(9/20/97) Summary Report: U.S. Conference of Mayors Summer Leadership Meeting
September 20, 1997
(9/20/97) Summary Report: U.S. Conference of Mayors Summer Leadership Meeting
Meeting September 18-20 in Fort Wayne, 42 mayors -- members of the Executive Committee
and Advisory Board of The U.S. Conference of Mayors and chairs of the organization's standing
committees and task forces -- reviewed the most pressing issues facing their cities and the
organization and established an agenda for action in the year ahead. Chaired by Fort Wayne
Mayor Paul Helmke, President of the Conference, the meeting included discussions with the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo, on his agency's relationship
with the cities. Discussions also were held with the President of the National Association of
Counties, Randy Johnson, and the President of the Large Urban County Caucus, Peter
McLaughlin, both elected officials in Hennepin County (MN).
The top priorities covered by the mayors included:
Crime and Drugs
Led by a Task Force on Drug Control, the mayors will form a
coalition with police chiefs, prosecutors, school officials, county officials and governors to work
with the Congress on implementation of a National Action Plan to Control Drugs developed by
the mayors over the past year. The Conference will evaluate the effectiveness of federal anti-drug spending, will promote a "strike force" approach to drug control, and will disseminate
information on the most effective local anti-drug efforts.
Links with Business Community
A Task Force on Mayors and the Business
Community will be formed to develop approaches to strengthening the organization's
relationship with the business community. The Task Force will work with business leaders on
new public-private initiatives of mutual benefit and will work to increase the number of private
companies contributing to Conference activities.
Transportation
The mayors in the Fort Wayne meeting sent letters to House
leadership and the President in support of the federal funding for transportation being proposed
by Rep. Bud Shuster, chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The
mayors also endorsed Shuster's bill, entitled BESTEA, which reauthorizes the current
transportation legislation.
Sustainable Communities
A Joint Center for Sustainable Communities was formed this year by the Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties. In the year
ahead it will provide technical assistance, training and materials to local officials seeking cost-effective and comprehensive approaches to transportation management, brownfields recovery,
environmental protection, job training and other needs.
Hunger and Homelessness
As in previous years, the mayors' Task Force on Hunger and Homeless will survey cities to
guage the severity of these problems in 1997 and will issue its report in December. It is
anticipated that HUD Secretary Cuomo will join the mayors in the release of this report.
Brownfields
Brownfields has been designated the organization's number one priority by Mayor Helmke. A
detailed plan to assess the scope of the brownfields problem nationwide and develop solutions to
it has been drafted by the mayors' Brownfields Task Force. The Conference is calling on the
President, the Congress and other concerned parties to provide liability protection for various
parties involved in recovery of brownfields, clean-up standards based on the future end-use of
the property, federal assurance of future liability protections for businesses involved in voluntary
clean-up efforts, tax incentives to attract private investment to brownfield properties, and
financial resources for removal of contaminated material or other site remediation.
African Trade
Mayor Helmke announced that a Task Force on African Trade and Opportunity would be
formed. Chaired by Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, the group will focus on development of
trade between U.S. cities and the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and will continue Conference
support for the Growth and Opportunity in Africa Act now in Congress.
New Rail Starts
With demand for new transit system starts higher than at any point in history, and with more new
systems started than at any previous time, mayors are concerned that the Administration's
funding request for new starts is inadequate to cover even projects currently under construction.
Increased federal commitments to new transit starts are being sought.
Breast Cancer Awareness
Initiatives started during the past year to promote breast cancer awareness and prostate cancer
awareness will be continued in the year ahead.
District of Columbia
The chair of the Task Force on the District of Columbia, Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins, reported
on a recent series of meetings she had in Washington. To determine how the Conference might
best contribute to the successful restructuring of the District government, Mayor Mullins met
with Washington Mayor Marion Barry, with Federal D.C. Interagency Task Force Director Carol
Thompson Cole, and with the chair of the House Oversight Committee for D.C., Rep. Tom
Davis (VA). A working agenda for the Task Force is being developed.
Electric Utility Deregulation
A Task Force is being formed to identify the benefits and potential risks to cities as Congress
moves toward deregulation of the electric utility industry. The Task Force will also examine the
state legislation that has been passed on this and will analyze how these state laws relate to
federal reform in this area.
Urban Water Council
Two dozen mayors, their water directors and other city officials will meet in New Orleans
September 25-26 to identify and prioritize key water issues facing cities and develop strategies
to address them. A "Mayors Action Plan on Sustainable Watershed Management" has been
drafted and will be reviewed by representatives of cities, USDA, EPA and NOAA. The goal is
to include a watershed management strategy in the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act.
Welfare to Work
The mayors drafted and signed a letter to Labor Secretary Alexis Herman strongly protesting the
clear state orientation of the Draft Interim Planning Guidance for the Welfare to Work Formula
Grants which her agency released a day earlier. The mayors, joined by county leaders, are
pressing for an immediate meeting with the Secretary on both the tone and substance of the
Guidance which, when finalized, will govern the administration and operation of the Welfare to
Work effort nationally.
Census
The Census Task Force will continue to press mayors' concerns with the potential undercount in
cities in the 2000 census. The federal government is not planning to adjust the census to correct
the undercount. The Task Force will continue to inform mayors of Census Bureau plans and the
issues they raise for cities.
Clean Air
The mayors reconfirmed their support for a delay in, and further study of, Clean Air Act
standards on ozone and particulate matter which the Environmental Protection Agency finalized
this summer. The mayors are concerned that these standards will inadvertantly promote urban
sprawl and hinder recovery of brownfield sites.
Public Schools
The mayors discussed plans for the October 15 Detroit Summit of Mayors and Superintendents
on issues facing urban public schools. They continued previous discussions of the roles which
mayors can play in supporting and improving local school systems. The Task Force on Public
Schools is proposing a national conference on mayors' roles in public education for Spring 1998
and will be promoting greater exchange of information on successful education initiatives in
cities.
Recycling
The mayors planned for the release, later this year, of their Fourth Annual Report to the Nation
on Recycling. Strategies to increase the purchase of recycled content products by governments
and the private sector were discussed. The goal is to improve markets for the materials collected
in local rsecycling programs.
Internet Taxation
The mayors will be joining with other national state and local government organizations in a
campaign to create public awareness of the serious problems that will be created if limits are
imposed on the state and local government taxation of transactions on the Internet. State and
local leaders will be urging that no national policy or legislation on Internet taxation be
developed until a thorough and impartial study of impact is completed.
Arts
The Conference will be sending letters to Congress in support of funding for the National
Endowment for the Arts. The Senate voted last week to fund the program but because the House
had voted for no funding, a conference committee fight is anticipated. Plans are underway for a
major event in Washington and an awards program to call national attention to the contributions
of the arts to cities and to culture.
CONTACT: Mike Brown, (202) 861-6708.
The United States Conference of Mayors
J. Thomas Cochran, Executive Director
1620 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone (202) 293-7330, FAX (202) 293-2352
Copyright © 1996, US Conference of Mayors, All rights reserved.
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