Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jun 2006 Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT) Copyright: 2006 The Salt Lake Tribune Contact: http://www.sltrib.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383 Author: Lori Buttars Cited: U.S. Conference of Mayors http://www.usmayors.org Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Rocky+Anderson CONFERENCE OF MAYORS BACKS ROCKY'S MEASURES Heeding Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is urging Congress and the Bush administration to oppose criminalizing undocumented workers and to launch policies that help cities reduce the need for fossil fuel. The mayors this week also endorsed other Anderson-backed measures - including a call to end mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders and to send peacekeeping troops to Darfur. More than 200 mayors voted on the resolutions in Las Vegas, according to a statement released by the mayor's office Tuesday. "No other Salt Lake City mayor in recent memory has proposed and secured passage of so many resolutions," said Len Simon, a Washington lobbyist who was in Las Vegas, working on behalf of Anderson. Simon called Anderson the "architect" of the conference's policies on Darfur and ending mandatory minimum drug sentences. Anderson argues that, with the support of federal policies, cities are more effective in implementing economic and environmental programs in addition to the bigger-picture items such as human rights. "Legislative action on these resolutions will benefit Salt Lake City and our entire nation by helping to achieve a more just, peaceful and sustainable world," Anderson said in a news release. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake