City to Send Buffa to Mayors’ Conference

Mayor Peter Buffa will attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors from June 20 to 24 in San Francisco, the first time the city has sent a representative to the meeting in at least seven years.

The city will cover the estimated $1,500 cost of sending Buffa to three days of the conference. The trip was approved this week by the City Council.

Buffa said an improving economy and a possible interest in rejoining the national organization of mayors were the impetus.

“We’re in a little better position to afford it; we haven’t been in a number of years,” he said. “I thought this would be a good opportunity to see what goes on at the conference of mayors and bring it back to the council.”

Among the anticipated speakers are President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Gov. Pete Wilson and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

Buffa, who has never attended the conference before, said the real benefit is learning how other communities deal with problems in workshops on community policing, housing, transportation, urban planning and other issues.

“When you are caught up with the day-to-day issues in your city, you tend to think you’re the only city struggling with this, and that’s not the case,” he said.