ANAHEIM, Calif. – Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken was among a group of newly elected mayors who met President Joe Biden and other top officials at the White House last week to discuss how Anaheim and other cities can benefit from federal spending included in recent legislation.
The mayors were invited for a half-day forum Friday on how Anaheim and other cities can tap into funding from the coronavirus pandemic aid bill, infrastructure legislation, the wide-ranging Inflation Reduction Act, and ongoing federal programs, Anaheim officials said.
The bipartisan group of 13 mayors and mayors-elect met with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Labor Secretary Martin Walsh, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Julie Chavez Rodriguez, and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Gabe Amo.
White House Domestic Policy Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice provided an overview of the historic resources available to cities, and Department of Treasury Counselor to the Secretary Jacob Leibenluft discussed the implementation of recovery programs.
“The mayors and mayors-elect discussed key initiatives around public safety and housing, as well as the implementation of the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act — which are leading to unprecedented job creation and an economy that is being rebuilt from the bottom up and middle out,” according to a statement from the White House.
Aitken was elected as the 48th mayor of Anaheim in November. She is the first female mayor in the city’s 165-year history.
Long Beach Mayor-elect Rex Richardson was also part of the group.
