Happy Friday!

In my State of the City speech in February, I talked about coordinating a convening with the National League of Cities (NLC) to discuss common challenges that City Councils across the country are facing. That time has arrived. Today and tomorrow, my counterparts from major cities across the country are meeting to exchange ideas about policy issues, from policing and improving public transportation, to administrative matters like managing budgets and using technology to engage constituents. Discussion topics will include infrastructure, criminal justice reform, economic development, and the role of cities in today’s political climate

I understand the power of sharing information and new practices. That’s how we started Participatory Budgeting (PB) in New York City—by looking at how Porto Alegre, Brazil and Chicago were implementing PB. And we have repeatedly witnessed how other municipal legislative bodies have followed this Council’s ground-breaking work to shape their own policies. With the National League of Cities, an organization focused on intercity partnership and collaboration, we can count on the right partner for sustaining these critical networks among policymakers.

I am looking forward to creating lasting partnerships and exchanging innovative strategies that I and the other participants can take back to our respective bodies to make each of our cities stronger.

–Melissa