national mayors group

Citing Columbia for its diversity efforts, Mayor Steve Benjamin said he’ll work to raise $1 million to promote inclusive local policies across the country during his inauguration Monday as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “I believe it is the reason that Columbia is here at this opportunity right now,” Benjamin said during his half-hour remarks at a ceremony…

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Three Mayors Highlight How the Southeast Is Building for Growth

Urbanizing cities of the U.S. Southeast, such as Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina, are facing the trade-offs of continued growth. Speaking at the 2018 ULI Carolinas Meeting, the mayors of those three cities discussed how and where their cities invest to attract job growth, while attempting to avoid displacement of longtime residents. “We are engaged in…

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South Carolina HBCU presidents, in collaboration with UNCF and the White House Initiative on HBCUs, hope to change the narrative on the impact of HBCus

South Carolina HBCU presidents, in collaboration with UNCF and the White House Initiative on HBCUs, hope to change the narrative on the impact of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as discussed at the South Carolina HBCU Economic Impact Conference held on March 19 at Benedict College. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, a trustee at Benedict college, joined eight South Carolina…

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