Washington, DC -- The Council for Investment in the New American City released today a nationwide poll of America’s small business owners, which showed strong support for government action to invest in cities’ overall development, including housing, transportation, skills training and crime prevention. The Council, led by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, presented the poll, along with a policy agenda, to President Bush today in a White House meeting with more than 60 Mayors and corporate representatives from across the country.

Mayor Coles introduces President Bush at the White House View a video clip of the President's speech in its entirety. Read the transcript of the President's speech. Mayor O'Malley discusses his city's education initiatives. Download the U.S. Metropolitan Small Business Survey Analysis. Download the U.S. Metropolitan Small Business Survey Toplines. Download The Renaissance of the New American City Report.

The poll revealed that small business owners are optimistic about the state of their businesses and future prospects and support efforts to assist cities. For example, 74% said the Federal government should maintain or increase funding for local skills training. Seventy-five percent of small business owners said the Federal government should continue support for efforts to fight crime.

"For the first time, we've documented that small business owners support the same national priorities as the mayors," said U.S. Conference of Mayors President and Boise Mayor H. Brent Coles. "They recognize the need to re-train our national workforce to meet the needs of a changing global economy, because they understand that skilled workers are productive workers. They support making our streets safer, because they understand that a safe city is more conducive to a prosperous business environment. Two strong voices – America's mayors and the business community – are now speaking as one."

Small business owners also identified what strategies local, state and federal governments can employ to assist small business in America. These strategies included providing homeownership assistance, cracking down on crime, improving public transportation systems, reducing traffic and improving government support of local skills training.

Additionally, small business owners were asked if they would prefer development in their metropolitan areas to occur outward, in open spaces or farmland, or inward, on available land in center cities. Forty-two percent of business owners support development in the downtown areas of cities, while only 24 percent support outward development.

The Council for Investment in the New American City is a coalition of mayors and business leaders, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, Countrywide Home Loans, Citigroup, American Management Services, US Filter, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The Council released a nationwide poll of the public last year that showed strong support for a policy agenda similar to the one presented to the President today. For a copy of policy agenda, contact the names on this press release.

"This poll shows that business believes, as we believe, that cities are the new places to do business," said Conference Vice President and New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial. "We can, working together, really pass brownfields legislation to unleash private investment in abandoned industrial sites. We can, working with the private sector, push for a new 21st Century rails and transit system that will help shape this nation's development for decades to come. We can work together to put housing back on the national list of priorities."

"I am very encouraged by the findings of this survey," said Andrew D. Woodward, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. "It proves that America's cities are coming back not only as safe and vibrant places to live, but also, as safe and viable places for businesses to do business."

"This poll is very encouraging for the increasing success of small business in our cities," said George Cloutier, CEO of American Management Services and Founder of the Partner America program. "It shows that small business owners in America are excited about their future prospects, despite concerns and recent trends in the national economy."

For a copy of the poll, contact the names on this press release. Poll highlights include:

• Sixty-three percent of respondents believe their short-term or six-month economic outlook is positive. About the same percentage think their two-year and five-year economic outlook is positive as well. The most optimistic of small business owners are women in business, businesses in the South and service sector businesses.

• 66% agree their city is an economically stronger, safer, and more exciting place to live and do business than five years ago.

• 60% said the Federal government should play a more active role in encouraging home ownership, while 54% the cost of housing had gotten worse in their business neighborhood during the past five years;

• 27% said crime had increased where their businesses are located; 21% said it had decreased; 47% said it had stayed the same.

• 64% said they support greater investment in public transportation if it cuts down on commute times for employees.

The poll’s telephone survey was conducted from March 21 – 27, 2001, among 500 small business owners. The margin of error at the 95% confidence level is 4.4%. Sub-samples have larger margins of error. The United States Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are about 1,100 such cities in the country today. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.

CONTACT: Jubi Headley, (202) 861-6766 or (202) 744-9337; Karen Hinton, (703) 798-3109

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