MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to announce the formation of a new coalition Friday made up of mayors across the country dedicated to advocating for same-sex marriage.
At a press conference in Washington, D.C., Bloomberg will launch the Mayors for Freedom to Marry Campaign, bringing together more than 75 Republican, Democrat and Independent mayors who support the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry, according to a release.
Bloomberg, who will also serve as co-chair of the group, will be joined by a host of other city leaders, including Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, according to aides.
The mayor will also attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors' winter meeting, where he’s set to address the group on education reform.
The speech comes a week after the mayor called for dramatic changes to teacher compensation, including $20,000 raises for the best-rated teachers. He also threatened to fire up to half of teachers at 33 struggling schools, without the teachers' union's permission.
Bloomberg is also the co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
