Mayors: With Federal Funding Under Attack, Cities Must Take Lead

Dear Colleagues and Partners,

You may have seen the recent Op-Ed in Newsweek penned by our Advisory Council Co-Chairs, Mayor Gallego and Mayor Lucas, and myself. If you haven’t, I encourage you to read it.

Amid the shifting dynamics between local communities and the federal government, cities must take action locally – to borrow ideas that are working in other communities to drive greater economic mobility for residents. We have seen this with San Antonio’s Ready to Work initiative, which is designed to provide more than 15,000 local residents with clear pathways to good-paying careers. After visiting San Antonio to learn about Ready to Work, Kansas City and Phoenix have already taken action to launch similar workforce development programs.

Other cities like Columbus, Nashville, and Phoenix are sharing lessons learned from their successful ballot measures in 2024. With the help of Accelerator for America Action, these cities have secured $35 billion in local funding for infrastructure projects to improve transit and support local businesses.

While communities across the country stand ready to partner with the federal government to improve the lives of residents, local leaders must harness the power they have to collaborate and innovate to move their communities forward. Together, cities can create the national change we need, from the ground up.

Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
President and CEO
Accelerator for America