Dayton Mayor Whaley says gun laws a key issue on 2020 agenda for mayors

A gunman on Aug. 4 killed nine people in Dayton’s Oregon District and injured nearly 30.

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On Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors released its election-year policy agenda, the “Mayor’s Vision for America: a 2020 Call for Action.” During the national conference call with the organization’s members, USCM Vice President and Mayor of Louisville, Ky, Greg Fischer, introduced Whaley by saying, “There is nobody better to talk about this issue,” before the conference addressed gun violence in 2019.

Whaley is the 2nd vice president of U.S. Conference of Mayors. The conference is a nonpartisan organization which includes about 1,400 cities with populations of 30,000 or more.

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“One hundred people die every single day to the hand of a gun,” Whaley said. “We can’t solve this crisis at a local level alone, that is why we have a bipartisan solution outlined in this agenda.”

The document is built around USCM’s core priorities of infrastructure, innovation and inclusion, according to a USCM release. The group also focused on issues such as climate change, housing, immigration, jobs, and civil rights.

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“While Washington is so often paralyzed by partisanship, mayors continue to show how things can get done,” said USCM President, and Rochester Hills, Mich. Mayor Bryan Barnett upon release of the agenda. “Public trust is highest at the local level, and that’s because America’s mayors don’t let politics get in the way of progress. This agenda represents our continued commitment to strengthening this country with thoughtful, bipartisan policy solutions. It’s release today marks the beginning of a year-long conversation with candidates and the American people about how to achieve a better future.”

Mayors will present the agenda to candidates seeking federal office, including presidential candidates. The agenda will be showcased at today’s Local America Presidential Forum in Waterloo, Iowa, an event sponsored in partnership between USCM and Accelerator for America.