Local Leaders Turning Policy Into Opportunity  | Bipartisan Policy Center

Why It Matters

Mayors are emerging as primary architects of workforce and human-capital policy, using convening power and local experimentation to drive job training, childcare, and education reforms that directly affect economic recovery and competitiveness. Local innovations can scale and influence broader policy as federal and state actors pull back.

Summary

At a Bipartisan Policy Center event, Henry Cisneros introduced a panel with mayors Mattie Parker (Fort Worth) and Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles) to highlight how cities are increasingly leading workforce and economic development efforts. Parker outlined Fort Worth initiatives linking schools to jobs, supporting childcare workers, and building public–private economic partnerships. Garcetti recounted Los Angeles programs such as the LA College Promise tuition waiver, emergency childcare during COVID, the Angelino Corps work program, and a national mayors’ network, Accelerator for America. Cisneros framed this as “new localism,” noting that metropolitan areas—home to 85% of Americans—are filling gaps left by federal and state retrenchment and tailoring solutions to local needs.

Original Description

While policy debates happen in Washington, the success of a national talent strategy will be determined locally. Cities are the nexus for schools, employers, workers, and families—with mayors turning policy into economic opportunity. This panel explores how city leaders translate national goals into real results, align education and workforce with local labor markets, and build public-private collaborations that expand opportunity—while identifying what they need from states and the federal government to get the job done.

Panelists:

- Mattie Parker | Mayor, City of Fort Worth, TX

- Eric Garcetti | Former Mayor, City of Los Angeles, CA; Member, BPC Board of Directors

- Henry Cisneros | Former HUD Secretary; Former Mayor, City of San Antonio, TX; Member, BPC Board of Directors (Moderator)