In Support of Federal Funding for Local Infrastructure Using Private Activity Bonds and Access to Technical Assistance
Adopted at the 92nd Annual Meeting in 2024
WHEREAS, local governments promote public infrastructure development and renewal through
equitable and sustainable models of infrastructure deployment, from broadband to public schools to municipal buildings, roads, transit and water systems, and more across metropolitan areas, and
WHEREAS, America's cities face an affordability crisis, and a technical capacity shortfall, cities call on qualified advisors to help develop solutions using the P3 model to address the crisis, and to improve outcomes of applications for discretionary federal grants; and
WHEREAS, America's Mayors are leading efforts to address our climate challenges by utilizing the Public Private Partnership model to implement the delivery of climate-smart, resilient, decarbonized infrastructure for current and future residents of their cities; and
WHEREAS, America's Mayors seek to use the P3 delivery model to access new public and private sources of funding and finance, including but not limited to programs in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act; and
WHEREAS, the P3 delivery model increases transparency about the total cost of ownership of
government-owned assets, and further ensures that infrastructure is maintained over many decades to the highest standards for the community's benefit and enjoyment using performance-based contracts; and
WHEREAS, cities cannot afford to develop and renew all public infrastructure asset classes in the short-run, but instead, renewing the intergovernmental partnership through a sustained and pre-existing federal funding program can accelerate local infrastructure investment to service a clean economy for all Americans.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors support the Public Private Partnership, (P3), infrastructure project delivery model as a catalyst for the renewal of our local community infrastructure, and the improved maintenance of city facilities while creating jobs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors supports federal funding to increase local capacity in and access to qualified legal, financial, and technical advisors with expertise in alternative project delivery to assist local governments on community-based infrastructure projects.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that tThe United States Conference of Mayors calls on Congress to create a new allocation of Private Activity Bonds (PABs), known as REBUILD Bonds, for local governments to issue lower-cost debt to pay for the costs of upgrading government-owned infrastructure assets such as municipal buildings, libraries, and schools using the P3 model; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors supports legislation to reinstate the tax exemption for advanced refunding bonds.