By Ed Somers
January 12, 2009

A special USCM Working Group met December 18 in the Obama-Biden transition office in Chicago to discuss the formation and agenda for the new White House Urban Policy Office. USCM Vice President Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who has been appointed Chair of the working group by USCM President Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz, led the delegation.

From the transition office, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison, led the meeting. Also participating was Cecilia Munoz, incoming Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House.

The mayors discussed how cities and metro areas stand ready to work with the Administration on formation of a new urban/suburban policy that breaks down federal silos. The mayors also urged that a mayor or former mayor be selected to head up the new office, and that it be given real power to force federal agencies to work collaboratively with cities to invest in metro economies.

Nickels and several other mayors have developed a white paper on ways that the new White House office can best help cities.

A major portion of the two-hour discussion focused on the Economic Recovery package being developed by the new Administration and the 111th Congress. Nickels urged that a significant portion of the infrastructure and jobs funding be provided directly to cities and local areas in order to ensure that it does not get stuck or diverted in the states.

The mayors stressed that the only way to develop green, sustainable infrastructure is to invest through programs such as the Community Development Block Grant, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, and the Surface Transportation Program.

The mayors also urged that increased flexibility be included in the package to make sure that funds can be spent quickly and on the highest priority projects.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President-Elect Barack Obama joined the mayors for a quick discussion and several questions.

Obama said he is committed to working closely with mayors, and then moved to the topic of the Economic Recovery package. He said that the package would be big and makes a significant investment in America’s infrastructure. “Help is on the way,” Obama told the mayors. He also urged the mayors to “get your ducks in a row,” saying that the more shovel-ready projects the better off the nation will be. He also said that he is aware that some contradictions exist between getting the job done fast, and getting it done right. But he pledged that the Administration would work to cut red tape when possible to get the dollars “out the door.”

Obama then warned the mayors that because of ballooning deficits, after this package, the federal budget will get very tight and increased investments will be more limited.

The USCM delegation included Nickels, USCM Second Vice President Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz, Louisville (KY) Mayor Jerry E. Abramson, Trenton (NJ) Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, Akron (OH) Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, Charleston (SC) Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Albuquerque (NM) Mayor Martin J. Chavez, Columbus (OH) Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Tulsa (OK) Mayor Kathryn L. Taylor, Providence (RI) Mayor David N. Cicilline, Philadelphia (PA) Mayor Michael Nutter, Denver (CO) Mayor John Hickenlooper, Salt Lake City (UT) Mayor Ralph Becker, Baltimore (MD) Mayor Sheila Dixon, Long Beach (CA) Mayor Bob Foster, Minneapolis (MN) Mayor R.T. Rybak, and USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran.