Greg Nickels became the 51st Mayor of the City of Seattle on January 1, 2002. He has focused his administration on four priorities aimed at making a difference in the lives of Seattle residents: Getting Seattle moving, keeping our neighborhoods safe, creating jobs and opportunities for all, and building strong families and healthy communities. * Rolling Stone* called Nickels the "Pied Piper" of mayors for his work to protect our climate. Mayor Nickels challenged mayors across the U.S. to join Seattle in advancing the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. To date, more than 950 mayors representing 81 million Americans have accepted the challenge to reduce global warming pollution by taking local action.