SPECIAL RESOLUTION IN HONOR OF MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS  JUNE 2011-JUNE 2012

WHEREAS, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has led The United States Conference of Mayors from June 2011-June 2012 , serving the nation's mayors as their President with great distinction; and

WHEREAS, as Conference of Mayors President, Mayor Villaraigosa has been a tireless and eloquent advocate for cities and metro areas; and

WHEREAS, he has expressed his vision for urban America with strength and forthright language, as the following quotes show:

• Cities –The Nation's Economic Engines:  "Our cities and our metro regions are our country’s economic engines.  We can put people to work by building the foundation this country needs to compete around the world;" and

• Our Common Sense Jobs Agenda:  Putting People Back to Work:  "It has become increasingly obvious – we need a concerted and comprehensive effort to get Americans back to work by making the strategic long-term investments in our infrastructure and in our people."

  "Mayors have been a consistent voice for sound economic and fiscal policies.  We presented our Common Sense Jobs Agenda with policies to boost our economy in the short term.  And we presented policies that will lay the foundation for a broad-based expansion in the long term.  Congress followed our lead when it passed the extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.  Now Congress should get down to business and pass the rest of the agenda!

• Fast Forward:  "We cannot keep pace in the coming decade with the new economic powers of China, Brazil and India if our bridges are crumbling and our rails are rusty.  That is why mayors have sounded the clarion call for critical infrastructure investments.  Because of our advocacy we assembled a bipartisan coalition in support of America Fast Forward.  And this coalition successfully pushed to have this innovative program included as a key piece of the Surface Transportation Bill.  Now it is up to Congress.  If they don't act by June 26th, it will be 1,000 days since we have had a transportation bill!"

• Education:   "While states are slashing education budgets, cities are blazing new trails in education reform and finding innovative ways to ensure that our children are prepared for the jobs of the future;" "Good schools plant the seeds of success. They provide our children with skills they need to advance in today’s highly competitive, knowledge-based economy.  They are crucibles of citizenship"

• Washington Needs a Wakeup Call!"    President Villaraigosa calls upon Congress needs to act on key legislation, such as the Surface Transportation bill and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and refrain from cutting time-tested, effective urban programs, such as the Community Development Block Grants. 

• Cities:  Generators of Innovative Thinking:  "When it comes to finding imaginative solutions to our most pressing problems, it’s our mayors who are doing the heavy lifting! Cities are where innovative strategies are being created and tested. Our cities and metro regions are the global hubs of innovation."

• Mayors in the Vanguard of Environmental Strategies:  "In the absence of effective international environmental stewardship, cities are taking a more and more prominent lead in working together to mitigate and adapt to global climate change,"

• Congress Should Focus on Nation-building in America with Cost Savings from Our Troops Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan:  Now Congress should invest those war savings in rebuilding our infrastructure and paying down our national debt!   "We’ve built bridges in Kandahar.  It’s time to build them in Kansas City! We’ve built roads in Baghdad.  It’s time to build them in Baltimore!"

• U.S. Conference of Mayors:   "The U.S. Conference of Mayors will remain the voice of intellectual and moral authority when it comes to the nation’s cities and metro regions."

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes President Antonio Villaraigosa for his comprehensive vision for cities and metro regions of this great country; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the nation's mayors thank President Antonio Villaraigosa for his strong efforts to improve academic performance in schools, decrease gang violence, protect and improve America's infrastructure, create jobs and put people back to work, encourage cities to think local and act global, and emphasize the great contributions of mayors and their cities to innovation and to pushing the national agenda; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the mayors, their families and staff, USCM staff, and all others at this 80th Annual Meeting in Orlando express sincere appreciation to Mayor Villaraigosa for creative and effective leadership and offer warmest wishes to him for all the best that life can offer, now and in the future!