September Newsletter

September Newsletter

A Note from our CEO

More than a year and a half since the start of the pandemic, getting "back to normal" has been slower than all of us had hoped. Accelerator for America's work has always been strengthened by the ability to meet with local leaders and partners on the ground in communities to assess needs and strategize on plans to foster inclusive economic growth. And, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, our team was looking forward to hosting our next Advisory Council meeting with Mayor Fischer in Louisville later this month to explore transformative initiatives in cities across the country. But, with COVID cases continuing to rise nationwide, Mayor Fischer and our team ultimately decided to postpone the meeting until it is safer to gather in person.

While this decision was not easy, it represents one of the constants that has remained since the start of the pandemic — the tireless dedication of our nation's mayors to keeping our communities safe.

Mayors continue to serve on the frontlines, and I wanted to take a moment to applaud their leadership as they continue to make the hard decisions — against threats old and new — to keep us safe. In addition to battling the pandemic, mayors are busy creating plans to direct an unprecedented level of investment coming to cities via the American Rescue Plan and soon, an infrastructure bill, to accelerate inclusive local recoveries that seed innovations to drive the next generation of American prosperity. 

To our nation's mayors: thank you for all that you do. As always, we are here to support you in any and every way that we can. 

Aaron Thomas
President and CEO | Accelerator for America

Our Cities Need Bold Federal Investment in Transit

Last month, Senate Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), marking a huge step forward for a bill that represents the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century and lays the foundation for long overdue infrastructure investment that our local communities desperately need.

In fact, if passed, the IIJA would be the largest federal investment in public transit — ever. Since our founding, Accelerator for America Action has been dedicated to helping local communities nationwide pass transformative ballot measures that improve and expand access to public transit, help combat climate change, and create good-paying jobs to build strong local economies.

With a House vote on the IIJA expected by late September, the AFA Action team brought together an incredible group of partner mayors — many of whom have passed or are pursing transformative local measures in their cities — to highlight how important bold infrastructure investment is to their communities. Read their op-ed here.

We join these mayors in calling for the IIJA's passage and the historic investments it would make in American cities.

Congratulations to:

  • Mayor Steve Adler and the Austin City Council for committing more than $1 million to the city's guaranteed income trial with the goal of creating a program that can provide income stability for those in need. Read more here.

  • Our Advisory Council member John Porcari on being named Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Administration's Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force! The Task Force was established in June to address supply chain challenges as the country's economic recovery continues. Read more here.

  • Our partner Mayor Randall Woodfin for winning re-election (easily) for his second term as Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama!

In the News

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT


And keep following us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram as we create national change from the ground up, from coast to coast.

Aaron Thomas
President and CEO | Accelerator for America

NewslettersAccelerator for America