The Global Centers Forum was the first such meeting of local government leaders at a World Trade Organization meeting. Organized by Seattle Mayor Paul Schell and King County Executive Ron Sims, in cooperation with The U. S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties, the Forum focused on the expanding role of cities and counties in global trade.

In addition to Mayor Webb, Mayors Paul Schell of Seattle, Susan Golding of San Diego, and Miguel Pulido of Santa Ana, California, were featured panelists at the Forum. Mayors Webb and Pulido were both part of the official United States delegation to the World Trade Organization Meeting as well.

Goals of the Global Centers Forum on Local Government

With world attention riveted on Seattle during the WTO Meeting, local government leaders wanted to emphasize the crucial role that local government plays in the economic growth and prosperity of every nation. But local governments' concerns on issues of labor, the environment, preemption, e-commerce, and others, must be brought into and discussed fully at the level of the WTO.

Goals of the Forum were to:

• bring together local elected officials from around the world to address the opportunities and challenges of the global economy and to lay the groundwork for long-term global relationships;

• stimulate discussion about world trade issues of concern to local officials; and

• elevate the issue of the crucial role of cities, counties - metro economies - in the current and future economic prosperity of all nations.

Mayor Paul Schell opened the Forum by welcoming participants. "We are very pleased that you could be here for this historic occasion of bringing local government leaders together to discuss globalization," he said. Despite the press of the WTO meeting itself as well as the protests in Seattle, Mayor Schell, who had not only helped develop the Forum but also had a key role in its implementation, participated as much as possible during the morning in the meeting.

Addressing the Forum, Mayor Webb said, "Each of us has come to Seattle this week because we recognize that the economic well being of our individual cities and counties is heavily dependent on trade.

"Your participation in today's forum is evidence of your commitment to global trade and the realization of the important benefits that global trade brings to your local community.

"Whether we are from the Seattle, Washington area, where exports total over $29 billion (surpassing even New York City), or San Diego, where exports total nearly $8 billion, or Louisville/Jefferson County, where $2.5 billion is pumped into the local economy from exports, we are here to address the opportunities and challenges that local governments have as participants in the global economy.

"Local governments can no longer be considered at the fringes of global trade. This forum symbolizes local governments' recognition of the crucial role both cities and counties play in international trade scene and our commitment to working with our national governments to facilitate that role."

U.S.Metropolitan Economies: The Engines of America's Growth: USCM and NACo Landmark Report on Metro Economies Featured

In the Forum's opening session, Mayor Webb, along with Howard County, MD Chair and NACo President C. Vernon Gray and Prince George's County, MD, Executive Wayne Curry, highlighted new analysis that shows that many metro areas outpace states, even nations, in economic growth.

"Cities and counties together are the impetus for economic growth and prosperity in the United States," Mayor Webb emphasized.

He continued, "The report, compiled by Standard & Poor's DRI, documents the Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) of the nation's 317 largest metro areas and shows improved economic vitality for the nation's metro regions. It demonstrates that city and county officials play a strong and critical role on the national, international, political, and economic scene.

"Key findings of the report are:

• "In 1998, the 317 metropolitan areas included in the study generated 84% of the nation's total employment, 84% of the nation's production of goods and services, and 88% of the national income.

• "Our metropolitan economies accounted for 89%, or over two trillion dollars of U.S. economic growth.

• "Employment in metropolitan economies increased 2.8%, the largest percentage gain in 11 years, and finally, and I like to share this most often in discussing this report, if city and county metro economies were ranked with the economies of nations, 47 of the world's top 100 economies would be U. S. Metro areas."

• "The important message of the metro economies report is that the U.S. has become a nation of metro economic centers and the nation's cities and counties drive these metro centers!"

Webb: Need for Fundamental Change in Federal-Local Government Relationship

Mayor Webb emphasized, "As we come together at this historic meeting today, we need to send a strong message to the federal government and to the WTO, that they must develop economic policies that recognize that cities and counties are key players on the world trade stage.

"Local leaders are not carrying tin cups petitioning the federal government. We are strong pragmatists, running our cities and counties and delivering a multitude of services every day to our people.

"Because we are the government closest to the people, those at the top need to look at restructuring and producing real outcomes not just processes. The federal government needs to look at real changes in the fundamental relationship it has with local government.

"Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, our theme for George (W. Bush), Al [Gore], Steve [Forbes], Bill [Bradley], and John [McCain] is, 'Look at the relationship between the federal government and counties and cities in fundamentally different way that will help us, the foot soldiers in this governmental army, do our jobs better."

San Diego Mayor Susan Golding and Miguel Pulido Are Featured Panelists

Mayor Pulido participated in the "Local Governments' Trade Infrastructure Investments" panel. This panel focused on how local governments are investing resources to improve their basic infrastructure to accommodate the transportation needs of their ports and thus compete more effectively in the global market.

Mayor Pulido emphasized the importance of the regional concept, of regional economies. "In our metro area," he said, we are thinking regionally. This is the most effective way to help local businesses more competitive in the global market and to continue the experience the economic growth we are having in our region."

He noted the development of the Alameda Project, a 25-mile major connector from Long Beach to Los Angeles."

"We compete together now as a region, working together. County leaders and mayors are getting together and saying, how can we help we cooperate? It took us a while to realize the benefits of doing that," the mayor said.

San Diego Mayor Susan Golding was a major panelist in the session "E Commerce, Trade and Technology." This panel focused on benefits and concerns of local government in policy decisions regarding e-commerce, trade, and technology. Issues included access to Internet content, privacy and consumer protection, job creation, intellectual property protection, tariffs and taxes.

Among other issues, Mayor Golding discussed the perspective of viewing the internet as a growth industry and urged that it not be taxed. She also noted that local governments are increasingly concerned with the issue of fraud on the Internet and how local government responsibility in dealing with such fraud would be.

Mayor Webb Questioned About Protesters

In response to a reporter at the Forum, Mayor Webb stated that people have a "right to protest. However, because of the protests, some of us delegates to the WTO were not able to attend a plenary session. We were denied our fight to express our concern in a meeting.

"Organizations have to be formed to deal with issues. We want commerce to come to the Port of Denver - our airport. We are very interested in the work of the World Trade Organization and in ensuring that it addresses major issues of concern to all Americans as well as to local government.

"There is room for more openness in the WTO, but I look at things this way: The President of the United States on this occasion is like the head of a household. He invited guests for dinner. It is bad manners not to let those guests get to the table.

"Sure, there is room for change and concern, such as child labor standards, etc. Many of us have the same concerns as the protesters, but how we address them is the fundamental question."