77th U.S. Conference of Mayors Give 5 Ways to Help Obama Help the Cities

altWASHINGTON
– At the 77th annual winter meeting of the United States Conference of
Mayors, city CEOs sent distress signals of fiscal desperation in the
direction of the White House – even as they prepared for the 56th
Inaugural Parade welcoming Barack Obama as the 44th president of the
United States.
Five city CEOs from around the country took a few
minutes to share their thoughts about how to jump-start the nation’s
metropolitan regions, thereby accelerating the pace toward true
economic recovery:

Douglas
Palmer, mayor, Trenton, N.J.: “I’m just so proud that President-elect
Barack Obama will be leading us. We all [mayors] have to get behind
him.”


Manny
Diaz, mayor, Miami: “Mayors have long warned that failure to invest in
education and modernization of education, health care, the environment,
infrastructure and housing would bring with it dire consequences and
would create a competitive disadvantage for our country. The National
Economic Recovery Plan is the first crucial step in an effort to save
and create three to four million jobs, jump-start our economy, and
begin the process of transforming our nation for the 21st century.”

Ron
Dellums, mayor, Oakland, Calif., and former member of the House of
Representatives for 28 years: “This [economic downturn] also provides
us with incredible opportunities. I think this requires bold and
aggressive action. I think [Obama] understands that he needs to partner
with cities and metropolitan areas of the country because he recognizes
that the cities aren’t the problems; they really are the opportunities
to turn the country around.”
H. Abram Wilson, mayor, San Ramon,
Calif.: “Now with a new administration and people working together … we
can turn this around. We are Americans. It’s imperative that we don’t
worry about one’s political affiliation; we [must] concern ourselves
with moving our country on together. We don’t have an option not to.”


Antonio
R. Villaraigosa, mayor, Los Angeles: “Eighty-eight percent of our GNP
[gross national product] is created in our cities. I’d like to see more
money go directly to the cities and not pass through [the state
governments]. The money is then diffused throughout the state and it
doesn’t go where [it’s] needed the most.” –terry shropshire

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