In the news
A quick look at news stories this week featuring Bloomberg Cities’ programs and partners.
Syracuse launches a new Open Data Portal with help from the i-team. Joined by What Works Cities and the City, the portal allows residents to access a wide selection of data sets, including code violations and public safety metrics, and identify opportunities for new services to improve quality of life. (Syracuse Open Data)
The Mayors Challenge has returned, and this time, it’s bigger than ever before. For the fourth-ever challenge, what’s special about this one is the funding backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new $200 million American Cities Initiative. Hundreds of U.S. cities with 30,000 or more residents are eligible. For 35 of those cities that get through the application process, each will receive $100,000 for testing, and four will get $1 million, while one will get the $5 million grand prize. (Route Fifty)
In a speech criticizing White House turmoil and congressional uncertainty, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu called on local mayors to lead a vocal resistance to the polarization in American politics. Speaking before the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Landrieu, the organization’s 75th president, said municipal leaders from around the country needed to reach across the aisle and form bipartisan coalitions with the intent of solving problems faced by the nation’s cities. Landrieu said political fights had reached a fever pitch and began to impact local level operations. (Washington Post)
To fill a policy gap created by President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, the U.S. Conference of Mayors announced plans to remain committed to the international climate accord. As part of a series of resolutions announced by the organization, officials pledged to support cities that adopt 100 percent renewable energy as well as pledged to push Congress for greater investment in wind energy. The Conference of Mayors pushed further by calling for president Trump to support the Obama administrations programs aimed at cutting carbon monoxide emissions. (Inside Climate News)
Michael Bloomberg continued to voice his growing unease with President Donald Trump’s agenda by pledging to create a $200 million philanthropic program focused on funding local policies that strengthening city level leadership. Bloomberg described the program, called the American Cities Initiative, as a means of insuring the United States remain a global influence during a period of deep political divides in Washington D.C. The Cities’ Initiative will reward cities for addressing large scale issues such as gun control and climate change. (New York Times)
