On June 11, 2018, the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously passed an official resolution in support of CityHealth’s policies. Read the full text below.
The Honorable Martin J. Walsh, Boston, MA
The Honorable Ted Wheeler, Portland, OR
The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles, CA
The Honorable Buddy Dyer, Orlando, FL
The Honorable Jim Kenney, Philadelphia, PA
CELEBRATING AMERICA’S MAYORS AND CITIES WHO MAKE HEALTH POLICY A FIRST-TIER SOLUTION TO MUNICIPAL CHALLENGES
WHEREAS, everyone, in every city, deserves the chance to live the healthiest possible life; and
WHEREAS, policy is one of the most important tools local governments can use to improve their residents’ lives; and
WHEREAS, mayors lead the country’s most successful efforts to bring health to Americans in cities all across the country; and
WHEREAS, CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, is providing cities with the tools they need to achieve better health outcomes for their residents; and
WHEREAS, CityHealth policies have been shown to improve people’s health and quality of life; including:
- High-quality, universal pre-kindergarten that gives children a better chance to succeed in school;
- Access to housing that is affordable and that helps people of all income levels achieve and maintain good health;
- Complete streets that allow city residents to safely walk, bike, drive, and take public transit around their community;
- Common sense substance use policies that reduce crime, increase safety, and reduce spending on health care and criminal justice;
- Healthy food procurement policies that ensure healthy food options are available on public property;
- Efforts to curb tobacco use among young adults;
- Reasonable paid sick leave laws that can reduce the spread of contagious illnesses, increase employment and income stability, and save cities money in healthcare costs,
- Smoke-free air laws that protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke and reduce smokers’ consumption of tobacco; and
- Smart food safety laws that reduce foodborne illness rates and cut down on healthcare costs.
WHEREAS, CityHealth will recognize mayors that are championing innovations to improve the health of those who call their cities home and honor cities with gold, silver, and bronze medals for their policy change efforts;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors supports the goal for cities to pursue gold medal policies that lead to healthier residents and improved quality of life; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors will celebrate mayors that make health policy a first-tier solution to their municipal challenges.
