Arizona Mayors Shine in D.C. Last Week

Mayors across Arizona and the country are immediately responsible for charting a course for their residents on the path to safety and success.

Arizona Mayors Kate Gallego, Regina Romero, John Giles, Jerry Weiers, and Corey Woods took part in D.C. Events last week while visiting the White House and attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting where 200 local chief executives met to discuss strategies to move their communities forward.

During a White House Ceremony, Phoenix’s Gallego and Mesa’s Giles were cited by President Joe Biden in remarks on the second anniversary of his inauguration last week regarding Administration-backed legislation like the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and CHIPS and Science Act.

On investments in the Semiconductor Industry, the President mentioned Mayor Gallego, saying:

“Our economic agenda ignited a manufacturing boom, a semiconductor boom, the battery boom, the electric vehicle boom. We’re making things in America again and in every part of America, cities large and small. The mayor of Phoenix, Kate — is Kate here? Thank you, Kate, for being here.  I was with her last month to announce a small investment: $40 billion. $40 billion invested by TSC — TMSC [TSMC], the two semiconductor factories, and thousands of union workers helping to build them.”

Citing the American Rescue Plan, the President recognized the Republican Giles investing funds allocated to Mesa, commenting:

“In Mesa, Arizona, Mayor Giles — I don’t know whether the mayor is here. I’m going to get people in trouble calling this out. (Laughter.) Mr. Mayor, how are you? Bought five new ambulances, hired behavioral health clinicians to help the fire department in crisis calls.”

In comments to AZ Central, both Gallego and Giles expressed their thanks to the President.

Gallego said: “It was a real high point to be recognized by President Biden as a city that is doing it right.”

Giles relayed: “The president’s shoutout was justified, frankly. I’m proud of the fact that we are doing what a lot of communities want to do. And they’re trying to catch up to us.”

During the conference, the Mayors participated in several events and panels.

Mayor Gallego “spoke on two panels: “Planning, Priorities and Partnerships: Ensuring Public Safety at Large-Scale Events” and “Transforming America With Investments In Broadband, CHIPS, and Science.”

She also interviewed with the How to Run a City Podcast,  Valerie Biden Owens (The President’s sister) on All Politics is Personal, and Time Magazine with Phillip Elliott.

Giles contributed to the “The Role of Cities: National Strategy on Food, Nutrition, and Health” Panel. He was chosen to serve as the Chair of the Mayor’s alliance to End Early Childhood Hunger.

He also appeared in CBS’s Face the Nation.

Mesa, Arizona considers itself one of America’s safest cities. How does it accomplish that? Mayor John Giles points to policing with an emphasis on mental health. “Last year we diverted over three thousand 911 calls away from a police response to a mental health response.” pic.twitter.com/SXak1MYxpb

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 22, 2023

Tucson’s Mayor Romero attended an MSNBC Panel on local issues.

Productive discussion on @MSNBC @ballartmsnbc with my fellow mayors @Mayorsuarez @MayorHancock @PhillyMayor about critical issues facing our cities today. We talked #housing #communitysafety #infrastructure #climatechange and #immigration. #MayorsDC23https://t.co/mRjasLUg0N

— Regina Romero (@TucsonRomero) January 22, 2023