By Ed Somers
January 12, 2004

During the 80th Congress of Cities held in Nashville (TN) December 9-13, Arlington (MA) Selectman Charles Lyons was elected the 79th President of the National League of Cities.

During his inaugural address, Lyons said, "We need a federal government that will get up and do what needs to be done. We need a federal government that will stand in the center of the fire with us, and not shrink back." "Our mission for the next year and beyond is to do what we do best - to support each other, to sustain each other, and to stand in the center of the fire together, and not shrink back," Lyons added.

In addition to President Lyons, Washington (DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams was elected First Vice President and Clarksburg (WV) Councilman Jim Hunt was elected Second Vice President.

Lyons's aggressive call to action built on a year-long effort to strengthen NLC's lobbying and advocacy led by outgoing President New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Jr.

Conference President Hempstead (NY) Mayor James A. Garner brought greetings to the National League of Cities during a plenary session on December 11. Garner congratulated DeStefano for a successful presidency, and pledged to work closely with the new leadership on shared priorities.

Highlighting recent efforts, Garner said, "Together, we have been fighting to preserve key law enforcement programs like COPS and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant and against the unfunded mandate of an expanded internet access tax moratorium that threatens our already stretched city budgets. And against great odds, we have been able so far to block liability protection for the producers of MTBE, which has polluted many water systems across the nation."

Garner then highlighted the economic investment agenda being developed by the Conference of Mayors with strong input from the business community.

"Business knows that an educated and well-trained workforce is our best weapon against domestic job losses and trade deficits. Business knows that only with a smart transportation system can -just in time- deliveries be made, can workers get to their jobs, and can travel and tourism be promoted. And business understands the importance of a safe and livable community in which their employees can and will want to live," Garner said.

Over the course of the conference, the delegates also heard from a number of national figures including Democratic presidential candidates Wesley Clark and Carol Moseley Braun. Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander was honored with NLC's Distinguished Congressional Award for his leadership on internet taxation, Head Start, and other education issues. And host mayor Bill Purcell treated the delegates to some of Nashville's finest entertainment and cultural activities.