Nutter Ends Term Leading Mayors' Conference
Mayor Nutter ended his term as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors this past weekend during the organization's annual meeting in Las Vegas.
Leading the organization gave Nutter – a frequent guest on cable news shows – a national forum in an election year, as well as a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention last summer. But, at home, critics often complained that his duties and travel for the conference came at the expense of city business.
During his tenure as president, Nutter advocated for cities on topics like the federal sequestration, municipal bonds, infrastructure investment, homelessness and gun violence. He also launched Cities United, a national effort to reduce violent deaths among African-American males.
At the Las Vegas meeting, Philadelphia was given one of two first-place "City Livability Awards," in recognition of the GunStat program, which has been credited with cutting the number of shooting victims in some parts of the city by more than half.
GunStat, a partnership between the police and the District Attorney's office, focuses on violent repeat-offenders and seeks to increase collaboration between city agencies to share data and promote safety in targeted neighborhoods.
Nutter, who began his term in June 2012, handed the reins to the next president, Mayor Scott Smith, of Mesa, Ariz.
"The national election was an opportunity for mayors to be highlighted as leaders and innovators," Nutter said in a news release. "As mayors, we don't always agree on every issue, but we always speak with respect and passion for the people and ideas we represent and we work to find solutions that unify rather than divide."
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