Talking to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti led a discussion on the importance of infrastructure with Greater NY corporate and nonprofit partners over an intimate breakfast. The topics ranged from affordable housing, public education and big infrastructure projects in Los Angeles to his personal experience as a foster parent. Garcetti was in New York City to give the keynote address for the Regional Planning Association’s Annual Assembly.

“We’re in a moment when people feel everything is failing them – their government, their constitution, even their most basic social fabric.”

“We need to build our physical infrastructure while giving birth to homegrown industries and creating well-paid, middle-class jobs that don’t disappear in the event of a recession or economic downturn,” said Garcetti. “We’re in a moment when people feel everything is failing them – their government, their constitution, even their most basic social fabric.”

Garcetti was joined by his former Executive Vice Mayor and Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Jacobs to talk about Accelerator for America, which they launched together in 2017 as an “R&D arm for cities and mayors” to scale locally-tested solutions that have connected people with jobs and developed infrastructure. At the time of the meeting, Accelerator for America was reviewing 50-60 possible investments.

Eric Michael Garcetti is the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles.  He is LA’s youngest mayor and its first elected Jewish mayor. Previously, Garcetti served as president of the Los Angeles City Council from 2006 to 2012. He earned his B.A. and M.A. from Columbia University, studied as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford and obtained his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics.

Greater NY holds quarterly breakfasts for its partners with speakers
from the public, private and nonprofit sectors