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Happy Spring, Columbus!
The flowers are blooming and so is our city. As the weather warms up, I am especially looking forward to concerts at the Columbus Commons, the return of festivals to the Scioto Mile, cheering on the Crew and the Clippers in the Arena District, and so much more. Despite putting many traditions on pause during the worst of the pandemic, I am excited to welcome all of you back to a vibrant and lively downtown full of culture, entertainment and a thriving economy thanks to the efforts of our incredible partners, including Columbus City Council, the Franklin County Commissioners, CDDC, our local business community and, most of all, the people of Columbus. Visit Experience Columbus to learn more about all that’s coming up.
Sincerely,
Mayor Andy Ginther
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Last month I delivered my annual State of the City address. I shared our progress and successes in addressing our community’s most pressing challenges such as neighborhood safety, child care, affordable housing, climate change, transportation and neighborhood development. I also announced Opportunity Rising – our new playbook for empowering every Columbus resident to equitably grow and prosper. I encourage everyone to watch or read the 2022 State of the City address.
 The Columbus Commitment: Achieving Pay Equity
There is a troubling pay gap in Columbus – one that is sadly prevalent throughout much of the nation. For every dollar that a man earns in Columbus, women make only 83 cents. The gap is even wider for women of color, with African American women earning 63 cents and Latina women earning 58 cents.
On March 25, the Columbus Women’s Commission, chaired by First Lady Shannon Ginther, launched the Columbus Commitment Pay Equity Pledge, which calls for 100 additional companies, in the next 100 days, to pledge to learning more about and taking actions toward achieving 100% pay equity in the workplace. Businesses of all sizes and from all industries are invited to take part. Employers interested in signing the pledge can do so here.
Last month I also announced nearly $19 million for the next generation of body-worn and in-car cameras for the Columbus Division of Police. Since the program launched in 2016, nearly 3.5 million videos have been captured, helping to build trust and transparency between the community and our officers. This next generation of cameras will feature clearer audio, advanced lowlight video capture, reduced motion and blur, automated activation and 18 hours of video recall.
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