Washington, D.C.
January 17, 2003

Welcome to the nation's mayors as you convene for our 71st Winter Meeting. You are here in the midst of one of the most historic moments in recent times. The nation is in the midst of deciding what it should do about three things. First — A war in a foreign land, second — The serious challenges you face with providing homeland security with rising domestic crime and the continued threat of further terrorist activities in your own cities and third — Sick economic conditions with 43 states of the union in the red, more desperate than at any time since the Great Depression which means worsening economic conditions involving more layoffs and cuts in basic services that will affect you, your budgets and your people.

While President Bush and his Defense and State Department team strategize to disarm Saddam Hussein and prepare for war, you recognize that is not your job. While you face the economic consequences of the desperate conditions the governor and state legislators face, you do your best to make the argument for priority funds that come from state budgets and recognize that these are not your decisions even through you are trying to force the right decision at the state level.

The big one staring you in the face is our homeland security. The American people are counting on you, your police chief and your police, fire, and emergency personnel to protect them, to make it safe for them and their children and loved ones. When Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb addressed the German Parliament in March of 2002, he was asked what is the most important function you perform as an American Mayor and he answered - "Unless you have a safe city, you don't have a city."

So where are we in January 2003 on making sure we are safe on the homeland front — in urban, suburban and rural America.

When historians look back at the event of the 21st Century - 9/11/01 - they will see footage and press accounts of our national leaders embracing our heroes who protect us — our police, fire and emergency personnel. They won't believe that after a year and a half since the event, no resources from Washington were sent for our domestic ground troops, our police and fire departments. They also won't believe that even existing programs put in place by our former President were indeed cut off from the supply line to our domestic defense teams in police departments across the nations. There's something wrong with the picture — but it is a true picture. Today, there is a past, present and immediate future need for Washington to wake up, stop squabbliThe past — Washington owes you and your city for the costs you have already incurred for the extra homeland defense moneys you have already spent. You have managed remarkably but you now face even more challenges. The past and present — as you dealt with national security threats from Washington, anthrax scares and protecting large and small indoor and outdoor events over the past year, you are also faced now with an upsurge of regular domestic violence, rising street and neighborhood crime and increased gang killings in many of our cities. Experts say that when people are riding high economically and their economic bottom falls out, it causes frustration within all economic incomes of Americans. Frustration is taken out against loved ones and fThe future — the probable war in Iraq and the continued position of our federal government to wipe out terrorists all over the world, a position you support, will also mean that the thousands of agents now living in the USA will be more willing to respond by killing and harming more people as we go about our cities with our regular daily and evening activities. It's up to you to protect us and prevent future terrorist activities.

The past — Washington owes you and your city for the costs you have already incurred for the extra homeland defense moneys you have already spent. You have managed remarkably but you now face even more challenges. The past and present — as you dealt with national security threats from Washington, anthrax scares and protecting large and small indoor and outdoor events over the past year, you are also faced now with an upsurge of regular domestic violence, rising street and neighborhood crime and increased gang killings in many of our cities. Experts say that when people are riding high economically and their economic bottom falls out, it causes frustration within all economic incomes of Americans. Frustration is taken out against loved ones and fThe future — the probable war in Iraq and the continued position of our federal government to wipe out terrorists all over the world, a position you support, will also mean that the thousands of agents now living in the USA will be more willing to respond by killing and harming more people as we go about our cities with our regular daily and evening activities. It's up to you to protect us and prevent future terrorist activities.

The future — the probable war in Iraq and the continued position of our federal government to wipe out terrorists all over the world, a position you support, will also mean that the thousands of agents now living in the USA will be more willing to respond by killing and harming more people as we go about our cities with our regular daily and evening activities. It's up to you to protect us and prevent future terrorist activities.

Stimulus programs to help the states and tax cuts to individuals are up front and center with the national media. But Washington should rise up above everything and say, as we send troops to the Gulf, and make sure that these heroes have the best equipment and training, we must do the same for our heroes we have all idolized, loved and hugged since 9/11 — 685,000 strong — in city and county police departments throughout America.

Mayors must be bolder about these matters. Now is not the time to be shrinking violets. The atmosphere here in Washington does not contain any elements of sacrifice or cutting back. It is an atmosphere of war but also it is a time when we are told that consumers need more money in their pocket so they can go shopping. Deficits? Who cares — let it roll; we'll worry about that later. But every now and then someone comes forth and reminds us about how vulnerable our homeland defense is today. Former Senators Warren Rudman and Gary Hart, heading up a task force within The Council on Foreign Relations, continue to tell us that America is still dangerously unprepared for another major attack within our borders on U.S. soil. We need to say if a money train goes out of Washington for states, tax reductions for all incomes, or for anything — there must be mammoth sums, more and more money to fill the hole — past, present and future America must face if we are to have safe days and nights for millions of Americans who are threatened and who live, in large part, in cities and counties relying on city and county police, fire and emergency personnel to protect them from harm of the old fashioned thugs and criminals and the new kids on the block — international terrorists — now living here in America just waiting biding their time. The hugging of heroes must stop. We need money — the money that we send to Washington needs to be sent back to you to make sure that you have to provide that safe city, that safe street, that safe neighborhood, that safe home for our people throughout this great nation.

Conference President Mayor Menino / Homeland/Economic Security Agenda

As we convene our meeting this week, Conference President Thomas M. Menino has provided outstanding leadership and consensus in presenting a balanced economic blueprint for Washington. On January 16, Menino met with our leadership here in Washington to develop the proposal. The Menino plan has three parts. He and our leaders will offer the recommendations to you as we open our 71st Winter Meeting. The first part of the Menino plan contains the need for more resources — past, present and the immediate future — for America's homeland defense. The second part prescribes specific recommendations for providing economic security through smart investments of federal spending and better uses of our federal tax code to spur local government and business partnership ventures that will be job producing. The third part calls for fiscal relief for our state governments with special focus on Medicaid needs and funding for new education mandates. Mayor Menino and our leadership will need your help as we go forward advocating our position for a more balanced response from Washington that is needed as we are in the streets and neighborhoods facing the challenges brought about by a lack of balanced response from Washington to help us provide economic security and homeland security to our citizens.

Mayor Victor Ashe / USCM Distinguished Public Service Award

Congratulations to Mayor Victor Ashe, who will be presented during our Winter Meeting with The United States Conference of Mayors Distinguished Public Service Award. This is the highest award given to anyone by our organization. Adequate words cannot be expressed in this column for the thanks and appreciation for Mayor Ashe's contribution, his direct and personal involvement, in strengthening of our organization to make it what it is today. It would take a book! And maybe that's for later. Meantime, we stop, recognize and thank Mayor Ashe, knowing he is still with us for another year and knowing no matter where he goes with his life and career, his heart, soul, and energy is about cities, about people, and about getting something done. Again, thank you Mayor Ashe — the tenacious one. "The bulldog" nickname he gets at home is reflected in his relentless energy to always be focused to the practical bottom line of getting big things done by bringing the differences of the divisive nature of politics in the Democratic and Republican Party to a common goal of action and results for our cities and our people.

Welcome to Washington to your 71st Annual Winter Meeting!